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OK/MO/AR and into the OH valley heavy rain and flood threat


janetjanet998

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wow...i havn't been paying attention to this due to the tornado outbreak and thought a dry period was coming up likethe forecast was a few days ago

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Yes, the forecast has done a 180 even since this morning. I thought we had dodged a bullet here since we underperformed on the qpf. Still we had 8.5 inches in 6 days. Water is starting to recede but still way up and places to the southwest are already expecting record flooding.

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Wow. Looks like big forecast changes since this morning. These last two dry days have been a real blessing here in southeast Missouri. We are very lucky to be in Perryville, over 200 feet in vertical elevation from the Mississippi River to our east. But we are still seeing local flooding of farmland. Looks like some of the farmers are going to lose their planted crops due to standing water.

An additional 6-8 inches of rain would make this situation drastically worse for the folks on the Ohio river and at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers @ Cairo, Illinois. It's going to be bad.

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Wow. Looks like big forecast changes since this morning. These last two dry days have been a real blessing here in southeast Missouri. We are very lucky to be in Perryville, over 200 feet in vertical elevation from the Mississippi River to our east. But we are still seeing local flooding of farmland. Looks like some of the farmers are going to lose their planted crops due to standing water.

An additional 6-8 inches of rain would make this situation drastically worse for the folks on the Ohio river and at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers @ Cairo, Illinois. It's going to be bad.

Macintosh, I know this is south of you, and Beau maybe you can also shed some light, but I was curious, what's the local perspective on the possible detonation of the Bird's Point levee? I know of a guy that farms ground near Chaffee, but I can't tell how directly that area might be impacted. Looks like East Prarie could be under the gun? Regardless, sounds like things are currently in limbo - at least from what I've read this past day.:unsure:

A tough decision to make no matter what, and I'm sure there area lot of passionate feelings all around.

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Macintosh, I know this is south of you, and Beau maybe you can also shed some light, but I was curious, what's the local perspective on the possible detonation of the Bird's Point levee? I know of a guy that farms ground near Chaffee, but I can't tell how directly that area might be impacted. Looks like East Prarie could be under the gun? Regardless, sounds like things are currently in limbo - at least from what I've read this past day.:unsure:

A tough decision to make no matter what, and I'm sure there area lot of passionate feelings all around.

Perhaps this should be spun off in off topic forum but I I would have to side with the MO people.(but barely and both sides have good points) It's not their fault Cario isn't prepared so how can the Corps do this, flooding their homes plus their rich farmland will be usless for years and years.

Someone blew a hole in a levee near Quincy back in the 1993 flood on the opposite side of the river to for the exact same reason saving their home but flooding others....he got fined and I do believe went to jail for it..yet now the corps wants to do the exact same thing for the same reason

back on topic

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Perhaps this should be spun off in off topic forum but I I would have to side with the MO people.(but barely and both sides have good points) It's not their fault Cario isn't prepared so how can the Corps do this, flooding their homes plus their rich farmland will be usless for years and years.

Someone blew a hole in a levee near Quincy back in the 1993 flood on the opposite side of the river to for the exact same reason saving their home but flooding others....he got fined and I do believe went to jail for it..yet now the corps wants to do the exact same thing for the same reason

back on topic

post-142-0-18413300-1304160697.gif

This isnt good, those areas are already absolutely at the breaking point with respect to rain.

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Perhaps this should be spun off in off topic forum but I I would have to side with the MO people.(but barely and both sides have good points) It's not their fault Cario isn't prepared so how can the Corps do this, flooding their homes plus their rich farmland will be usless for years and years.

Someone blew a hole in a levee near Quincy back in the 1993 flood on the opposite side of the river to for the exact same reason saving their home but flooding others....he got fined and I do believe went to jail for it..yet now the corps wants to do the exact same thing for the same reason

back on topic

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I think that is wrong. Once flood protections are in place you have to sink or swim with them. Everyone has based their threat levels on them. I could understand if it were a dam and they have to release to prevent failure.

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Maybe not as hyperactive but the GFS has a wettish pattern into May in the areas that don't need it.

