2011 Missouri River floods
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Missouri River floods are a flooding event on the Missouri River
in the United States
. The flooding has been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains
of Montana
and Wyoming
along with near record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana. All six major dams along the Missouri River are releasing record amounts of water to prevent overflow which has led to flooding threatening several towns and cities along the river from Montana to Missouri; in particular Bismarck, North Dakota
; Pierre, South Dakota
; Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
; South Sioux City, Nebraska
, Sioux City, Iowa
; Omaha, Nebraska
; Kansas City, Missouri
; Jefferson City, Missouri
, as well as putting countless smaller towns at risk. According to the National Weather Service
, in the second half of the month of May 2011, almost a year's worth of rain fell over the upper Missouri River basin. Extremely heavy rainfall in conjunction with an estimated 212 percent of normal snowpack in the Rocky Mountains contributed to this flooding event.
to regulate the release of water through 850 miles (1,367.9 km) of open river from Garrison Dam in North Dakota to the confluence with the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Garrison Dam began releasing a record of 152000 cubic feet (4,304.2 m³) of water per second on June 1, 2011—more than twice the previous record release in 1997. The Corps has been criticized for not releasing the water earlier. However the Corps defended its practice noting that it did not foresee a cooler than normal spring which delayed the mountain snowmelt coupled with record sustained torrential spring rains in Wyoming and Montana.
In attempting to control the release in light of the fact that all reservoirs are 100 percent or more of capacity (with the exception of the Fort Randall Dam), the Corps of Engineers has doubled the record release of water in the river's five North Dakota and South Dakota dams.
Officials say that problems downstream could be alleviated by river control work and new levee construction that came about in the wake of the Great Flood of 1993
. However they are unsure whether the levees can sustain being water logged in a long-term flood.
(just south of Omaha) at Mile Marker 591 and St. Joseph, Missouri at Mile Marker 450. Authorities are also considering closing the Plattsmouth Bridge
.
During the flood, every bridge between Omaha and Kansas City was either closed entirely or had exit ramps blocked or had other work at some point.
and nearby tributaries inundated Crow Agency
and shut down Interstate 90
between Hardin
and the Wyoming state line. May 26 flooding on Musselshell River
inundated portions of Roundup
. Waters from the Shields River
entering the Yellowstone River
created flooding that closed a portion of Interstate 90
from Livingston
to Springdale. Flooding on Pryor Creek, another tributary of the Yellowstone River
prompted closing of Pompeys Pillar National Monument
.
declared much of North Dakota a disaster area over flooding which began on February 14 and had been continuing.
Some of the most dramatic flooding
in North Dakota was on Souris River
which comes close to the Missouri but is not a tributary as it flows instead north into the Assiniboine River
in Canada, which also experienced prior flooding
. 10,000 people in Minot
were evacuated on June 1. On June 20 after they returned, officials announced that a new crest from new heavy rains would result in the river being a foot higher than the first crest. On June 21, 12,000 people, a quarter of the town's population, were ordered to evacuate after Lake Darling Dam
had to step up its release of water. Amtrak suspended service on the Empire Builder
through Minnesota, North Dakota and eastern Montana.
and Fort Pierre were evacuated.
On June 3, South Dakota governor Dennis Daugaard urged residents in the Country Club section of Dakota Dunes
(which is below Gavins Point Dam
) to evacuate. He noted that it might be two months before they could return.
On June 21, South Dakota reported its first flood fatalities when two women drowned in Lyman County, South Dakota
after they drove their car down a washed out road. On the same day Pierre, South Dakota
officials estimated costs from the flood would be $13.2 million for that community.
On June 30, the spillway at Big Bend Dam was temporarily closed for inspections.
was inaccessible.
On June 4, near River Mile 575 (near Hamburg
), the main levee suffered a partial collapse. One June 5, it suffered a second partial collapse. On June 7, it suffered a third partial collapse. Finally, on June 13, it suffered a total collapse and had a 300 feet (91.4 m) wide gap. After the first partial collapse, the Corps of Engineers initiated an emergency contract to raise the levee immediately surrounding the town in order to protect it from an estimated 10 feet (3 m) of flood water.
On June 22, a mandatory evacuation of all residents in Mills County
between Interstate 29
and the Missouri River was declared.
On June 25, a levee breach north of Council Bluffs
flooded an area of Harrison County
which could impact U.S. Route 30
connecting Blair, Nebraska
and Missouri Valley, Iowa
. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
was also impacted by the break in the levee.
On June 27, officials said water "could begin slopping" over the emergency levee at Hamburg on its west side. The Nishnabotna River
on its east side was reported to be two feet above flood stage.
On July 1, the main levee near Percival (16 miles north of Hamburg) breached in the early morning hours adding to the flooded conditions from the Hamburg breach. The breach occurred despite a month-long battle by the local residents.
On July 1, the privately owned Vanmann #30 levee at Mile Marker 637 to 637.5 on the Iowa side, about 10 river miles south of the reactor, was blown up by the local levee authority. The levee destruction was done to alleviate flooding in a bend of the river where water was pooling on cropland and creating an enormous water pool directly opposite the reactor. Authorities initially reported a 3 to 4 in (76.2 to 101.6 mm) rise in the river after the levee was blown. Both the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said they did not regulate the levee. Flooding on the Iowa side had been a source of considerable concern after a June 25 levee breach upstream of the reactor near Missouri Valley, Iowa
, prompted evacuations of 18 homes, temporary closing of the Blair Bridge
(while flood walls were built to protect the Iowa approach
) and closing of DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
on the DeSoto Bend. They had raised the levee height in anticipation of the flood but after the upstream breach they had sought permission to lower it so that water could flow back into the river. When both Iowa and the Corps said they did not have authority over it the levee board blew it up at approximately 10 a.m. on July 1. Pottawattamie County, Iowa
officials initially said they were notified only minutes prior to the levee being blown up, but those overseeing the levee had notified Harrison County, Iowa
officials earlier.
On July 1, the Corps reported that runoff on the river for June was the largest of any month on the river below Sioux City since record keeping began in 1898. June runoff was 13800000 acre.ft, beating the April 1952 record of 13100000 acre.ft. The third highest record was 10500000 acre.ft which was set in May 2011. The combined runoff for May and June was 24300000 acre.ft. The normal for the entire year is 24800000 acre.ft.
On July 11, officials at Sioux Gateway Airport
said they experiencing higher ticket sales. They speculated that the difficulty of driving from Sioux City and Omaha had spurred the increase.
As flood waters started to recede by late August, flood damage to Interstate highways 29 and 680 north of Council Bluffs, Iowa was reported as extensive. Discounting the interstate system flood damage to county roads in Pottawattamie County alone was expected to amount to 40 million dollars in repair costs.
home near the Platte River in North Platte
closed because of flood fears. Exhibits were moved and berms were built around the buildings. As of July 13 officials said the flooding was not as severe as had been expected.
On June 4, Omaha city officials began releasing 6000000 gallons (22,712.5 m³) of raw sewage per day into the river from its plant in South Omaha. The city generates about 86000000 gallons (325,545.4 m³) a day, but only a small percentage is dumped into the river. The city of Omaha installed giant water pumps just east of Qwest Center Omaha
to evacuate storm and sewer water directly into the Missouri River. By June 22, the city estimated 3 million dollars had been spent directly towards this flooding event.
On June 9, Nebraska reported its first event-related fatality when a worker was killed while working on a levee at Fort Calhoun when his truck tipped over.
