June 2008 Midwest flooding

[Jill Danko]

On June 4, 2008, severe thunderstorms began to impact the upper Midwest United States. Tornadoes, hail, severe lightning, and rain led to major damage to much of the region. Flash flooding led to the evacuation of thousands of homes in low-lying areas. The situation worsened as rain continued on June 5. Flooding has continued up to June 18. States affected by the flooding include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. The American Red Cross is helping the victims of flooding and tornadoes across seven states. They anticipate spending in excess of $15 million for recent disasters.[1] As of June 20, twenty levees along the Mississippi River have been breached since flooding began.

[Jill Danko]

June 2008 Indiana Flood





House on the Southern Johnson County, Indiana line underwater due to flooding
Duration June 7 - Ongoing
Damages estimated- $126 million[7]
Fatalities 3 Deaths
Areas affected Adams, Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Clay, Daviess, Dearborn, Elkhart, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, Huntington, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, LaGrange, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Miami, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Ohio, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Decatur, Shelby, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Union, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warrick, Wayne, and White counties.[8]

[Jill Danko]

Indiana

Central and southwestern Indiana was particularly hard hit; damage costs are expected to make the flooding the costliest disaster in the history of the state. Starting on June 4, 2008, rain soaked parts of south-central Indiana leading to initial floods in and around Bloomington. Additional rain on June 7 brought the worst of the flooding to larger portions of south-central and western Indiana. The highest recorded rainfall amount was in the town of Edinburgh, which saw 10.94 inches (278 mm) of rain in just seven hours. Paragon saw 10 inches (250 mm) of rain in just a few hours, leaving 90% of the town underwater[9]. National Weather Service hydrologist Al Shipe says some parts of the state could see flooding that approaches record levels set in 1913.[10] On June 9, President George W. Bush declared 29 counties in central Indiana a major disaster area opening up the region to receive federal aid and Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance.[11]

[Jill Danko]

[Jill Danko]

[Jill Danko]

Impact

Many low-lying areas of central and northern Indiana were evacuated because of the rapid rise of the waters. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels declared a state of emergency in 23 counties[12] and called in the United States Coast Guard to assist in evacuations and rescues. The Coast Guard responded by sending two helicopters to the state along with boats and personnel. The Indiana National Guard was called out to assist in evacuation and direct traffic and enforce road blocks on the many flooded roads. Some areas of southern Indianapolis, where the White River was several feet past flood stage, were evacuated including a hospital with one hundred patients and doctors. The Coast Guard were continuing to rescue trapped citizens on June 8. In Franklin, Indiana water rose as high as the first floor of Johnson Memorial Hospital.[13] Doctors and patients were also evacuated from Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Indiana. The hospital will remain closed for an extended period of time because of power outages, generator failures, and extensive flood damage. It is expected to resume operations between September and December 2008, although it is expected to resume emergency services more quickly.[14] All patients were evacuated and moved to nearby hospitals. One hundred and fifty people were evacuated from a nursing home in Morgan County.

The dam at Prince's Lake failed on June 7 threatening the community of Nineveh, Indiana. On June 8 the Wabash Valley between Lafayette and Terre Haute, Indiana was placed under flood alert and all residents near the Wabash River were urged to evacuate their homes. Looting was reported in Seymour, Indiana where the White River had overflowed its banks forcing the evacuation of over one hundred homes. Governor Daniels dispatched extra state police to the city to curb the looting. On June 10, five hundred members of the Kentucky National Guard were mobilized to assist Indiana in coping with the flood damage and rescuing stranded citizens. The same day floodwaters rose above record levels in at least five localities. In others the rising waters were near or at the historic 1913 flood levels. The flooding was the worst in Indiana's modern history according to Scott Morlock, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Indiana.

Many roads were closed because of high water, including Interstate 65, which was closed southbound at the interchange with Interstate 465 through Seymour.

On June 16 Ball State University released a report estimating that preliminary damages in the state would cost at least $126 million, with $45.8 million in damage to public infrastructure and the rest damage to private businesses and homes. Although damage estimates are likely to be revised upward, the current estimate places the flood as the second costliest in Indiana history. Governor Mitch Daniels said the state is compiling its own thorough estimation and excepts total damages top $1 billion dollars.[16]


Deaths

One man drowned in flood waters near Remington, Indiana.

