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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
May 20, 2012 - 4:51:44 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
Focus on the 2011 Missouri River Basin Flood
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| Atop a levee next to the record breaking, flooding Missouri River, Colonel Robert Ruch (left) Commander of the Omaha District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Brigadier General John McMahon, Commanding General of the Northwestern Division (SACE) answer questions made by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard and Major General Grisoli Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, USACE. |
Daily, the Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers receives a multitude of flood- related inquiries. These have been phone calls to its Joint Information Center, e-mailed questions, Facebook communications or simple answers sought through tweets.
Similar queries are often repeated. Some are of the background nature, others focus on procedures and responsibilities and, yet, others are those simply seeking rumor confirmation or denial.
Hence, in an effort to facilitate expanded responsiveness to the public, provide an enhanced awareness of the flood's origin and its ongoing impacts, and answers to all manners of ongoing factors spawned by this unprecedented flooding, a short-term series of questions and answers has been initiated and will be distributed on a weekly basis.
In this, the "inaugural five", basics are addressed. These are of the simple, background nature. Like a journalist who learns that a good story effectively answers core facts, the first "Fistful of Facts" address - the who, what, when, why and where of the Missouri River Basin flooding.
"Where is this flooding occurring?"
Flooding is along the entire length of the longest river in the United States: the Missouri River- and many of its tributaries throughout Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. At 2,321 miles, the Missouri River's headwaters begin at Three Forks, MT and join the Mississippi River in St. Louis, MO.
"When did this inundation begin?"
May 23, 2011 is recognized as the day that unparalleled flooding would soon commence.
"Why did this come about?"
Flooding commenced with unseasonably heavy snows across the Great Plains. This was followed by 300 to 600 percent more rainfall than normal in May in eastern Montana, northern Wyoming and the western Dakotas. Then the snowpack melt came perhaps two weeks later than usual, and the accumulation was around 139 percent higher than normal.
The May 2011 runoff into the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 10.5 million acre feet (MAF). Normal May runoff, based on historical records, is 3.3 MAF. This was the second highest single month of runoff since detailed records have been kept, starting in 1898, exceeding 13.2 MAF in 1952. Not only is the May inflow unprecedented, but the yearly inflow is now forecast to be 54.6 MAF, more than twice the normal runoff, and will be the highest ever recorded.
"Who first involved the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood water management?"
The U.S. Congress, through the Flood Control Act of 1936 signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, authorized civil engineering projects such as dams, levees, dikes, and other flood control measures.
"What is the Corps present flood fighting role?"
The Corps' emergency management mission allows the providing of engineering services in response to national and natural disasters to minimize damages and help in recovery efforts. Public Law 84-99 enables the Corps to assist state and local authorities in flood fight activities and cost sharing in the repair of flood protection structures.
Public Law 93-288 authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to task the Corps with disaster recovery missions under the Federal Response Plan. An important fact to understand: hundreds upon hundreds of miles of levees were not built by nor are they maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They are the responsibility of local governmental or private "sponsors". In fact, in many cases, the Corps is precluded from taking actions on these structures.
Next week:
Where are the dams/reservoirs that comprise this system?
How are the dams operated?
Are the dams in jeopardy of failing?
Has this six, main stem system worked as originally planned?
What would have happened if this system had not of existed?
Could more reservoir-held water have been evacuated earlier this year?
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