The Cave's Archive of Missouri River Flooding 2011 Daily Updates: MISSOURI RIVER 2011 FLOODING UPDATE

Flood Information Terminology

100 year flood -- A level of flood water that occurs every 100 years on average. This can be more accurately described as flood conditions that have a 1 percent probability of being met or exceeded each year.

500 year flood -- Flooding with an annual probability of 0.2 percent that conditions would be met or exceeded.

Berm -- A raised barrier or shelf separating two areas. Often built to control erosion by slowing or directing surface runoff.

CFS (Cubic feet per second) -- The measurement used to describe the the amount of water flowing through a river or released by a dam. A cubic foot has the volume of a cube with sides of one foot in length.

For example, an Olympic-size swimming pool holds about 88,000 cubic feet of water. The highest release expected for this flood is 150,000 cubic feet per second from Gavins Point Dam, near Yankton, S.D.

Dewater -- The process of removing groundwater or surface water, usually by pumping.

Intentional breach -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sometimes breaches levees to relieve flooding upriver, including to relieve pressure on floodwalls or other structures protecting critical land.

Levee (or dike) -- A constructed slope or wall to keep floodwaters from an inundation area or adjacent land. Can be permanent or temporary and made of earth, concrete or other materials.

Pooling -- As the water table rises with flooding, water can collect in low areas, including near levee bases. Water from pooling is not considered seepage, because it's from the water table or rainwater, rather than a leak through a levee.

Piping -- Erosion along the base of a levee from strong river currents. This can cause failure as the levee foundation deteriorates too far and its structure collapses.

Riprap -- Rock or concrete rubble often placed on shorelines and bridge abutments to prevent erosion from water and ice.

Sand boil -- Sand boils form on levees when water pressing down on the river side pushes water through to the dry side. Not all sand boils are the same:

Carlos Lazo, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said boils leaking clear water are generally routine fixes. However, he said dark water coming from boils indicates sediment erosion and is more serious.

Scour hole: A hollow in the bed of a stream caused by the erosive action of rapidly circulating flow.

Seepage -- Water that travels through or under a levee. Some seepage is considered normal or expected, but too much can indicate big problems within a levee, and lead to breaking.

157000 CFS June 23, 2011
150900 CFS June 22, 2011
150000 CFS June 21, 2011

percentage of flood control capacity left in that particular reservoir/lake
66.3% June 23, 2011
62.8% June 22, 2011
51.6% June 21, 2011
52.3% June 15, 2011

Kris Kitko's new song/video "Love & Shovels" for free

http://www.facebook.com/NDFloods?sk=wall

KrisKitco.com - "Love and Shovels" to help with donations for North Dakota flood donations

KrisKitco.com - "Frack Pit Love Song"
Kris Kitko's song about pits containing toxic frack waste water and chemicals. $0.99
ALL DOWNLOAD SALES GO DIRECTLY TO BAKKEN WATCH

NORTH DAKOTA'S ONLY NON-PROFIT DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF FRACKING (HYDRAULIC FRACTURING).

LIVE Video of Gavins Point Dam

HYDRO-ELECTRICAL GENERATION

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nTbfogjRPdU/TgT0SM6gE3I/AAAAAAAARYk/_7cXyY5opTQ/s400/Gavins%2B-%2Bpower%2Bhouse%2Bflows.JPG

GAVINS POINT DAM'S SPILLWAYS
2008

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_JtMAgKT1RI/TgT60XaV6_I/AAAAAAAARZE/HkdWK5LGSy8/s1600/Power%2BHouse%2BSMALL.jpg

Ft. Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kkp2FRZqvHA/Tf_SI-QqvDI/AAAAAAAARI8/2eX7ezaI7Y4/s1600/flood%2Bcalhoun.BMP

20 Miles North of Omaha, NE

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A0Xq-cIlXZ4/TgCdRKiYbpI/AAAAAAAARKU/DIzCFXauwas/s1600/cooper%2Bsm.JPG

Currently in cold shutdown following completion of a planned refueling
(core and spent fuel rods pool require ongoing cooling)

From Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)

Located about 19 miles north of Omaha, OPPD’s Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station is designed to withstand severe natural disasters, including:

1,000-year flood of the Missouri River

Authorities state Cooper Nuclear Plant, currently running 100% could be shut down in "3 seconds", critics still worry

