Author: EIOA

Current River report 

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1021 AM CDT THU MAR 31 2011

…LATEST UPDATE ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER…

INITIAL CRESTS WILL OCCUR ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEXT WEEK…
BETWEEN ABOUT APRIL 4TH AND 6TH. THESE CRESTS WILL ONLY RESULT
IN WATER LEVELS NEAR OR JUST SLIGHTLY ABOVE FLOOD STAGE…WITH
ONLY MINOR FLOODING CONCERNS.

RIVER LEVELS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEARLY STEADY…OR PERHAPS
FALL SLIGHTLY…AS WE MOVE INTO THE SECOND WEEK OF APRIL.

BEYOND THAT…THE FORECAST REMAINS QUITE UNCERTAIN…AS WE TRY TO
DETERMINE JUST HOW FAST THE SNOW UPSTREAM WILL MELT AND MOVE THROUGH
THE RIVER SYSTEMS TOWARD US. ONE THING THAT WE ARE SURE OF…WATER
LEVELS WILL REMAIN NEAR FLOOD STAGE THROUGH MUCH OF THE MONTH…
AND PERHAPS INTO EARLY MAY.

HOW HIGH THE RIVER EVENTUALLY GETS DEPENDS GREATLY ON HOW THE
SNOW PACK UPSTREAM MELTS AND IF WE GET ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION.

WE ARE MONITORING THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN PRECIPITATION
FROM TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY…AS WELL AS A LARGER STORM SYSTEM EXPECTED
TO AFFECT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. ADDITIONAL WATER AMOUNTS IN
THE NEXT 48 HOURS DOES NOT APPEAR AS THOUGH IT WILL HAVE MUCH OF
AN IMPACT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEVELS. BUT THE SYSTEM NEXT WEEK
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DROP SOME SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION…WHICH
COULD BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN OR SNOW. IT IS LIKELY THAT ANY
PRECIPITATION THAT FALLS WITH THAT SYSTEM WILL CAUSE WATER LEVELS
TO RISE AGAIN.

RESIDENTS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI WILL NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANT FOR A
SECOND CREST LATE IN THE MONTH…ONE THAT COULD STILL BE HIGHER.

THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
  THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT GUTTENBERG DAM 10.
* FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
* AT 9:00 AM THURSDAY THE STAGE WAS 14.6 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 15.0 FEET.
* MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY APRIL 4TH OR 5TH…WITH A
  SLOW RISE UP TO AROUND 15.5 FEET BY APRIL 7TH. ADDITIONAL RISES
  ARE EXPECTED THEREAFTER.
* IMPACT…AT 15.5 FEET…THE WATER IS OVER MARINA ROAD.

I visited with Alliant Energy today and Bob Gilkes talked to them yesterday.

They do not plan a blanket shutoff for power on the 2 islands. Their plan is to do it in phases based on what properties are actually flooding. This would probably mean parts of Able would go 1st as water comes up and any low areas that are taking water on Esmann. They cannot do it on a propertyby property basis. Both Islands have several zones and they will have to cut off by zones. They will try to give 24 hour notice if they need to shut down a zone. Right now they are cautiously optomistic that nothing will have to be done in the next week any way.

River level is 11.94′ right now  Pray for no rain and cold temps up north

Bob Gilkes talked to Joel Biggs from Clayton County emergency management today. Joel had just gotten te

he latest prediction from the Feds which is 18-21.5 feet crest. Not sure on when they expect this. Island road closes at 19 feet.

 Current charts show 11.39 feet and a prediction for next week of between 15 and 16′ but those predictions change daily. It is supposed to be cold  up north(10 degrees) at night for the next few days. Hope that helps.

We have also heard rumors of Alliant shutting off power when Island road is closed.  We have also been told they will only turn off zones that are flooded. We are trying to verify what Alliant actually will do.

Bill Cappuchio from the DNR will be at our Board meeting on Saturday 10/16/10  to discuss the flood plain to floodway changes that have been proposed for Esmann and Able Islands. These changes will have an impact on use  of our properties especially construction.Our meeting is at 8:30 at the Association building.