"You came home and the water receded, but that mark was still there," he said.

Five days later, on March 21, the water finally receded to 24 feet.

"Then we can return when the water recedes and pull it out of here."

That was back when they still thought the waters might recede.

High winds, he said, continued for several more hours after the water had receded.

"You said yourself that the water receded this far during the ice age, and I agree."

If the rain stopped and the water receded, I was to let them know, no matter how late.

By this evening, the water had receded in many parts of the city.

Although the waters receded, no one ever returned to it.

"Things will get difficult about three weeks after the waters recede."