Cooper Nuclear Power Plant

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXcIKL-zujc/Tf_SI87DkAI/AAAAAAAARI0/pAe9NS9xvzw/s1600/cooper%2Bflood.BMP

Near Brownville, NE approx 75 Miles South of Omaha
Currently running at 100% - water levels have not reached the height for a cold shut down to take place

KFAB Omaha | Cooper Nuclear Plant in Nebraska Operating "Normally" Despite Rising Waters (AP)

Omaha Public Power District (OPPD): If you look closely in the photos, our plant, our substation and other buildings are dry behind berms, sandbag walls and AquaDams. The plant is secure from water to the 1,014 feet above sea level elevation (the river is now at 1,006). It also has diesel generators and additional fuel staged to provide power from on site...(read more)

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD): There have been at least five situations of flooding around the Brownville area since 1952, and Cooper Nuclear Station, which has experienced several floods since it began commercial operation in 1974, was built to withstand various natural disasters, including tornadoes and earthquakes. The site was elevated 13 feet above the natural grade to 903 feet sea level elevation to accommodate the maximum, probable flooding event. (Earlier this week floodwaters came within 18 inches of 902 feet -- the mark at which Cooper would be shut down.)... (read more)

Friday, July 29, 2011

MISSOURI RIVER 2011 FLOODING UPDATE - Friday July 29, 2011

Sioux City Journal | Gavins Point Dam releases will be reduced this weekend

DAKOTA DUNES - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to cut releases from Gavins Point Dam this weekend, the first such reduction since the Missouri River began its historic flood on Memorial Day weekend.

The reduction is good news to officials in Dakota Dunes, who have been monitoring six miles of levees protecting the southeast South Dakota community around-the-clock.

"It'll help in the sense that any time you can reduce the amount of water pressure that you have on your levees, that's beneficial," said Steve Long, public information officer for Dakota Dunes.

WHAT'S NEW: On Saturday, officials at Gavins Point Dam will cut releases to 155,000 cubic feet per second.

The current plan calls for releases to be cut to 150,000 cfs on Monday.

WHAT WE KNEW: The other five dams upstream of Gavins Point have already begun reducing releases.

As of Thursday, releases on those dams were 35,000 cfs at Fort Peck (Mont.), 115,000 cfs at Garrison (N.D.), 140,000 cfs at Big Bend and Oahe (S.D.) 159,000 cfs at Fort Randall (S.D.).

WHAT'S NEXT: Corps officials plan to announce the floodwater release schedule for the rest of the year during a conference call this morning.

RIVER LEVEL: 34.13 feet at Sioux City on Thursday, down from 34.21 feet Wednesday.

DAM RELEASES: 160,000 cfs from Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, S.D.

FORECAST: Storms in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri on Thursday night. Forecasters from the National Weather Service say it will be hot and humid again on Saturday with heat index readings between 100 and 105 degrees. There also will be a chance of thunderstorms in the region on Saturday night.

Rain heightens Okoboji worries

Rescue training on flooded I-29

Omaha.com | Guard done with levee patrol

Biker alert — Nebraska motorists are being encouraged to watch for heavier motorcycle traffic on state roads.
Interstate 29 flooding is likely to send a number of motorcyclists headed to Sturgis, S.D., through Nebraska this year.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally draws thousands annually from around the country. This year's rally will be Aug. 8 to Aug. 14, but motorcycle traffic could pick up as soon as next week.

AAA is advising motorists to provide motorcyclists with the space they need to operate safely. Petro Gas Station in York will serve as a travel aid station the weekend before the rally. Water, sunscreen, neck coolers and tools for repairs will be provided.

WinnaVegas open: The WinnaVegas casino near Sloan, Iowa, has reopened, thanks to amphibious “duck boats” that are ferrying gamblers safely over the Missouri River floodwaters. The boats can hold more than two dozen people. Casino officials say the water is shallow enough over the casino access road that it’s unlikely the vessels’ propellers will be used. The service began Thursday as the casino reopened. Duck boat tickets cost $10, but passengers get $10 vouchers for gambling once they reach the casino. Woodbury County closed the road into the casino last month because of the flooding. That forced the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska to close the operation. A berm was built to protect the casino, which has become an island in a sea of floodwater.
Schuyler protection — The Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to build 5.6 miles of levees and some channel shaping near Schuyler, Neb., to protect the community from flooding.

The work would cost about $1.9 million and lessen the flood threat to to more than 760 buildings.

