Tuesday, June 28, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Missouri River Basin Flooding Summary

Numerous levee sections along the Missouri River Basin continue to experience seepage and boiling and being closely monitored by authorities. Rain is hampering flood fighting efforts, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is continuing flood fighting and maintenance of these levees once area dry out enough to allow use of construction equipment.Â* Other updates are as follows by state.
North Dakota
The Garrison Dam reservoir appears to have crested and based on the latest forecast will stay nearly level for the next several days or so and then begin to recede.
Iowa
Sand boils and seepage continue to plague levees in Hamburg and Council Bluffs. The USACE continues flood fighting efforts in the state.Â* In Hamburg, IA, the USACE continues 24/7 construction on the Hamburg Ditch #6 Levee.
In Council Bluffs, IA, the USACE and the city are using seepage blankets to reinforced levee.
Mandatory evacuations continue for an area in Mills County south of Council Bluffs due to the rise of interior ground water east of the Mills County Levee System.
Missouri
On June 27, the USACE confirmed an overtop breach due to overtopping of the Rushville-Sugar Lake Association Levee (a non-federal levee) located along the Missouri River in Buchanan County. The levee protects the towns of Winthrop and Armour/Sugar Lake with 17 businesses and 169 residences. A voluntary evacuation is in effect due to water topping the levee.
Souris (Mouse) River Flooding â Minot, ND

Current Situation
The Souris River (known locally as the Mouse River) appears to have crested in Minot, ND with a reading of 1,561.72 feet at Midnight EDT on June 26, 2011.Â* Floodwaters will remain high for several days and slowly recede.Â* In the town of Velva, ND, the river crest also appears to have passed with a reading of 1,514 feet at 6:00 p.m. EDT on June 27, 2011. Floodwaters in Velva are also dropping.
Lake Darling releases continue to decrease.Â* The USACE continues to work with partners including the Saskatchewan Water Authority, the city of Minot, the National Weather Service (NWS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in the Souris Basin to manage Lake Darling water levels.
Reconstruction of the levees/recovery for the Souris River Basin is not expected until mid-July, when the flow will drop to 3,000-5,000 cfs.
Minot and Sawyer (Ward County), and Velva (McHenry County), ND
Mandatory evacuations continue to be in effect a total of 13,000 residents countywide to include communities of Burlington, Minot, Logan and Sawyer.Â* There were 12,000 residents evacuated out of Minot alone.Â* A mandatory evacuation was ordered for Velva to allow unimpeded construction of emergency levees. As of June 27, the American Red Cross reports 3 shelters are open with 232 occupants.
Â*
Emergency construction and repair of levees will continue until it becomes unsafe.Â* Construction of secondary dikes continues to protect public infrastructure for some affected areas.Â*Â* Levee construction is continuing for the towns of Sawyer and Velva located downstream of Minot.Â* The USACE supported the city of Minotâs efforts to build a rain levee to mitigate the additional rain that fell in the surrounding area on June 26, 2011.
Current, the city of Minotâs water system remains compromised.Â* Residents were requested to keep water usage to a minimum and a Boil Water Order remains in effect. A Boil Water Order is also in effect for Velva due to a water main break.
Flooding has impacted travel within the city of Minot.Â* The U.S. Highway 83 bypass is the only north-south route open through Minot and travel time on the bypass can take up to two hours at times.Â* The USACE remain focused on protecting Broadway Avenue, a major route, in the city of Minot. A ring dike was completed to manage seepage along a portion of the main roadway.Â* The Broadway Bridge has not been damaged, but is open to emergency traffic only.
FEMA opened three Disaster Recovery Centers in North Dakota on June 27.Â* Two are located in Minot and one is located in Bismarck, ND.
Significant National Weather

