Missouri River Rises, Flood Extends Underground

[Cheryl Nelson]

http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/137254/

[Cheryl Nelson]

Starting to see that big blue area in the middle of the U.S. on the earthchange maps.

[Mary V]

Just found a link talking more about the issue of how much water the dams have to hold;

http://www.uncoverage.net/2011/05/next-american-crisis-missouri-riv...

The trouble starts at Ft. Peck Dam in Montana in the Yellowstone Park watershed:

“In the past month, the upper Missouri River Basin has received a year’s worth of rain.

“The amount of rain has nearly filled the reservoirs, doing away with most of the flexibility we had built into our operations for this year,” Farhat said. “With the arrival of the 140-percent-of-normal snowpack runoff, all the reservoirs will reach their maximum levels.”

[Cheryl Nelson]

Developing situation like a sinkhole under the river, perhaps.

[Mary V]

There was no offical mentions of why, of course - when it was first brought up, they were referencing a need for boat traffic to stay away from it and the fact they were restricting boat traffic on much of the river - but no mention why...

But hubby thinks that water has found a way thru and it is indicative of a developing situation.....

 

[Cheryl Nelson]

Mary, does he have any idea why?

[Mary V]

I don't know - what I'm guessing is the whirlpool indicates that there is a hole down there somewhere....my hubby who has done construction and has decent knowledge of roads, dams etc....says he thinks there is a hole tunneled under or thru the dam....

[Cheryl Nelson]

Sounds like earth shifting underneath.  Could it be gas pockets it's draining into?  Remember the video of what looked like a river running through a lake?  Could that have been similar, smaller scale?

[Mary V]

Well there is concerns over several dams on the Missouri; I have heard that "the dam in Montana is starting to fail, and that is why they are trying to speed up the release of water ASAP to relieve pressure"  That one is in Great Falls,  I think it is called Fort Peck.  There are I think two dams on the Missouri in North Dakota; They said on the news that they tried to increase water release thru the one in Bismark, ND, but it started leaking and they had to shut that down and route the water another way.  The Oahe dam is the one in Pierre, South Dakota.  After that, the Fort Randell Dam, and then the Gavins Point dam in Yankton SD. That one I have heard isn't built as strong, mostly for water control only not as a huge dam.  Then comes Sioux City, and Omaha. 

There have been some flooding concerns here in South Dakota almost every year lately, but this is way and above normal concerns. Heck the record flowrate thru the dams was in 1997 at a rate of 70,000 cfs....and they are going to have it running at 150,000 cfs Tuesday...right now it is about 100,000 and going to be bumped up every day....and yes the whirlpool at the Pierre (Oahe) Dam definatly gave me a start when I heard about it...

[Mary V]

Sounds like everyone along the Missouri is having stress....I know, Cheryl, you would have read my post a couple days ago about the concerns over the dams on the Missouri. Seems every day we get a little more info....and it isn't good....the pic of the whirlpool at the Oahe dam  that has been 'recently seen" I'm not aware of anything that could cause that except a hole that is draining water....it wasn't seen previous years of large floodwaters....Today, we heard that there are calls out for large amounts of busses....I would think that can only be preparation for sudden mass evacuations.....and a local radio station is now making announcements; "in the event of a situation greater than the local flooding, the alarm tones will be sounded...."  Yea, doesn't sound good...I have also heard the bridges and dams are built to withstand 100,000 cfs (hearsay only, I don't actually know anyone officially aware of the figures on that point)...and they are going to flow 150,000K....but apparently there is some reinforcing / building up action going on at the base of the NEW local bridge that was only just completed last year.....hmmmm thanks, Cheryl for keeping this concern active....