Northeast Schuyler has been flooded by Shell Creek. The Platte River and Lost Creek are a flood threat to southern Schuyler.

Two public meetings will be held Aug. 16. The meetings will be at the Oak Ballroom, 175 Higgins Drive in Schuyler. Information will be posted on the Omaha corps' website and placed at the Schuyler Public Library and City Hall.
Breach location clarified — Harrison County, Iowa, authorities clarified a report that a July 20 levee breach was along the Soldier River.

The breach actually occurred along the Missouri River, just upstream of river mile marker 664. The breach is approximately 80 feet wide, and water has stopped flowing it. Water levels on the dry side of the levee have stabilized.

Shelter — The American Red Cross will open a new shelter Friday in Council Bluffs to assist those affected by flooding.

The shelter will be at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 611 First Ave., and will open at 6 p.m. If there are no overnight guests by 11 p.m., the shelter will close and reopen at 8 a.m. the next morning.

The Red Cross will transition the shelter at Iowa School for the Deaf to standby status at noon Friday.

For help finding a shelter in the region, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Sandbagging — Council Bluffs is resuming sandbagging on Saturdays. Volunteers are sought from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday at the Mid-America Center.

Sandbagging continues to be done on weekdays; volunteers will work from 8 a.m. to noon Friday.

Those interested in volunteering are asked to register by calling 712-325-4736. At the close of Wednesday's work session, the city's inventory of sandbags stood at 90,045.

Unsafe roads — The Iowa Department of Transportation is asking travelers not to move or drive around barricades on roads closed because of flooding.

Though floodwaters have begun to recede on some roads, they remain unsafe for travel. Some roadways will have missing segments, and others could have damage below the pavement surface or around bridges. Such damage can cause the road to collapse at any time.

Highway engineers will begin inspection work in the coming weeks.

For links to each of the highway agencies' websites and travel information phone numbers, visit iowadot.gov/floods/index.html.

RadiationNetwork.com

Live National Radiation Network Map

Updated in real time every minute. This is the first web site where the average citizen (or anyone in the world) can see what radiation levels are anywhere in the USA at any time

Missouri River Dams and River Levels Flood Map

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=https://sites.google.com/site/gmap4files/p/news/missouri_river.txt&ll=43.761599,-101.071993&t=h&z=6&label=on

US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS RELEASES NEW FORECAST SCHEDULE OF RELEASE - 6 MAINSTEM MISSOURI BASIN DAMS

Updated Daily

http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/twout.html

NOAA Hydrologic - Water Level at Gavins Point Dam, near Ft. Calhoun and Cooper Nuclear Plants

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/river.php?wfo=abr&wfoid=18696&riverid=203276&view=1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1&toggles=10%2C7%2C8%2C2%2C9%2C15%2C6&pt[]=145640&pt[]=142853&pt[]=144098&pt[]=144183&pt[]=142396&pt[]=143355&allpoints=143990%2C145585%2C145025%2C145026%2C144876%2C145027%2C143234%2C143184%2C145519%2C145640%2C144217%2C142150%2C142780%2C142853%2C145202%2C141586%2C144582%2C143543%2C144796%2C144098%2C144240%2C141320%2C141614%2C142968%2C144183%2C142574%2C143478%2C142193%2C142760%2C142003%2C142610%2C142396%2C144496%2C147345%2C141899%2C143355%2C142050%2C141570%2C144165%2C143476%2C141703%2C142023%2C144123%2C141863%2C143539%2C143436%2C141917%2C143009%2C142688%2C142640%2C143925%2C143734%2C142729%2C143790%2C142668%2C141962%2C142132&data[]=hydrograph&submit=Make+my+River+Page!

FT. PECK DAM - MONTANA

GARRISON DAM - NORTH DAKOTA

FT RANDALL DAM - NEAR CHAMBERLAIN SD

GAVINS POINT DAM - NEAR YANKTON SD

BLAIR, NEBRASKA NEAR FT. CALHOUN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

BROWNVILLE, NE - NEAR COOPER NUCLEAR PLANT

RESERVOIR CONTROL CENTER REPORTS

The following is the latest Reservoir Readings on the Upper Missouri River. This report is updated daily. Click on the picture for today's readings in reference to Gavins Point Dam, Ft. Randall Dam in SD, Big Bend Dam in SD, Oahe Dam in SD, Garrison Dam in ND and Fort Peck in Mt.

Link to daily report:

http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/showrep.cgi?3MRDTAP7

July 28, 2011