West:
A frontal system moving ashore will produce precipitation from central California to the Pacific Northwest. The heaviest precipitation (1 to 3 inches) will fall in northern California. Snow will fall above 8,000 ft in the higher elevations. Strong south to southwest winds of 20-to-30-mph are forecast ahead of storm from the Sierras in California to western Utah with gusts to 80 mph in the ridge tops. A few thunderstorms are expected across the interior Northwest, Colorado and New Mexico. A few of the storms could turn severe in eastern Colorado. The fire danger remains high across much of the Southwest.
Midwest:
A frontal system draped across the country from the Great Lakes to the Southern Plains will produce showers, thunderstorms and severe thunderstorms across the Central Plains, Middle Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley.Â* The low over the Northern Great Lakes will produce a few showers over the Great Lakes and Wisconsin. The Northern Plains will be dry under high pressure
South:
The front discussed above will produce showers, thunderstorms and severe thunderstorms from the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles across the entire Southeast. Heavy precipitation (up to 1 inch) will produce localized flooding. The region will be warm, with temperatures average as much as 10 degrees above average, highs be in the 90s across the Southeast but over 100 degrees across much of Texas.
Northeast:
A warm front extending from the low over the Great Lakes will produce widespread rain across the region. Thunderstorms will move into the region this evening and locally heavy precipitation may produce localized flooding. Tomorrow, the last of the showers and thunderstorms will move off shore leaving most of the region dry under a ridge of high pressure.Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico
Area 1
Cloudiness and showers accompanying a broad area of low pressure over the eastern Bay of Campeche have changed little in organization during the past several hours.Â* Although upper-level winds are not currently conducive for significant development these winds are forecast to gradually become more favorable during the next day or so. There is a medium chance (50 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west-northwestward at 5 to 10 mph.Â* An Air Force Reserve Unit Hurricane Hunter Plane is scheduled to investigate the area this afternoon, if necessary.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern / Central Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western / South Pacific:Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*
No activity.
Earthquake Activity

On June 28 at 2:48 a.m. EDT, a 5.8M earthquake occurred on Fox Island in the Aleutian Islands, AK at a depth of 25.7 miles.Â*Â* Fox Island is 1,040 miles west-southwest of Anchorage.Â* No tsunami was generated.Â*Â*(USGS)Â*
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Monday, June 27, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 3
Initial attack activity: LIGHT (106 new fires)
New Large Fires: 3
Large Fires Contained: 5
Uncontained Large Fires: 40
Type 1 IMT Committed: 3
Type 2 IMT Committed: 11
States affected: NM, AZ, NC, TX, GA, FL, OK, CO & CA
Wildfires

Arizona and New Mexico
Las Conchas Fire â FEMA-2933-FM-NM
To date, 43,597 acres have burned in Sandoval and Los Alamos Counties. The fire is 0% contained. Officials have ordered the mandatory evacuation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the town of Los Alamos. Evacuations began at approximately 2:30 PM CDT on June 27. An estimated 7,500 people will need to be evacuated. A voluntary evacuation is in effect for the town of White Rock just southeast of the town of Los Alamos.
The Region VI Regional Administrator has been in contact with the New Mexico Emergency Management and has a State Liaison on standby for deployment in support of the fire, if needed.
Wallow Fire â FEMA-2915-FM-AZ and FEMA-2917-FM-NM
To date, 538,043 acres have burned in Apache, Navajo, Graham and Greenlee Counties, AZ and in Catron County, NM. The fire is 82% contained. Evacuation for the Blue River Community has been lifted for local residents only.
Monument Fire â FEMA-2919-FM-AZ
So far 30,526 acres have burned in Cochise County, AZ. The fire is 90% contained and the expected containment date is July 15.
Georgia
Honey Prairie Complex Fires â FEMA-2920-FM-GA
The Honey Prairie Complex Fires comprise of the Racepond, Honey Prairie, Paxton Road and Durdin Prairie Fires. To date, 304,607 acres have burned and the fires are between 60-65% contained.
Sweat Farm Again Fire â FEMA-2921-FM-GA
To date, 19,169 acres have burned and the fire is 69% contained.
North Carolina
Juniper Road Fire
The Juniper Road Fire is located in Onslow County, NC. To date, 22,659 acres have burned and the fire is 30% contained. It has been reported that residences along parts of the Holly Shelter wildlife habitat and Camp Lejeune are threatened by this fire.
On June 27, the Governor issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency in 29 Georgia counties due to extreme fire conditions and current wildfires and forest fires.
Disaster Declaration Activity

On June 27, 2011, a Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA-1998-DR, was approved for the state of Iowa for Flooding occurring May 25, 2011 and continuing.Â* The Declaration provides Public Assistance for 6 counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Category A and B), including direct Federal Assistance, under the Public Assistance program.Â* All counties in the State of Iowa are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. On June 27, Amendment No. 3 for disaster declaration, FEMA-1991-DR-IL, was approved for the state of Illinois adds Wabash County for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance).


More...