The flooding affected the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station
near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
, where the grounds of the plant were inundated by the flood, however, the plant had been in safe shutdown mode for refueling since April 2011. On June 6, the Federal Aviation Administration
placed flight restrictions over the plant within a 2 miles radius in which planes cannot fly lower than 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) over the plant. On June 7, a fire broke out in the plant's switch gear room, prompting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
to declare an "Alert", which is level 2 on the NRC's emergency classification. Officials for the plant's owner, the Omaha Public Power District
(OPPD), were confident that enough redundancies were in place to ensure adequate safety. The complex's elevation is 1004 feet (306 m) elevation above sea level and as of June 19 the river had risen to 1005.5 feet (306.5 m). Officials from OPPD stated the Calhoun plant could handle water up to 1014 feet (309.1 m). An 8 feet (2.4 m) high and 2000 feet (609.6 m) long rubber berm surrounds the reactor building. On June 23 a helicopter being used by OPPD to survey transmission lines made an unplanned landing 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the plant. The helicopter was photographed lying on its side but there were no reports of injuries. On June 26 the 2000 feet (609.6 m) long rubber berm at the plant collapsed after it was punctured by a small earth mover ("Bobcat"). It was reported more than 2 foot (0.6096 m) of water rushed in around buildings and electrical transformers. Backup generators were then used to ensure the facility maintained electrical power for cooling. NRC officials were at the plant at the time and NRC statements said the plant remains safe. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko
confirmed the plant's safety when he visited the plant on June 27. On June 29 officials plan to close the Blair Bridge
north of the plant effectively making the river impossible to drive across for 100 miles (160.9 km) from Sioux City to Omaha—although officials said they hope to erect flood barriers to reopen it.
At Cooper Nuclear Station
, Nebraska Public Power District
's (NPPD) nuclear plant near Brownville
, a "Notification of Unusual Event" was issued on June 19 due to the flooding. Similar to the situation at Fort Calhoun, the FAA placed a temporary no fly zone within 2 miles of the plant on June 7. Officials said, "There is no threat to plant employees or to the public; the plant continues to operate safely." In preparation for the flood more that 5000 short ton of sand were bought in for barricades and Hesco barriers protecting facilities at the plant. The plant is 13 feet (4 m) above natural grade. On June 19, the river was reported 11.5 feet (3.5 m) above flood stage at Brownville. The Cooper plant sits at 903 feet (275.2 m) above sea level. The river hit 900.56 feet (274.5 m) on June 19 before dropping slightly to 900.4 feet (274.4 m) on June 20. At 9:47 a.m., July 12 the plant ended its emergency status because the river had dropped to 895.8 feet—3 feet lower the emergency status level.
On June 23, the main levee 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Brownville
bridge breached, prompting an evacuation in Atchison County, MO.
On June 27, officials said 12 of 70 planned dewatering wells at Eppley Airfield
in Omaha were functional. The wells pump water collecting around the airport over the levee wall back into the Missouri River.
On June 29, Nebraska reported its first flood-related death when the body of a 26-year-old fisherman was found in the river near the Little Nemaha River
at Nemaha
.
On July 1, the flood level at Omaha hit 36.29 feet (11.1 m), higher than the 30.26 feet (9.2 m) on July 10, 1993 during the 1993 flood but lower than the all time record of 40.2 feet (12.3 m) on April 18, 1952.
On July 2, the Corps of Engineers awarded a $1.4 million contract to shore up the 9 miles levee system around Eppley Airfield with a seepage berm to allow water to seep through the levee but hold the levee materials in place. The action came after the Corps reported there were multiple sand boil
s on the airport side of the levee.
On July 3, Lindbergh Road which rings Eppley by the levees was closed so work could continue on 70 relief wells by the levees.
On July 5, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
reported that 265 square miles (686.3 km²) of Nebraska has been inundated by floods on the Missouri and the Platte River
. At the same time NASA released satellite photos of the flood from the Landsat 5
showing flooding from Blair to Plattsmouth to June 30.
On July 9, the Corps of Engineers said water behind the reservoirs had peaked on July 2 with only 1.5 percent left for flood storage. By July 9, the available storage increased to 3.1 percent. Officials said they planned to begin decreasing the water flowing to the Gavins Point Dam but noted that the water going into Gavins Point would fill it in 1.5 days if the reservoir were empty.
On July 11, the Omaha World-Herald
quoted USGS researchers who are studying unique aspects of the flood. Among their discoveries:
On July 13, OPPD said it had spent $26 million in June as a result of flooding affecting its power plants on the river ($20 million in work protecting its plants and $6 million in replacing lost generating capacity). OPPD has two coal fired plants that are both larger than Fort Calhoun at Nebraska City. One of the rail lines providing coal is covered in water and the utility wants to raise that track. The plants have been getting coal via a parallel line.
In Omaha, after peaking at 36.29 feet (11.1 m) on July 2, 2011, the river was still more than 3 foot (0.9144 m) above the flood stage of 29 feet (8.8 m) as of August 28.
via the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project and Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project they are seeking willing sellers for land "for fish and wildlife habitat enhancements for aquatic species such as the pallid sturgeon
." The letters arrived just as the floods began hitting their peak in Atchison County and subsequently were heavily criticized by state and federal politicians. The Corps reported that only 14 letters had been sent.
Interstate 29
closed in early June from Iowa Highway 2 (across the Missouri River from Nebraska City, Nebraska
) to Rock Port, Missouri
.
The United States Coast Guard closed the river to boaters from Gavins Point Dam (Mile Post 850) to Mile Post 450 near St. Joseph, Missouri.
Residents of Big Lake
(which had evacuated during several floods including one in 2010) evacuated in May. On June 16, 2011, the community filed an injunction in Holt County
against BNSF after the railroad elevated its line near the community by 20 inches (50.8 cm) in preparation for the flood. Big Lake officials said the elevation would create a "bathtub" effect, trapping water in the community.
On June 19 a levee in Atchison County
was breached and the levee protecting Big Lake was breached near Corning, Missouri
at Mile Marker 550. The crest at Brownville at 44.6 feet (13.6 m) was the highest in the history of the river there (breaking the 1993 record). It prompted officials to close the two northernmost Missouri River bridges in the state, the Brownville Bridge (US 136
) and the Rulo Bridge (US 159
). The river had risen more than two feet in 24 hours in Atchison County. Officials said the surge in the river occurred when heavy rains in northern Iowa caused a major rise in the Nishnabotna River
, which enters the Missouri River in Atchison County near Watson
.
On June 21, 300 residents of Craig
in Holt County were ordered to evacuate.
On June 24, Lewis and Clark State Park
near Rushville
closed.
On June 26 BNSF had to close its main rail line providing coal to Kansas City's Iatan Powerplant (via Rulo) after the river widened in Holt County to nearly 5+ miles by Big Lake.
On June 27 Terrible's St. Jo Frontier Casino
riverboat casino closed. Levee toppings prompted the closure of Lewis and Clark Village, Missouri
. Residents of the Sugar Lake area of Buchanan County were also under voluntary evacuation orders
On June 28 Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge
in Holt County closed its tour route around its pools noting that it no longer control water levels in its pools and that it expects "critical habitat damage to our management areas including the moist soil units, wet prairie, and other priceless wildlife habitats and most habitats will be submerged."
On June 28, the Corps ordered Ameren
to halt all outflows (including electrical generation) from Bagnell Dam
on the Osage River
until at least July 5.
On June 29, officials Missouri's largest coal fired power plant at Iatan, Missouri
sent 40 of its 135 employees home because of fears that the river would cut off its access on Missouri Route 45. Employees are being asked to park a mile from the plant be shuttled in. Boats have been set up at the plant to assist in the process.
On June 30 the St. Joseph News-Press
reported that residents of Holt County had dubbed the flood "Corpstrina" evoking the Corps of Engineers which regulates the river and the Hurricane Katrina
disaster.