I suspect it may shift north a bit but as well suspect May wont be much quieter. I see what we STILL have in Canada ( Very unusual cold up there still ) and then knowing all of the available juice via the GOM and well as said i don't see much reprieve from the active pattern. Just a matter of where and well climo atleast suggests things shift north. We'll see anyways. For now May looks to start off bad for the flooded areas.

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without any new rain...and from last night

they are trying to hold back the water as much as possible to help out cario...

Property owners worry over lake levels

Web Editor - Michael Vick

Story Created: Apr 28, 2011 at 11:04 PM CDT

Story Updated: Apr 28, 2011 at 11:04 PM CDT

LAKE BARKLEY, Ky. — The Tennessee valley authority and the Army Corps of Engineers are raising levels at Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley to ease flooding below the dam.

But Lakefront businesses are concerned about how quickly the water is rising.

The Tennessee valley authority expects kentucky lake to reach 373 and a half feet by next wednesday and to hold at that level for a couple days.

ExploreKentuckyLake.com said that's just 18 inches from the top of Kentucky Dam's gates. The site said the level is unprecedented and will surpass last May's near-record stage of 369 feet.

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Property-owners-worry-over-lake-levels-120935494.html

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FYI, issued for the city of Memphis and Shelby County today:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED...CORRECTED

CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE

MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN

332 PM CDT SAT APR 30 2011

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE

MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

FLOOD WARNING

ALL SHELBY RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTION NOW...ESPECIALLY

IF YOU LIVE WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN OF RIVERS AND

STREAMS...TO BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE HOMES AND BUSINESSES IF

FLOODING OCCURS.

NEAR RECORD FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS IT

BORDERS SHELBY COUNTY.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR MARK H. LUTTRELL...THIS IS

THE TIME TO GATHER ALL IMPORTANT ITEMS AND BE READY TO LEAVE YOUR

PROPERTY. THERE IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY PORTIONS OF SHELBY

COUNTY COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE RISING WATERS.

A C WHARTON...THE MAYOR OF MEMPHIS ADDED...WE WANT TO REASSURE OUR

CITIZENS THAT DISASTER TEAMS ARE IN PLACE AND WILL BE DOING

EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN ARE PREDICTED DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

RIVERS AND CREEKS ARE QUICKLY RISING IN THE WESTERN AREA OF SHELBY

COUNTY AND WILL LIKELY BACK UP INTO NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR CREEKS AND

STREAMS. FLOOD WATERS MAY ALSO RISE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH

STORM DRAINS. CONDITIONS MAY WORSEN EACH DAY WITH THE CONTINUAL

RISE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

GO IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUND IF WATER STARTS TO RISE. AVOID

FLOOD WATERS.

Memphis should see great benefit from being "The Bluff City" although development includes a lot of flood areas.

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Macintosh, I know this is south of you, and Beau maybe you can also shed some light, but I was curious, what's the local perspective on the possible detonation of the Bird's Point levee? I know of a guy that farms ground near Chaffee, but I can't tell how directly that area might be impacted. Looks like East Prarie could be under the gun? Regardless, sounds like things are currently in limbo - at least from what I've read this past day.:unsure:

A tough decision to make no matter what, and I'm sure there area lot of passionate feelings all around.

It is important to keep in perspective who and what will be affected by breaching the levee. I honestly don't know the specifics of where and to what extent Missouri will be affected by blowing the levee. Many discussion forums are talkiing about blowing the levee to "save Cairo, IL". If it was just Cairo, I'd say it's not worth it. Cairo is a hell hole. It's like a poor man's Detroit. I'm not saying the life isn't important, but the property certainly isn't. They can't give away real estate in Cairo. Three bedroom houses in decent shape going for $30k, IF they can find a buyer. I've been through there twice. After seeing drug deals going down in broad daylight both times, I decided not to go back. I use an alternate route now. Alexander county is so poor they can't pay the gas bill for the Sheriff's cars. The "Kut Mart" recently revoked their buying account because they don't pay the bill. Par for the course in Illinois, I know, but it's even worse in Cairo/Alexander County.

