Wednesday, June 29, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Missouri River Basin Flooding Summary

Numerous levee sections continue to experience seepage and boiling and are 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 the areas dry out enough to allow use of construction equipment.

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. Releases from Garrison were reduced to 145,000 cfs. The reservoir is using surcharge storage above the exclusive flood control zone and spillway gates are being used to pass floodwaters.
Iowa
Sand boils and seepage continue to plague levees in Hamburg and Council Bluffs. USACE continues flood fighting efforts.
USACE continues 24/7 construction on the Hamburg Ditch #6 Levee.
Council Bluffs levee being reinforced with seepage blankets. 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 28, USACE confirmed that the Bean Lake Levee was overtopping and development of an overtop breach was in process. The levee is a non-Federal levee located on the Missouri River in Platte County, Missouri. Â*
The area includes 6,500 acres of agricultural land, 45 residences, 7 businesses, and numerous outbuildings.
Souris (Mouse) River Flooding â Minot, ND

Current Situation
The river crest has passed in Minot with a reading of 1561.72 feet at midnight EDT on June 26, 2011, and floodwaters will remain high for several days and slowly recede. As of 9:00 p.m. EDT on June 28, the river at Minot was at 1560.36 feet (flood stage is 1549 feet).

The river crest has passed Velva with a reading of 1514.5 feet (the forecast was 1516 feet) at 6:00 p.m. EDT on June 27, 2011 and floodwaters are slowly receding. As of 4:00 p.m. EDT on June 28, the river at Velva was at 1512.3 feet (flood stage is 1505 feet).
Souris River levels continue to drop from Burlington to Minot (Ward County) and past Velva (McHenry County). Record flood conditions were forecast for Towner and hear Bantry ((McHenry County) on June 28. McHenry County is prepared to dike a creek in Towner should conditions warrant. Lift stations and the water treatment plant are being protected.
Lake Darling releases were reduced to 21,000 cfs on June 28. Releases will continue to be reduced by 1,000 to 2,000 cfs daily until the conservation pool is reached or conditions warrant.
Releases from upper reservoirs have deceased but could increase again depending on an increase in rainfall over the next few days. There are no reports of breached levees at this time. Reconstruction of the levees/recovery 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 are in effect a total of 13,000 residents countywide to include communities of Burlington, Minot, Logan and Sawyer. There were 12,000 residents evacuated out of Minot alone. Shelter populations in Minot continue to decline. Currently there are 2 shelters open with 190 (-42) occupants. A mandatory evacuation was ordered for Velva to allow unimpeded construction of emergency levees. The number of affected residents is unknown.

Emergency construction and repair of levees will continue until it becomes unsafe; secondary dike construction continues to protect public infrastructure. Levee construction is continuing for the towns of Sawyer and Velva located downstream of Minot.

Several large water main breaks caused the city to ask residents to limit water to âessential use onlyâ. The city is isolating the breaks and making repairs. Boil water orders remain in effect. Contingency plans are in place for essential needs.

Trinity Hospital is operating at the Lewis & Clark School. Patients and supplies are being airlifted to and from the hospital. A walk-in clinic is being established to provide sample packs of medications for patients until they can reach a pharmacy. The boil water order also affects the hospital and walk-in clinic and precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of patients and staff.
The U.S. Highway 83 bypass is the only north-south vehicle route open through Minot. The Broadway Bridge is open to emergency traffic only.
Three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in North Dakota â two are in Minot and one is in Bismarck. Two Mobile DRCs are en route and additional DRC locations are being researched.

Significant National Weather

West:
Frontal systems will produce widespread precipitation across much of the Region. Severe thunderstorms are possible in the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains. Low relative humidity, high temperatures, gusty winds and ongoing drought will result in critical fire weather across much of the Southwest. Dry thunderstorms are possible in the Four Corners area.
Midwest:
High pressure will bring generally dry conditions to the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. A warm front extending from the Northern Plains to the Southeast will produce a band of precipitation across the High Plains and Oklahoma to the Southeast.
South:
A cold front draped across the region will produce showers, thunderstorms and severe thunderstorms across the entire Southeast. Heavy precipitation (up to 1 inch) will produce localized flooding.
Northeast:
A frontal system has moved off shore of the Mid-Atlantic but remains over New England. As a result, the Mid-Atlantic will be generally dry with a few isolated thunderstorms. New York and New England will see showers and thunderstorms.
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico
Tropical Storm Arlene
At 5:00 am EDT the center of Tropical Storm Arlene was in the Gulf of Campeche approximately 360 miles southeast of Brownsville Texas.
Arlene is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph and a turn toward the west is forecast later today. On the forecast track Arlene is expected to make landfall along the northeastern coast of Mexico early on Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph with higher gusts; some strengthening is forecast until landfall Thursday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coast of northeastern México.
Arlene is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and eastern San Luis Potosi with possible isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches over mountainous terrain.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast of Mexico within the warning area by this evening.
Storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1 to 2 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast near and to the north of where the center makes landfall.
Based on the current forecast, Arlene will not directly affect the United States.
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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Tuesday, June 28, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 3
Initial attack activity: LIGHT (127 new fires)
New Large Fires: 5
Large Fires Contained: 12
Uncontained Large Fires: 32
Type 1 IMT Committed: 4
Type 2 IMT Committed: 8
States affected: NM, AZ, NC, GA, FL, TX, OK, CO, CA & UT
Wildfires
New Mexico
Las Conchas Fire â FEMA-2933-FM-NM
The fire has burned 60,741 acres and is 3% contained. The entire town of Los Alamos is under mandatory evacuations; most evacuees (several thousand) have moved to Santa Fe and its vicinity.
A voluntary evacuation is in effect for the town of White Rock just southeast of Los Alamos. The Los Alamos National Laboratory is closed and non-essential personnel have been evacuated. All radioactive material has been accounted for and protected. Power and telephone lines are down throughout the area. 12 residences have been destroyed and many structures remain threatened both on the Los Alamos National Laboratory and in the city of Los Alamos.
Arizona and New Mexico
Wallow Fire â FEMA-2915-FM-AZ (Apache, Navajo, Graham & Greenlee Counties); FEMA-2917-FM-NM (Catron County)
The fire has burned 538,049 acres and is 89% contained. All evacuations have been lifted.
Arizona
Monument Fire â FEMA-2919-FM-AZ (Cochise County, AZ)
The fire has burned 30,526 acres and is 90% contained. The expected containment date is July 15.
Georgia
Honey Prairie Complex Fires â FEMA-2920-FM-GA (Racepond, Honey Prairie, Paxton Road and Durdin Prairie Fires)
The fire has burned 283,673 acres and is 60% contained.Â*
Sweat Farm Again Fire â FEMA-2921-FM-GA
The fire has burned 9,169 acres and is 69% contained.
North Carolina
Juniper Road Fire
The fire has burned 30,593 acres and is 30% contained. Residences in Onslow County along parts of the Holly Shelter wildlife habitat and Camp Lejeune are threatened.The Governor declared a State of Emergency in 29 counties due to extreme fire conditions and current wildfires and forest fires.
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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