On July 2 Amtrak announced that two miles (3 km) of track between Kansas City and St. Louis was flooded between Myrick (west of Lexington
) and Marshall
. The railroad suspended 311 and 316 trains of the Missouri River Runner
on the line but continued to maintain other traffic via trains rerouted to the Sedalia subdivision.
On July 3 a planned fireworks display in Richard Berkley Riverfront Park in Kansas City proceeded as planned and included the unveiling of a new lighting scheme on the Christopher Bond Bridge (Mile 365). The crest at Kansas City of 32.46 feet (9.9 m) on July 2 was well below Kansas City's all time crest of 48.87 feet (14.9 m) in 1993.
On July 4 St. Charles held its Riverfront fireworks display on the river—although moved back a block to Riverside Drive from Frontier Park. It had crested there on July 3 at 28.03 feet (8.5 m) -- well below its crest of 40.11 in 1884 and 40.04 feet (12.2 m) in 1993.
On July 6 a breach at Atchison County that had been breached on June 19 widened to 600 feet (182.9 m) and residents of Watson who had just returned to their homes evacuated again as the river fed by three-inch local rains caused the river to rise again. Missouri National Guard
Blackhawk helicopters were used to bring in 2,000 pound sand bags to reinforce the Sugar Tree levee in Carroll County, Missouri near Mile 300 at Norborne
after a third of landside part of the levee slid. On July 8 a nearby levee Belcher-Lozier was overtopped. That levee had also been overtopped in 2010.
On July 11 the Coast Guard closed the river above Glasgow, Missouri
at Mile 226 to navigation. One of the consequences is that the MR340 kayak race has been postponed. The race goes from Kaw Point
in Kansas City to St. Charles and bills itself as the "world’s longest nonstop river race" On the week that it was planned organized have planned the Kawnivore 100 race from on the Kaw River
from Manhattan, Kansas
to Lawrence, Kansas
.
. On June 29 the levee was breached and water reached the hangers which had earlier been evacuated.
On Jun 29 the Elwood, Kansas
south bound exit ramp off the Pony Express Bridge
was closed temporarily to pump water which had accumulated from rains. Elwood is also underwent voluntary evacuations. 200 National Guard troops were deployed to Doniphan County to assist in the evacuation. 400 of Elwood's 1,200 residents volunatrily evacuated.
The Amelia Earhart Bridge at Atchison had effectively closed on June 28. Closings of Missouri River bridges had been the result of flooding on the approaches and not the bridge itself. However on June 29 photos began circulating that the low-lying Atchison Union Pacific rail bridge was close to water level. Union Pacific had embargoed its main rail line which goes between St. Joseph and Kansas City.
On July 1 the Corps of Engineers reported that every non-federal levee from Rulo to Wolcott, Kansas in Wyandotte County, Kansas
on both sides of the river were either overtopped or breached. Included in the overtoppings was Kansas Department of Corrections land below the Lansing Correctional Facility
at Lansing, Kansas
. Another report indicated that the only overtopped federal levee was the one at Fort Leavenworth
by Sherman Army Airfield.
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The flooding has been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
along with near record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana. All six major dams along the Missouri River are releasing record amounts of water to prevent overflow which has led to flooding threatening several towns and cities along the river from Montana to Missouri; in particular Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
; Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
; Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Dakota Dunes is an unincorporated, master-planned residential and commercial development covering about in Union County in the extreme southeast corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The development is sandwiched between the Big Sioux River and the Missouri River...
; South Sioux City, Nebraska
South Sioux City, Nebraska
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,925 people, 4,304 households, and 2,961 families residing in the city. Of the 11,925 people, 48.6% are male and 51.4% are female. The population density was 2,431.6 people per square mile . There were 4,557 housing units at an average density of...
, Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
; Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
; Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
; Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, as well as putting countless smaller towns at risk. According to the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
, in the second half of the month of May 2011, almost a year's worth of rain fell over the upper Missouri River basin. Extremely heavy rainfall in conjunction with an estimated 212 percent of normal snowpack in the Rocky Mountains contributed to this flooding event.
Background
The flood, rather than being a short term event, is expected to last at least three months from June through August as a result of attempts by the Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
to regulate the release of water through 850 miles (1,367.9 km) of open river from Garrison Dam in North Dakota to the confluence with the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Garrison Dam began releasing a record of 152000 cubic feet (4,304.2 m³) of water per second on June 1, 2011—more than twice the previous record release in 1997. The Corps has been criticized for not releasing the water earlier. However the Corps defended its practice noting that it did not foresee a cooler than normal spring which delayed the mountain snowmelt coupled with record sustained torrential spring rains in Wyoming and Montana.
In attempting to control the release in light of the fact that all reservoirs are 100 percent or more of capacity (with the exception of the Fort Randall Dam), the Corps of Engineers has doubled the record release of water in the river's five North Dakota and South Dakota dams.
Officials say that problems downstream could be alleviated by river control work and new levee construction that came about in the wake of the Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
. However they are unsure whether the levees can sustain being water logged in a long-term flood.
Release of water by dam
In May 2011, dams above Gavins Point began stepping up the release of water (in cubic feet/second), exceeding all previous nationwide records for release.| Dam | Previous record flow | Previous record year | Flow May 1, 2011 | Flow May 31, 2011 | Flow June/July 2011 |
| Fort Peck Dam Fort Peck Dam The Fort Peck Dam is the highest of six major dams along the Missouri River, located in northeast Montana in the United States, near Glasgow, and adjacent to the community of Fort Peck... |
35,000 | 1975 | 7,000 | 9,700 | 65,500 (June 19) |
| Garrison Dam Garrison Dam Garrison Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Missouri River in central North Dakota. At over two miles in length, it is the fifth-largest earthen dam in the world, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1947-53... |
65,000 | 1975 | 17,400 | 80,400 | 150,200 |
| Oahe Dam Oahe Dam The Oahe Dam is a large dam along the Missouri River, just north of Pierre, South Dakota in the United States. It creates Lake Oahe, the fourth largest artificial reservoir in the United States, which stretches up the course of the Missouri to Bismarck, North Dakota. The dam's powerplant provides... |
59,000 | 1997 | 29,400 | 86,300 | 160,300 |
| Big Bend Dam Big Bend Dam Big Bend Dam is a major rolled earth dam along the Missouri River in central South Dakota.The dam, 95 feet high and 10,570 feet in length, was constructed as part of the Pick-Sloan Plan for Missouri watershed development authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944. Construction began in 1959 and... |
74,000 | 1997 | 21,200 | 83,900 | 165,000 (planned) |
| Fort Randall Dam Fort Randall Dam The Fort Randall Dam is an earth embankment dam impounding the Missouri River in South Dakota, United States and forming Lake Francis Case. It is one of six Missouri River dams, four being located in South Dakota.... |
67,000 | 1997 | 42,300 | 76,600 | 157,000 (planned) |
| Gavins Point Dam Gavins Point Dam Gavins Point Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota. Built from 1952 to 1957, it impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. The dam is on the Nebraska-South Dakota border, west of Yankton, South Dakota.... |
70,000 | 1997 | 45,000 | 77,000 | 160,700 |
Missouri River bridge closings
The flood forced the closing of several Missouri River traffic bridges from just above Gavins Point to northern Missouri. It is possible the bridges could be closed for two months or more. The closings made it impossible to cross the river for more than 100 miles (160.9 km) between Sioux City and Omaha and another 100 miles (160.9 km) between Plattsmouth, NebraskaPlattsmouth, Nebraska
Plattsmouth is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Nebraska, United States, which was founded in 1855. The population was 6,887 at the 2000 census.-History:...
