Souris River Tops 1881 Historic Flood Level

Minot Drowning as Souris River sinks 130-year flood record, more rain forecast for Missouri Basin

The river is still climbing and it forecast to crest at 1,564 feet above sea level by late Saturday.

Entire streets are under up to 8 feet of water, and the floodwaters continue to rise.

More then 12,000 of the city’s 41,000 residents are under evacuation orders.

“It’s dangerous and we need you to stay away and do as little travel as possible within the community,” Minot Mayor said.

At least 2,500 homes had been flooded by Friday afternoon, and the number could grow to 5,000 homes by late Friday, the mayor added.

“Even though we are still frantically fighting the flood and trying to keep the water away still as much as possible, we are very rapidly going to be into a period where we are dealing with the human impacts of this,” North Dakota Governor said, as shelters and temporary housing began running out of space.

About a third of the homes in the small town of Burlington (Pop: 1,075) are expected to be lost.

Hydrograph for Souris River at Minot-Broadway Bridge. Source: NWS/AHPS

Flood Categories and Historical Crests

More hydrographs: Souris and Des Lacs Flood Briefing Page

HPC 5-Day Precipitation Forecast Map.

Canadian reservoirs over capacity

“Heavy rains across the Souris River Basin left Canadian reservoirs over capacity. Water then rushing down from Canada has forced U.S. officials to make record-large releases from the Lake Darling Dam above Minot and other communities,” a report said.

The reservoirs won’t be able to cope with the additional rain forecast for the region and ecord releases would be needed causing widespread floodings in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri through mid-August.

US Weather Threats Assessment Map

Map of potential hazards related to climate, weather and hydrological events in the U.S.  Source: NWS/CPC. Click image to enlarge.

US Weather Map 24-25 June

Click image to enlarge.

External Links

• Flood Threat Creates ‘Psychological Roller Coaster’ in Minot, N.D.

Related Links

• Minot Flood Warning
• Major floods forcing evacuations from North Dakota to Missouri
• Nebraska Nuke Plant Remains Shut After Missouri River Flooding
• FLOODING AT TWO NEBRASKA NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

2011 Disasters

• 2011 Disaster Calendar – June
• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Minot Flood Warning

Souris River Flooding

Water is moving twice as fast as past floods

At least 10,000 residents have already evacuated from at-risk parts of Minot, North Dakota, according to  reports.

Hydrograph for Souris River at Minot-Broadway Bridge. Source: NWS/AHPS

Flood Categories and Historical Crests

Water is moving about twice as fast through the system as past flood  event. For example, in 1969 it took about 5 days for the water to route from Estevan to Sherwood but this year it is taking about 2.5 days.  Aerial reconnaissance indicates that from Estevan to Minot the valley is full of water from bluff to bluff enabling the flood wave to move more quickly as it bypasses the normal channel and the normal channel and off channel obstacles.  This flood is over twice as large in terms of peak flow than the previous records all along the Souris River, and this creates uncertainty with eventual peak values. (Source: NWS)

• Flood Warning Statements
• Graph terminology

Missouri basin reservoirs from eastern Montana t0 the Dakotas are approaching their capacity. “Reservoir water release rates are expected to stay at high release levels (150,000 cfs) into August. These extremely high flows, combined with normal rainfall, will result in near-record flooding along portions of the Missouri River.” NWS said.

Map of the Missouri River. The Missouri River begins in southern Montana in the Rocky Mountains, first flowing north then generally southeast across the heart of the United States, ending at the Mississippi River, just to the north of St. Louis, Missouri. Some 4,023 km (2,500 miles) long, it is the longest river in the United States. Source: NWS CRH

Related Links

• Major floods forcing evacuations from North Dakota to Missouri
• Nebraska Nuke Plant Remains Shut After Missouri River Flooding
• FLOODING AT TWO NEBRASKA NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Major floods forcing evacuations from North Dakota to Missouri

Missouri, Souris River floods forcing community evacuations from North Dakota to Missouri

Communities from North Dakota to Missouri have begun mandatory evacuations, as the severity of Missouri and Souris River flooding increases.

Precipitation Map from Last 60 Days (April 22 – June 21). The upper Missouri River Basin (Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota and Nebraska) has received 100 to 800 percent of normal precipitation during the past several weeks. Snow pack runoff entering the upper portion of the river system is more than twice the normal amount. Click image to enter NWS CRH page.

“Sirens signaling the need for immediate evacuation began sounding around 10 a.m. today in Minot, N.D., as some levees began to fail in the city of 40,888. City officials had alerted residents in at-risk areas to be ready for immediate evacuation today. Local radio and television broadcasters relayed the message that those in evacuation zones needed to leave those areas at once.” National Weather Service (NWS) said.

“In the southern part of the flooded Missouri River channel, the 283 residents of Craig, Mo., have also been ordered to evacuate to higher ground. Some levees protecting the town have already failed, and the heaviest Missouri River flows haven’t reached that area yet.”

Missouri basin reservoirs from eastern Montana t0 the Dakotas are approaching their capacity. “Reservoir water release rates are expected to stay at high release levels (150,000 cfs) into August. These extremely high flows, combined with normal rainfall, will result in near-record flooding along portions of the Missouri River.”

Map of the Missouri River. The Missouri River begins in southern Montana in the Rocky Mountains, first flowing north then generally southeast across the heart of the United States, ending at the Mississippi River, just to the north of St. Louis, Missouri. Some 4,023 km (2,500 miles) long, it is the longest river in the United States. Source: NWS CRH

Currently 17 stream gauge sites in the United States are  at Major Flooding levels, with 38 gauges at Moderate Flood, 107 gauges at Minor Flood and 154 gauges at Near Flood.

US Flood Map 1

US Flood Map 2

Legend

Related Links

• Missouri Basin River Forecast Center (River forecasts within 48 hours)