Two deaths have been reported in Columbus, Indiana. The first was confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security on June 8.[17] On June 9, the body of a Cummins employee was discovered a mile from where he was sighted swept away by floodwaters. [18]

[Jill Danko]

Map of Indiana showing counties presidentially declared as disasters for various types of assistance for the flood of June 2008.[15]
     Public Assistance
 
     Public and Individual Assistance
 
     Individual Assistance
 
     Public Assistance (Category B) limited to direct Federal assistance
 
     Individual Assistance and Public Assistance (Category B) limited to direct Federal assistance

[Jill Danko]

June 2008 Wisconsin Flood



Heavy rains in the Midwest caused a 245-acre lake in the town of Lake Delton, Wis., to overflow June 9, 2008, destroying several homes as it breached a local highway, and completely drained into the nearby Wisconsin River. Serious flooding throughout the State of WI prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency, allowing Wisconsin's Adjutant General U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar to activate National Guard troops to assist in the relief effort. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Paul Gorman/Released

[Jill Danko]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=K0bVsSWXG-I

Homes Washed Away at Lake Delton

[Jill Danko]

[Jill Danko]

Wisconsin

On June 7, at least six confirmed tornadoes touched down in multiple counties, as an effect of the strong winds of the daily storms.[43]

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency in thirty counties on June 9 due to the flooding. FEMA inspectors are due to examine areas that suffered the most damage.[42]

Continued heavy rains in the Wisconsin Dells led to the Dell creek bypassing the dam holding Lake Delton. On June 9, water rushing out of the lake eroded a section of County Highway A and washed away three homes and tore apart several others. The lake is now nearly empty and the escaping flood water has created a new channel for the Wisconsin River about a quarter mile away from the dam. [44][45] Wisconsin National Guard engineers began repairs on the dam the same day, but with the breach being about 400 feet (120 m) wide, the repairs are not expected to be completed for over a year.[46] However, as Governor Jim Doyle called the lake critical to the $1 billion Wisconsin Dells tourism industry, he said the Department of Natural Resources was trying to figure out how to get the water flowing in the man-made lake. Already, there are tourists who had made summer reservations at the lake’s twenty resorts who have been canceling their reservations.[44] The response of the local businesses have been varied. The Delton Oaks Resort, a 60-year operation, will be closing. Meanwhile, the iconic Wisconsin Dells boat tours are reopening despite the low water level. [46] The Tommy Bartlett Show is going to continue, though the waterskiing aspect will be discarded at least until the lake is refilled. [47][48][49]

In southwestern Wisconsin, the Kickapoo River rose several feet above flood stage, destroying most of the village of Gays Mills. Gays Mills had already been badly flooded in the August 2007 floods. Officials said Kickapoo River flood damage in Vernon County likely will exceed the $60 million damage caused by the August 2007 floods, and already the water is two feet higher than the high water mark of a historic 1978 flood.[50] In the early morning of June 9, 150 residents in the village of 625 were forced to evacuate.[44] Ontario, Hillsboro, La Farge, and Viola were also severely flooded, much worse than in August 2007. The county took an average of 9 inches (230 mm) of rain over the second weekend, causing mudslides and closing over 100 roads in Vernon, but the rain relented on Monday, June 16th. More thunderstorms, and more severe flooding, is expected in both Vernon and Crawford counties later this week. All the nearby dams have held, though many have sustained damage.[50]

[Jill Danko]

Westbound lanes of Interstate 94 were closed between Johnson Creek and Lake Mills on June 10, 2008 at 7 PM because of the rising Rock River.[52] Eastbound lanes of Interstate 90/Interstate 94 were closed between WIS 82 in Juneau County and WIS 33 west of Portage. Also, Interstate 39 was closed in two places: Northbound at its interchange with I-90/94 and WIS 78, and southbound between WIS 82 and WIS 33. The closure of I-94 westbound in Jefferson County was extended eastward to WIS 83 in Waukesha County.[53] The closure of the interstates around Portage were extended southward to US 151 east of Madison.[54][55]

The first reported fatality due to flooding in the state was confirmed June 14 in Waukesha County. 68-year-old Robert Schaf was found near his car on a flooded road in the town of Summit. Authorities report he died after being stranded on a flooded road, and was found in at least three feet of water.[56]

Flooding has also affected the communities on the Baraboo River. The town of North Freedom had all but one road into town closed because of flooding. The flooding forced the closure of the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.[57][58]

On June 14, federal disaster aid from FEMA was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Bush. Federal funding is available to affected individuals in Columbia, Crawford, Milwaukee, Sauk, and Vernon counties.[59] Continuing damage surveys were conducted, especially in the southeast, and Wisconsin's inhabitants were reassured that other counties would be allowed to receive assistance. [60] Richland and Racine counties were declared disaster areas on June 16.[61] On June 18, the President put five more counties under disaster area status, allowing Dodge, Green, Waukesha, Washington, and Winnebago. At the time of the announcement, the first 7 counties had already recieved almost $38,000 in FEMA aid.[62]

The rainfall in southeastern Wisconsin was anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in the string of thunderstorms.[62] Waukesha County had up to 8 inches in certain areas. As of June 19, municipal estimates for Waukesha County was $87.7 million, $3.2 million more than earlier in the week, though the total remains fluid.

[Jill Danko]

Here is another rainfall map showing totals for a week time frame, during which the bulk of the rainfall occurred. (Week refers to June 5, 2008 to June 13, 2008)

[Jill Danko]

Wisconsin counties presidentially declared as disasters and designated to receive various types of assistance following the June 2008 floods.[51]

[Jill Danko]