(just south of Omaha) at Mile Marker 591 and St. Joseph, Missouri at Mile Marker 450. Authorities are also considering closing the Plattsmouth Bridge
Plattsmouth Bridge
. At the time it was the only bridge that was still open crossing the river for more than 100 miles from Omaha to St. Joseph, Missouri]]The Plattsmouth Bridge is a truss bridge over the Missouri River connecting Cass County, Nebraska and Mills County, Iowa via U.S. Route 34...
.
During the flood, every bridge between Omaha and Kansas City was either closed entirely or had exit ramps blocked or had other work at some point.
Long term closings
- Chief Standing Bear Memorial BridgeChief Standing Bear Memorial BridgeThe Chief Standing Bear Memorial Bridge is a bridge across the Missouri River at the Nebraska–South Dakota border. Located near Niobrara, Nebraska, not far downstream from the confluence of the Niobrara River with the Missouri, it joins Nebraska Highway 14 to South Dakota Highway 37.The...
between Nebraska and South Dakota near Niobrara, NebraskaNiobrara, NebraskaNiobrara is a village in Knox County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 370 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Niobrara is located at ....
. The bridge actually remains open but flooding on the Nebraska side has made it a dead end. However some people (particularly employees at the Mike Durfee State PrisonMike Durfee State PrisonThe Mike Durfee State Prison is a South Dakota state prison for men on the campus of what was University of South Dakota at Springfield, United States.-History:It is named for Mike Durfee who was a standout athlete and teacher at the school....
) have taken to using motor boats, kayaks, chest waders and a homemade “swamp bike” to commute between the bridge and their cars outside the flood area. - Burt County Missouri River BridgeBurt County Missouri River BridgeThe Burt County Missouri River Bridge is a truss bridge over the Missouri River connecting Burt County, Nebraska and Monona County, Iowa at Decatur, Nebraska. It is one of three toll bridges in Nebraska....
(Mile 691) between Nebraska and Iowa near Decatur, NebraskaDecatur, NebraskaDecatur is a village in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 618 at the 2000 census. This town is named after one of its incorporators, Stephen Decatur, who claimed to be the nephew of war hero Stephen Decatur, Jr.... - Mormon BridgeMormon Bridge (Omaha)The Mormon Bridge are two truss bridges that cross the Missouri River connecting Pottawattamie County, Iowa with Florence in the north end of Omaha, Nebraska via Interstate 680 .-About:...
(Mile 622) between Nebraska and Iowa north of Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, NebraskaOmaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
(Interstate 680) - Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (Mile 616) - the pedestrian bridge between downtown Omaha and Council Bluffs which had a been popular viewing spot of the flood was closed temporarily on June 30 while river debris was cleared from its base. The Council Bluffs side was closed indefinitely on July 2 due to flooding on that side. It is still accessible from Omaha.
- Nebraska City BridgeNebraska City BridgeThe Nebraska City Bridge is a four-lane girder bridge over the Missouri River connecting Otoe County, Nebraska with Fremont County, Iowa at Nebraska City, Nebraska....
(Mile 561) between Nebraska and Iowa (near Nebraska City, NebraskaNebraska City, NebraskaNebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
) - Brownville Bridge (Mile 535) between Nebraska and Missouri at Brownville, NebraskaBrownville, NebraskaBrownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 146 at the 2000 census.- History :Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population of 1,309 by 1880. Bordering slave-holding Missouri, the...
- Rulo Bridge (Mile 497) between Nebraska and Missouri at Rulo, NebraskaRulo, Nebraska-History:The 'Leary' excavation is the main 'Oneota'- reference to the Missouri River. The Oneota were a 'Mississippi' equal culture that flourished from 1000 to 1650 AD. Oneota are the ancestors of Siouane-speaking tribes. The site is located near present Rulo. Around 1640, the area around the...
- Amelia Earhart BridgeAmelia Earhart BridgeThe Amelia Earhart Memorial Bridge is a truss bridge over the Missouri River on U.S. Route 59 between Atchison, Kansas and Buchanan County, Missouri.It was built in 1937–1938 by the Works Progress Administration. It was designed by Sverdrup & Parcel...
(Mile 422) between Kansas and Missouri at Atchison, KansasAtchison, KansasAtchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
(bridge is actually open between Atchison and the small unincorporated community of Winthrop, Missouri immediately across the bridge however access to Kansas City or St. Joseph on the Missouri side via U.S. Highway 59 is closed. Residents of Winthrop were evacuated on June 27.)
Short term closings/interruptions
- Blair Bridge (U.S. Route 30)Blair Bridge (U.S. Route 30)The Blair Bridge or Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge carries U.S. Route 30 between the U.S. states of Nebraska and Iowa, across the Missouri River near Blair, Nebraska...
(Mile 648) -- The bridge closed for June 27-July 1 while flood barriers were erected in Iowa. It was also closed again July 6–7 for further shoring up work. - Bellevue BridgeBellevue BridgeThe Bellevue Bridge is a truss bridge over the Missouri River connecting Mills County, Iowa and Sarpy County, Nebraska at Bellevue, Nebraska....
(Mile 602) - The bridge was closed June 27-July 2 due to flooding and sandbagging of Iowa Highway 370Iowa Highway 370Iowa Highway 370 is a state highway which connects Nebraska Highway 370 to Interstate 29 south of Council Bluffs. Iowa 370 crosses the Bellevue Bridge over the Missouri River at Bellevue, Nebraska. The entire route is within of Council Bluffs and downtown Omaha, Nebraska.-Route description:Iowa...
. Flooding in Haworth Park at the base of the bridge in Bellevue, NebraskaBellevue, NebraskaBellevue is a city in Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 50,137 at the 2010 census. Eight miles south of Omaha, Bellevue is part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Originally settled in the 1830s, It was the first state capitol. Bellevue was incorporated in...
had water up to the top of its basketball hoops on July 2. - Pony Express BridgePony Express BridgeThe Pony Express Bridge is a highway girder bridge over the Missouri River connecting Elwood, Kansas with St. Joseph, Missouri on US-36.The bridge is referred to in signage as Pony Express Bridges because there are separate bridges for east and west bound traffic. The bridges were built in 1983 to...
(Mile 448) - South bound exit in Elwood, KansasElwood, KansasElwood is a city in Doniphan County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,224. It is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Elwood is located at...
was closed temporarily on June 28 while storm water could be pumped off - Centennial Bridge (Leavenworth, Kansas)Centennial Bridge (Leavenworth, Kansas)The Centennial Bridge is a through arch bridge road bridge over the Missouri River connecting Leavenworth, Kansas and Platte County, Missouri. Constructed in 1955, it was initially a toll bridge. The bridge opened in 1955, a year after Leavenworth celebrated its centennial as the first city...
