Quad Cities Region Prepares For Springtime Flooding in 2011
March 30, 2011
The cities along the Mississippi river are battening down the hatches and preparing for a humdinger of a flood this spring. Record breaking snowfall in the north has the National Weather Service talking about floods of mammoth proportions. Davenport, a city of around 100,000 people in Iowa are reacting to the news by slamming together as many sandbags as possible to try to thwart the ravaging waters brought down the mighty Mississippi. It must be extremely worrisome to live where each and every year the threat of a devastating flood looms constantly in the spring season.
The National Weather Service can use mathematical models for predicting the level of the river but cannot be prepared for the possibility of flooding brought on by abrupt changes in weather resulting in downpours and flooding along the watershed. This coupled with the melting snow and potential rainstorms that are expected in the spring paints a picture of a disaster waiting to happen.
It is apparent that some cities prefer to keep their heads buried deep in the sand when it comes to emergency planning. New Orleans, during Hurricane Katrina, is a perfect example of how a city can be caught off guard resulting in the loss of life and property. Sandbagging is a great community thing to do as a means of community support for those in the path of the probable flooding, but is there no more they can do? Why wait until they get the news that the river is going to exceed its banks before doing something to prepare?
The water treatment plant that supplies potable water to at least four cities is in danger of being placed out of commission if the water rises as suspected. The minor league baseball stadium that sits ceremoniously on the banks of the Mississippi will surely incur millions of dollars of damage if the river swells from its banks. Neighborhoods such as Rock Island, Davenport and Moline that enjoy the good fortune of having a daily view of one of the worlds more powerful rivers will have their lives turned upside down when the water reaches an epic size this spring rainy season that is predicted. Communties throughout the Quad Cities region are working to prepare for the potential of flooding this spring.
Bottom line is that when living in areas that have a constant threat of any disaster should have plans in place that not only respond to the disaster but have them in place from a proactive standpoint. Don’t build where the flooding is going to take place; plan parks and wildlife refuges that will still draw the tourism but not put people and the infrastructures in harm’s way; respect that the river will most definitely breach its banks time and time again. It is not a matter of whether it will; it is merely a matter of when and how often.
New Jersey Flooding Worries Continue
March 11, 2011
Torrential rains caused major flooding in parts of New Jersey this week and the water is not expected to recede in some areas for a few more days. By this morning, the National Weather Service reported that major flooding had already occurred in Pompton Plain, Pompton Lakes and Lodi.
Many towns in New Jersey are expected to be hit as flood waters continue to rise in rivers and creeks across the area. In Wayne, New Jersey the residents of some neighborhoods are used to their homes being flooded by the nearby Pompton River. Few people store valuables in the lower levels of their homes and most have access to boats for those times that they must evacuate. However, this week’s flooding has left up to four feet in some basements which is far more flood water than what usually occurs here. Many residents have parked their cars blocks away and are wading or rowing boats to get to their homes.
New Jersey is expected to receive up to four new inches of rain today which is enough to make emergency officials kick into high gear with expectations that the state will be hit hard. The rainfall is expected to be steady and constant for about 36 hours. The temperatures in the state are hovering around fifty degrees and there are many inches of snow still on the ground in many parts of the state. All this is a recipe for disaster so New Jersey residents are on edge, waiting for the worst and hoping for the best.
There are numerous rivers and streams in New Jersey which puts the state at high risk for flooding during late winter and early spring. Residents in many communities are busy cleaning up flood damage in their homes that resulted from rainfall that occurred early this week. The last thing these residents want is more rain but nature cannot be controlled. The people of of the tiny state are preparing for more flooding as rainfall continues to affect the already saturated region. Much of the rain that is falling now is not expected to be absorbed into the ground but rather it will collect and run off. This is what will lead to the inevitable flooding that will occur in low-lying areas and in those locations with inadequate drainage.