I have a feeling, however, that the decision on the levee is more than Cairo. I've read some articles saying that Kentucky, Illinois, and possibly Arkansas and Tennessee may be affected by this decision. So it really comes down to the extent of property damage expected vs. the possible loss of life. But if it was just a matter of saving Cairo at the expense of a several thousand acres of prime farm land, I'd say save the farmland and let Cairo deal with itself.

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It is important to keep in perspective who and what will be affected by breaching the levee. I honestly don't know the specifics of where and to what extent Missouri will be affected by blowing the levee. Many discussion forums are talkiing about blowing the levee to "save Cairo, IL". If it was just Cairo, I'd say it's not worth it. Cairo is a hell hole. It's like a poor man's Detroit. I'm not saying the life isn't important, but the property certainly isn't. They can't give away real estate in Cairo. Three bedroom houses in decent shape going for $30k, IF they can find a buyer. I've been through there twice. After seeing drug deals going down in broad daylight both times, I decided not to go back. I use an alternate route now. Alexander county is so poor they can't pay the gas bill for the Sheriff's cars. The "Kut Mart" recently revoked their buying account because they don't pay the bill. Par for the course in Illinois, I know, but it's even worse in Cairo/Alexander County.

I have a feeling, however, that the decision on the levee is more than Cairo. I've read some articles saying that Kentucky, Illinois, and possibly Arkansas and Tennessee may be affected by this decision. So it really comes down to the extent of property damage expected vs. the possible loss of life. But if it was just a matter of saving Cairo at the expense of a several thousand acres of prime farm land, I'd say save the farmland and let Cairo deal with itself.

I thought 100 homes in MO will also be flooded if they blow the levee.

And I thought I read this won't affect areas like memphis that much since alot of the water will drain back into the river further south

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I thought 100 homes in MO will also be flooded if they blow the levee.

And I thought I read this won't affect areas like memphis that much since alot of the water will drain back into the river further south

Yeah, like I said, I'm not sure what the specifics are. To make an informed choice I'd really have to study it, and I haven't done that. In general, though, I'm against blasting critical infrastructure that people have come to rely on. It's like changing the rules in the middle of the game.

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Whether right or wrong - I have no idea on the ethics of the subject

However, the people that live there knew this day would come. Everyone that owns land in that area was warned and told that the levee could be blown in the event of a flood of this magnitude.

Not that that makes it any better. This is a no win situation.

You can't tame the river.

Very true. Anyone living in a flood plain knows their day will eventually come.

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I researched the topic last night. There are two levers, an inner and outer. The outer was built with two fuseplugs, originally designed to ovettop and fail automaticly. I think it was in the 70s the river reached design height, but the levee didn't fail. After that, it was retrofitted with PVC piping to place the explosives in for this situation. The area is a designated floodway to provide pressure relief on Cairo. The people who built there knew this could happen. The county and state knew this could happen. Missouri signed off on the master plan in the 80s.

Does it suck for those farmers, yes. But its like feeling bad for someone losing heirloom China in a LA earthquake. They didn't move there not knowing the potential.

Sent from my Thunderbolt.

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it looks like the extreme lower OH river got about an inch last night with 1-2.5 inches falling on the KY lake watershed

looks like they had no choise but to open the gates for a while

6:00 p.m. Saturday Update: Another day, another change in Kentucky Lake's crest. Yesterday TVA was reporting a crest of 374' by Thursday. Today, several of the gates at Kentucky Dam were opened to reportedly help alleviate flooding on Lake Barkley at Dover. Since the gates have been opened, the crest has been lowered to just below 371', according to the TVA and the Corps. However, a statement from the National Weather Service issued just after 2pm today says the lakes will crest between 371' and 372' by Tuesday. It appears that we will be between 370' and 372' for several days. Of course, all this could change, especially considering our area is forecast to receive another three to five inches of rain

1-2 inches also fell from Cario down to Memphis

plus the north side of LIT really got it, 3-6 inches major problems

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