(Mile 396)- Scheduled resurfacing work on the bridge had started in May prior to the flood and traffic had been reduced to one lane. Since it was one of the few bridges open for traffic between Omaha and Kansas City, work on the bridge was halted indefinitely on July 1
Montana
On May 22, 2011, flooding of the Little Bighorn RiverLittle Bighorn River
The Little Bighorn River is a tributary of the Bighorn River in the United States in the states of Wyoming and Montana. The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought on its banks in 1876, as well as the Battle of Crow Agency in 1887....
and nearby tributaries inundated Crow Agency
Crow Agency, Montana
Crow Agency is a census-designated place in Big Horn County, Montana, United States and is near the actual location for the Little Bighorn National Monument and re-enactment known as Custer's Last Stand...
and shut down Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
between Hardin
Hardin, Montana
Hardin is a city in and the county seat of Big Horn County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,384 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hardin is located at ....
and the Wyoming state line. May 26 flooding on Musselshell River
Musselshell River
The Musselshell River is a tributary of the Missouri River, long from its origins at the confluence of its North and South Forks near Martinsdale, Montana to its mouth on the Missouri River. It is located east of the Continental divide entirely within Montana in the United States...
inundated portions of Roundup
Roundup, Montana
Roundup is a city in and the county seat of Musselshell County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,788 during the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. Waters from the Shields River
Shields River
The Shields River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately 50 mi long, in Montana in the United States.It rises in the Gallatin National Forest in the Crazy Mountains in northern Park County. It flows west, then south, between the Bridger Range to the west and the Crazy...
entering the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
created flooding that closed a portion of Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
from Livingston
Livingston, Montana
-Geography:Livingston is located at , at an altitude of 4.501 feet .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.38% is waters.-Climate:-Demographics:...
to Springdale. Flooding on Pryor Creek, another tributary of the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
prompted closing of Pompeys Pillar National Monument
Pompeys Pillar National Monument
Pompeys Pillar National Monument is a rock formation located in south central Montana, United States. Designated a National Monument on January 17, 2001, and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, it consists of only , making it one of the smallest National Monuments in the U.S...
.
North Dakota
On May 10 President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
declared much of North Dakota a disaster area over flooding which began on February 14 and had been continuing.
Some of the most dramatic flooding
2011 Souris River flood
The 2011 Souris River flood is a record hundred-year flooding event on the Souris, a tributary of the Assiniboine River, which it meets near Treesbank, Manitoba. The Assiniboine meets the Red River of the North south of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The flooding has affected Saskatchewan and North Dakota,...
in North Dakota was on Souris River
Souris River
The Souris River or Mouse River is a river in central North America. It is about 700 km in length and drains about . It rises in the Yellow Grass Marshes north of Weyburn, Saskatchewan...
which comes close to the Missouri but is not a tributary as it flows instead north into the Assiniboine River
Assiniboine River
The Assiniboine River is a river that runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a tributary of the Red River. The Assiniboine is a typical meandering river with a single main channel embanked within a flat, shallow valley in some places and a steep valley in...
in Canada, which also experienced prior flooding
2011 Assiniboine River flood
The 2011 Assiniboine River flood was caused by above average precipitation in Western Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This was a 1 in 300 year flood that affected much of Western Manitoba...
. 10,000 people in Minot
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
were evacuated on June 1. On June 20 after they returned, officials announced that a new crest from new heavy rains would result in the river being a foot higher than the first crest. On June 21, 12,000 people, a quarter of the town's population, were ordered to evacuate after Lake Darling Dam
Lake Darling Dam
Lake Darling Dam is an earthen embankment dam on the Souris River located northwest of Minot, Ward County, North Dakota. The dam began impounding water in April 1936 and was completed July of that year. It was created for the purposes of water storage and conservation. It is part of the Upper...
had to step up its release of water. Amtrak suspended service on the Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
through Minnesota, North Dakota and eastern Montana.
South Dakota
On June 1, nearly 3,000 people in PierrePierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
and Fort Pierre were evacuated.
On June 3, South Dakota governor Dennis Daugaard urged residents in the Country Club section of Dakota Dunes
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Dakota Dunes is an unincorporated, master-planned residential and commercial development covering about in Union County in the extreme southeast corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The development is sandwiched between the Big Sioux River and the Missouri River...
(which is below Gavins Point Dam
Gavins Point Dam
Gavins Point Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota. Built from 1952 to 1957, it impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. The dam is on the Nebraska-South Dakota border, west of Yankton, South Dakota....
) to evacuate. He noted that it might be two months before they could return.
On June 21, South Dakota reported its first flood fatalities when two women drowned in Lyman County, South Dakota
Lyman County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,895 people, 1,400 households, and 1,009 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile . There were 1,636 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile...
after they drove their car down a washed out road. On the same day Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
officials estimated costs from the flood would be $13.2 million for that community.
On June 30, the spillway at Big Bend Dam was temporarily closed for inspections.
Iowa
On June 10, the WinnaVegas tribal Casino at Sloan, IowaSloan, Iowa
Sloan is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,032 at the 2000 census.-Economy:...
was inaccessible.
On June 4, near River Mile 575 (near Hamburg
Hamburg, Iowa
Hamburg is a city in Fremont County, Iowa, United States, along the Nishnabotna River. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
), the main levee suffered a partial collapse. One June 5, it suffered a second partial collapse. On June 7, it suffered a third partial collapse. Finally, on June 13, it suffered a total collapse and had a 300 feet (91.4 m) wide gap. After the first partial collapse, the Corps of Engineers initiated an emergency contract to raise the levee immediately surrounding the town in order to protect it from an estimated 10 feet (3 m) of flood water.
On June 22, a mandatory evacuation of all residents in Mills County
Mills County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,059 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,109 housing units, of which 5,605 were occupied.-2000 census:...
between Interstate 29
Interstate 29
Interstate 29 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 to the Canadian border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75 via the short Manitoba Highway 29.-Route...
and the Missouri River was declared.
On June 25, a levee breach north of Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
flooded an area of Harrison County
Harrison County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 14,928 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,731 housing units, of which 5,987 were occupied.-2000 census:...
which could impact U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
connecting Blair, Nebraska
Blair, Nebraska
Blair is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,990 at the 2000 census. Blair is a part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Missouri Valley, Iowa
Missouri Valley, Iowa
Missouri Valley is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,992 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Missouri Valley's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.558912, -95.893926...
. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
|DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, created in 1958, is located along the banks of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Iowa and Nebraska. The 8,362-acre refuge preserves an area that would had been otherwise lost to cultivation...
was also impacted by the break in the levee.
On June 27, officials said water "could begin slopping" over the emergency levee at Hamburg on its west side. The Nishnabotna River
Nishnabotna River
The Nishnabotna River is a tributary of the Missouri River in southwestern Iowa, northwestern Missouri and southeastern Nebraska in the United States. It flows for most of its length as two parallel streams in Iowa, the East Nishnabotna River and the West Nishnabotna River...
on its east side was reported to be two feet above flood stage.
On July 1, the main levee near Percival (16 miles north of Hamburg) breached in the early morning hours adding to the flooded conditions from the Hamburg breach. The breach occurred despite a month-long battle by the local residents.
On July 1, the privately owned Vanmann #30 levee at Mile Marker 637 to 637.5 on the Iowa side, about 10 river miles south of the reactor, was blown up by the local levee authority. The levee destruction was done to alleviate flooding in a bend of the river where water was pooling on cropland and creating an enormous water pool directly opposite the reactor. Authorities initially reported a 3 to 4 in (76.2 to 101.6 mm) rise in the river after the levee was blown. Both the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said they did not regulate the levee. Flooding on the Iowa side had been a source of considerable concern after a June 25 levee breach upstream of the reactor near Missouri Valley, Iowa
Missouri Valley, Iowa
Missouri Valley is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,992 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Missouri Valley's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.558912, -95.893926...
, prompted evacuations of 18 homes, temporary closing of the Blair Bridge
Blair Bridge (U.S. Route 30)
The Blair Bridge or Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge carries U.S. Route 30 between the U.S. states of Nebraska and Iowa, across the Missouri River near Blair, Nebraska...
(while flood walls were built to protect the Iowa approach
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
) and closing of DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
|DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, created in 1958, is located along the banks of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Iowa and Nebraska. The 8,362-acre refuge preserves an area that would had been otherwise lost to cultivation...
on the DeSoto Bend. They had raised the levee height in anticipation of the flood but after the upstream breach they had sought permission to lower it so that water could flow back into the river. When both Iowa and the Corps said they did not have authority over it the levee board blew it up at approximately 10 a.m. on July 1. Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Pottawattamie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,158 in the 2010 census, an increase from 87,704 in the 2000 census and is the second largest county by area in Iowa. The Pottawattamie county seat is located at Council Bluffs. It is one of three Iowa...
officials initially said they were notified only minutes prior to the levee being blown up, but those overseeing the levee had notified Harrison County, Iowa
Harrison County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 14,928 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,731 housing units, of which 5,987 were occupied.-2000 census:...
officials earlier.
On July 1, the Corps reported that runoff on the river for June was the largest of any month on the river below Sioux City since record keeping began in 1898. June runoff was 13800000 acre.ft, beating the April 1952 record of 13100000 acre.ft. The third highest record was 10500000 acre.ft which was set in May 2011. The combined runoff for May and June was 24300000 acre.ft. The normal for the entire year is 24800000 acre.ft.
On July 11, officials at Sioux Gateway Airport
Sioux Gateway Airport
-History:The construction of Sioux City Army Air Base began in March 1942, about three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Opened on 5 July 1942, it became a major training center during World War II for crew members of B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses...
said they experiencing higher ticket sales. They speculated that the difficulty of driving from Sioux City and Omaha had spurred the increase.
As flood waters started to recede by late August, flood damage to Interstate highways 29 and 680 north of Council Bluffs, Iowa was reported as extensive. Discounting the interstate system flood damage to county roads in Pottawattamie County alone was expected to amount to 40 million dollars in repair costs.
Nebraska
On June 2 Scouts Rest Ranch which was a Buffalo BillBuffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
home near the Platte River in North Platte
North Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River...
closed because of flood fears. Exhibits were moved and berms were built around the buildings. As of July 13 officials said the flooding was not as severe as had been expected.
On June 4, Omaha city officials began releasing 6000000 gallons (22,712.5 m³) of raw sewage per day into the river from its plant in South Omaha. The city generates about 86000000 gallons (325,545.4 m³) a day, but only a small percentage is dumped into the river. The city of Omaha installed giant water pumps just east of Qwest Center Omaha
Qwest Center Omaha
CenturyLink Center is an arena and convention center facility in the North Downtown neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. The 1.1 million ft² facility has an 18,300-seat arena, a 194,000-ft² exhibition hall and 62,000 ft² of meeting space....
to evacuate storm and sewer water directly into the Missouri River. By June 22, the city estimated 3 million dollars had been spent directly towards this flooding event.
On June 9, Nebraska reported its first event-related fatality when a worker was killed while working on a levee at Fort Calhoun when his truck tipped over.
The flooding affected the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station
Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station
The Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located on between Fort Calhoun, and Blair, Nebraska adjacent to the Missouri River between mile markers 645.6 and 646.0. The utility has an easement for another which is maintained in a natural state...
near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
Fort Calhoun is a city in Washington County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station is built on...
, where the grounds of the plant were inundated by the flood, however, the plant had been in safe shutdown mode for refueling since April 2011. On June 6, the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
placed flight restrictions over the plant within a 2 miles radius in which planes cannot fly lower than 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) over the plant. On June 7, a fire broke out in the plant's switch gear room, prompting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
to declare an "Alert", which is level 2 on the NRC's emergency classification. Officials for the plant's owner, the Omaha Public Power District
Omaha Public Power District
Omaha Public Power District, or OPPD, is a public electric utility in the State of Nebraska. It is one of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 340,000 customers in 13 southeast Nebraska counties. OPPD was formed in 1946 as a political subdivision of...
(OPPD), were confident that enough redundancies were in place to ensure adequate safety. The complex's elevation is 1004 feet (306 m) elevation above sea level and as of June 19 the river had risen to 1005.5 feet (306.5 m). Officials from OPPD stated the Calhoun plant could handle water up to 1014 feet (309.1 m). An 8 feet (2.4 m) high and 2000 feet (609.6 m) long rubber berm surrounds the reactor building. On June 23 a helicopter being used by OPPD to survey transmission lines made an unplanned landing 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the plant. The helicopter was photographed lying on its side but there were no reports of injuries. On June 26 the 2000 feet (609.6 m) long rubber berm at the plant collapsed after it was punctured by a small earth mover ("Bobcat"). It was reported more than 2 foot (0.6096 m) of water rushed in around buildings and electrical transformers. Backup generators were then used to ensure the facility maintained electrical power for cooling. NRC officials were at the plant at the time and NRC statements said the plant remains safe. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko
Gregory Jaczko
Gregory B. Jaczko is the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission .-Early life and education:Jaczko was raised in Albany, New York. He studied physics and philosophy at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and earned a bachelor in the two disciplines, there, in 1993...
confirmed the plant's safety when he visited the plant on June 27. On June 29 officials plan to close the Blair Bridge
Blair Bridge (U.S. Route 30)
The Blair Bridge or Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge carries U.S. Route 30 between the U.S. states of Nebraska and Iowa, across the Missouri River near Blair, Nebraska...
north of the plant effectively making the river impossible to drive across for 100 miles (160.9 km) from Sioux City to Omaha—although officials said they hope to erect flood barriers to reopen it.
At Cooper Nuclear Station
Cooper Nuclear Station
Cooper Nuclear Station is a boiling water reactor type nuclear power plant located on a 1,251-acre site near Brownville, Nebraska between Missouri River mile markers 532.9 and 532.5...
, Nebraska Public Power District
Nebraska Public Power District
Nebraska Public Power District is the largest electric utility in the state of Nebraska, serving all or parts of 91 counties. It was formed on January 1, 1970, when Consumers Public Power District, Platte Valley Public Power and Irrigation District and Nebraska Public Power System merged to...
's (NPPD) nuclear plant near Brownville
Brownville, Nebraska
Brownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 146 at the 2000 census.- History :Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population of 1,309 by 1880. Bordering slave-holding Missouri, the...
, a "Notification of Unusual Event" was issued on June 19 due to the flooding. Similar to the situation at Fort Calhoun, the FAA placed a temporary no fly zone within 2 miles of the plant on June 7. Officials said, "There is no threat to plant employees or to the public; the plant continues to operate safely." In preparation for the flood more that 5000 short ton of sand were bought in for barricades and Hesco barriers protecting facilities at the plant. The plant is 13 feet (4 m) above natural grade. On June 19, the river was reported 11.5 feet (3.5 m) above flood stage at Brownville. The Cooper plant sits at 903 feet (275.2 m) above sea level. The river hit 900.56 feet (274.5 m) on June 19 before dropping slightly to 900.4 feet (274.4 m) on June 20. At 9:47 a.m., July 12 the plant ended its emergency status because the river had dropped to 895.8 feet—3 feet lower the emergency status level.
On June 23, the main levee 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Brownville
Brownville, Nebraska
Brownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 146 at the 2000 census.- History :Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population of 1,309 by 1880. Bordering slave-holding Missouri, the...
bridge breached, prompting an evacuation in Atchison County, MO.
On June 27, officials said 12 of 70 planned dewatering wells at Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield is a medium hub primary airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Omaha, a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska...
in Omaha were functional. The wells pump water collecting around the airport over the levee wall back into the Missouri River.
On June 29, Nebraska reported its first flood-related death when the body of a 26-year-old fisherman was found in the river near the Little Nemaha River
Nemaha River basin
The Nemaha River basin includes the areas of the U.S. state of Nebraska below the Platte River basin that drain directly into the Missouri River. The major streams of the drainage include Weeping Water Creek, Muddy Creek, Little Nemaha River, and Big Nemaha River...
at Nemaha
Nemaha, Nebraska
Nemaha is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 178 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Nemaha is located at ....
.
On July 1, the flood level at Omaha hit 36.29 feet (11.1 m), higher than the 30.26 feet (9.2 m) on July 10, 1993 during the 1993 flood but lower than the all time record of 40.2 feet (12.3 m) on April 18, 1952.
On July 2, the Corps of Engineers awarded a $1.4 million contract to shore up the 9 miles levee system around Eppley Airfield with a seepage berm to allow water to seep through the levee but hold the levee materials in place. The action came after the Corps reported there were multiple sand boil
Sand boil
Sand boils or Sand Volcanoes occur when water under pressure wells up through a bed of sand. The water looks like it is "boiling" up from the bed of sand, hence the name.-Flood protection structures:...
s on the airport side of the levee.
On July 3, Lindbergh Road which rings Eppley by the levees was closed so work could continue on 70 relief wells by the levees.
On July 5, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
reported that 265 square miles (686.3 km²) of Nebraska has been inundated by floods on the Missouri and the Platte River
Platte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
. At the same time NASA released satellite photos of the flood from the Landsat 5
Landsat 5
Landsat 5 is the fifth satellite of the Landsat program. It was launched on March 1, 1984, with the primary goal of providing a global archive of satellite photos. The Landsat Program is managed by USGS, and data from Landsat 5 is collected and distributed from the USGS's Center for Earth Resources...
showing flooding from Blair to Plattsmouth to June 30.
On July 9, the Corps of Engineers said water behind the reservoirs had peaked on July 2 with only 1.5 percent left for flood storage. By July 9, the available storage increased to 3.1 percent. Officials said they planned to begin decreasing the water flowing to the Gavins Point Dam but noted that the water going into Gavins Point would fill it in 1.5 days if the reservoir were empty.
On July 11, the Omaha World-Herald
Omaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
quoted USGS researchers who are studying unique aspects of the flood. Among their discoveries:
- the flood water which is predominately coming from behind dams is clear rather than the traditional siltSiltSilt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
that gives the Missouri its Big MuddyMissouri RiverThe Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
nickname; - the river normally flows at 4 miles per hour but in the early days it was flowing at 11.6 miles per hour
- the river depth of the channel at Nebraska City is normally 12 to 16 ft (3.7 to 4.9 m) and, during high water, can be 25 to 30 ft (7.6 to 9.1 m) but during this event they recorded depths of 66 feet (20.1 m).
On July 13, OPPD said it had spent $26 million in June as a result of flooding affecting its power plants on the river ($20 million in work protecting its plants and $6 million in replacing lost generating capacity). OPPD has two coal fired plants that are both larger than Fort Calhoun at Nebraska City. One of the rail lines providing coal is covered in water and the utility wants to raise that track. The plants have been getting coal via a parallel line.
In Omaha, after peaking at 36.29 feet (11.1 m) on July 2, 2011, the river was still more than 3 foot (0.9144 m) above the flood stage of 29 feet (8.8 m) as of August 28.
Missouri
On June 6, the Kansas City Corps of Engineers sent letters sign by Patty Richardson team leader of its Real Estate Division to landowners along the river in northwest Missouri telling them that through the Water Resources Development Act of 1986Water Resources Development Act of 1986
The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 is part of , a series of acts enacted by Congress of the United States on November 17, 1986....
via the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project and Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project they are seeking willing sellers for land "for fish and wildlife habitat enhancements for aquatic species such as the pallid sturgeon
Pallid sturgeon
The pallid sturgeon is an endangered species of ray-finned fish, endemic to the waters of the Missouri and lower Mississippi River basins of the United States...
." The letters arrived just as the floods began hitting their peak in Atchison County and subsequently were heavily criticized by state and federal politicians. The Corps reported that only 14 letters had been sent.
Interstate 29
Interstate 29
Interstate 29 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 to the Canadian border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75 via the short Manitoba Highway 29.-Route...
closed in early June from Iowa Highway 2 (across the Missouri River from Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
) to Rock Port, Missouri
Rock Port, Missouri
Rock Port is a city in Clay Township, Atchison County, Missouri, United States and the county seat of Atchison County. The population was 1,318 at the 2010 census...
.
The United States Coast Guard closed the river to boaters from Gavins Point Dam (Mile Post 850) to Mile Post 450 near St. Joseph, Missouri.
Residents of Big Lake
Big Lake, Missouri
Big Lake is a village in Holt County, Missouri, United States. The population was 127 at the 2000 census.The village is located on the Big Lake which is the largest oxbow lake in Missouri...
(which had evacuated during several floods including one in 2010) evacuated in May. On June 16, 2011, the community filed an injunction in Holt County
Holt County, Missouri
Holt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county is in the northwest part of the state. As of 2010, the population was 4,912. Its county seat is Oregon. The county was organized in 1841 and is named after the Missouri state legislator Dr...
against BNSF after the railroad elevated its line near the community by 20 inches (50.8 cm) in preparation for the flood. Big Lake officials said the elevation would create a "bathtub" effect, trapping water in the community.
On June 19 a levee in Atchison County
Atchison County, Missouri
Atchison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 5,685. Its county seat is Rock Port. The county was organized in 1845 and named for David Rice Atchison, U.S...
was breached and the levee protecting Big Lake was breached near Corning, Missouri
Corning, Missouri
Corning is a village in Holt County, Missouri, United States. The population was 21 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Corning is located at ....
at Mile Marker 550. The crest at Brownville at 44.6 feet (13.6 m) was the highest in the history of the river there (breaking the 1993 record). It prompted officials to close the two northernmost Missouri River bridges in the state, the Brownville Bridge (US 136
U.S. Route 136
U.S. Highway 136 is a spur of U.S. Highway 36. It runs from Edison, Nebraska, at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34 to the Interstate 74/Interstate 465 interchange in Speedway, Indiana. This is a distance of 804 miles .-Nebraska:...
) and the Rulo Bridge (US 159
U.S. Route 159
U.S. Highway 159 is a "child" route of U.S. Highway 59. It currently runs for 85 miles from Nortonville, Kansas at U.S. Highway 59 to New Point, Missouri at U.S. Highway 59. The highway permits through traffic on U.S. 59 to bypass the cities of Atchison, Kansas and Saint Joseph,...
). The river had risen more than two feet in 24 hours in Atchison County. Officials said the surge in the river occurred when heavy rains in northern Iowa caused a major rise in the Nishnabotna River
Nishnabotna River
The Nishnabotna River is a tributary of the Missouri River in southwestern Iowa, northwestern Missouri and southeastern Nebraska in the United States. It flows for most of its length as two parallel streams in Iowa, the East Nishnabotna River and the West Nishnabotna River...
, which enters the Missouri River in Atchison County near Watson
Watson, Missouri
Watson is a village in Nishnabotna Township, Atchison County, Missouri, United States. The population was 100 at the 2010 census. It is the westernmost settlement in the state of Missouri.-Geography:Watson is located at ....
.
On June 21, 300 residents of Craig
Craig, Missouri
Craig is a city in Holt County, Missouri, United States. The population was 309 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Craig is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
in Holt County were ordered to evacuate.
On June 24, Lewis and Clark State Park
Lewis and Clark State Park (Missouri)
Lewis and Clark State Park is a state park in the US state of Missouri consisting of located in Buchanan County.- See also:* List of Missouri state parks...
near Rushville
Rushville, Missouri
Rushville is a village in Buchanan County, Missouri, United States. The population was 280 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. It is part of the St...
closed.
On June 26 BNSF had to close its main rail line providing coal to Kansas City's Iatan Powerplant (via Rulo) after the river widened in Holt County to nearly 5+ miles by Big Lake.
On June 27 Terrible's St. Jo Frontier Casino
Terrible's St. Jo Frontier Casino
Terrible's St. Jo Frontier Casino is a riverboat casino on the edge of the Missouri River in St. Joseph, Missouri owned by Affinity Gaming.-William M. Grace:...
riverboat casino closed. Levee toppings prompted the closure of Lewis and Clark Village, Missouri
Lewis and Clark Village, Missouri
Lewis and Clark Village is a village in Buchanan County, Missouri, United States. The population was 155 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. It is part of the St...
. Residents of the Sugar Lake area of Buchanan County were also under voluntary evacuation orders
On June 28 Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Missouri, USA, established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife....
in Holt County closed its tour route around its pools noting that it no longer control water levels in its pools and that it expects "critical habitat damage to our management areas including the moist soil units, wet prairie, and other priceless wildlife habitats and most habitats will be submerged."
On June 28, the Corps ordered Ameren
Ameren
Ameren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
to halt all outflows (including electrical generation) from Bagnell Dam
Bagnell Dam
Bagnell Dam impounds the Osage River in the U.S. state of Missouri, creating the Lake of the Ozarks. The 148-foot tall concrete gravity dam was built by the Union Electric Company for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation as its Osage Powerplant. It is long, including a long spillway...
on the Osage River
Osage River
The Osage River is a tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri in the United States. The Osage River is one of the larger rivers in Missouri. The river drains a mostly rural area of . The watershed includes an area of east-central Kansas and a large portion of west-central and central...
until at least July 5.
On June 29, officials Missouri's largest coal fired power plant at Iatan, Missouri
Iatan, Missouri
This article is about the Missouri village. For the IATAN travel agreement, please see International Association of Travel Agents Network.Iatan is a village in Platte County, Missouri, United States...
sent 40 of its 135 employees home because of fears that the river would cut off its access on Missouri Route 45. Employees are being asked to park a mile from the plant be shuttled in. Boats have been set up at the plant to assist in the process.
On June 30 the St. Joseph News-Press
St. Joseph News-Press
The St. Joseph News-Press is a daily morning newspaper in St. Joseph, Missouri. It is the flagship of the News-Press & Gazette Company which owns newspapers, television and radio stations and cable television systems throughout the United States.-History:...
reported that residents of Holt County had dubbed the flood "Corpstrina" evoking the Corps of Engineers which regulates the river and the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
disaster.
On July 2 Amtrak announced that two miles (3 km) of track between Kansas City and St. Louis was flooded between Myrick (west of Lexington
Lexington, Missouri
Lexington is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,453 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lafayette County. Located in western Missouri, Lexington lies about 40 miles east of Kansas City and is part of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
) and Marshall
Marshall, Missouri
Marshall is a city in Saline County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,065 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Saline County,. The Marshall Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Saline County. It is also home to Missouri Valley College...
. The railroad suspended 311 and 316 trains of the Missouri River Runner
Missouri River Runner (Amtrak)
The Missouri River Runner is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak running between Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center in St. Louis and Kansas City Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. This train route was formerly operated as part of the Missouri Service train network, which included...
on the line but continued to maintain other traffic via trains rerouted to the Sedalia subdivision.
On July 3 a planned fireworks display in Richard Berkley Riverfront Park in Kansas City proceeded as planned and included the unveiling of a new lighting scheme on the Christopher Bond Bridge (Mile 365). The crest at Kansas City of 32.46 feet (9.9 m) on July 2 was well below Kansas City's all time crest of 48.87 feet (14.9 m) in 1993.
On July 4 St. Charles held its Riverfront fireworks display on the river—although moved back a block to Riverside Drive from Frontier Park. It had crested there on July 3 at 28.03 feet (8.5 m) -- well below its crest of 40.11 in 1884 and 40.04 feet (12.2 m) in 1993.
On July 6 a breach at Atchison County that had been breached on June 19 widened to 600 feet (182.9 m) and residents of Watson who had just returned to their homes evacuated again as the river fed by three-inch local rains caused the river to rise again. Missouri National Guard
Missouri National Guard
The Missouri National Guard consists of the:*Missouri Army National Guard*Missouri Air National Guard-External links:* compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
Blackhawk helicopters were used to bring in 2,000 pound sand bags to reinforce the Sugar Tree levee in Carroll County, Missouri near Mile 300 at Norborne
Norborne, Missouri
Norborne is a city in Carroll County, Missouri, United States. The population was 805 at the 2000 census.Norborne was founded in 1868 by Norborne B. Coates, a civil engineer for the railroad...
after a third of landside part of the levee slid. On July 8 a nearby levee Belcher-Lozier was overtopped. That levee had also been overtopped in 2010.
On July 11 the Coast Guard closed the river above Glasgow, Missouri
Glasgow, Missouri
Glasgow is a city in Chariton and Howard counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,263 at the 2000 census.The Howard County portion of Glasgow is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
at Mile 226 to navigation. One of the consequences is that the MR340 kayak race has been postponed. The race goes from Kaw Point
Kaw Point
Kaw Point is the name given to the point where the Kansas River terminates at the Missouri River in the West Bottoms area of Kansas City, Kansas. Kaw Point is also where the Missouri ceases its southerly course and turns to flow generally east through the State of Missouri to the Mississippi River...
in Kansas City to St. Charles and bills itself as the "world’s longest nonstop river race" On the week that it was planned organized have planned the Kawnivore 100 race from on the Kaw River
Kansas River
The Kansas River is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name come from the Kanza people who once inhabited the area...
from Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
to Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
.
Kansas
On June 22, Leavenworth closed Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Army Airfield
Sherman Army Airfield is an airport located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in Leavenworth County, Kansas. Although the airport is within the confines of a United States Army Base, it has agreement with the city of Leavenworth, Kansas to permit civilian use at all hours.It derives its codes from Fort...
. On June 29 the levee was breached and water reached the hangers which had earlier been evacuated.
On Jun 29 the Elwood, Kansas
Elwood, Kansas
Elwood is a city in Doniphan County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,224. It is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Elwood is located at...
south bound exit ramp off the Pony Express Bridge
Pony Express Bridge
The Pony Express Bridge is a highway girder bridge over the Missouri River connecting Elwood, Kansas with St. Joseph, Missouri on US-36.The bridge is referred to in signage as Pony Express Bridges because there are separate bridges for east and west bound traffic. The bridges were built in 1983 to...
was closed temporarily to pump water which had accumulated from rains. Elwood is also underwent voluntary evacuations. 200 National Guard troops were deployed to Doniphan County to assist in the evacuation. 400 of Elwood's 1,200 residents volunatrily evacuated.
The Amelia Earhart Bridge at Atchison had effectively closed on June 28. Closings of Missouri River bridges had been the result of flooding on the approaches and not the bridge itself. However on June 29 photos began circulating that the low-lying Atchison Union Pacific rail bridge was close to water level. Union Pacific had embargoed its main rail line which goes between St. Joseph and Kansas City.
On July 1 the Corps of Engineers reported that every non-federal levee from Rulo to Wolcott, Kansas in Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population was 157,505 for the 2010 census. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City with which it shares a unified government...
on both sides of the river were either overtopped or breached. Included in the overtoppings was Kansas Department of Corrections land below the Lansing Correctional Facility
Lansing Correctional Facility
Lansing Correctional Facility is a state prison operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections located in Lansing, Kansas in Leavenworth County...
at Lansing, Kansas
Lansing, Kansas
Lansing is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Leavenworth County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,265...
. Another report indicated that the only overtopped federal levee was the one at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
by Sherman Army Airfield.
External links
- Spring 2011 Flood Information (Corps of Engineers - Omaha)
- Spring 2011 Flood Information (Corps of Engineers - Kansas City)
- MightyMoRiver crowd-sourced project (powered by UshahidiUshahidiUshahidi, Inc. is a non-profit software company that develops free and open source software for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping....
)