America's Flooding Rivers

By Douglas V. Gibbs

There is a flooding problem along the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, and the Souris River. The flooding has reached crisis point. The federal government has all but ignored the problem. Obama and gang does not think there is a political advantage to addressing the problem in ways beyond minimal involvement.

I do not believe the federal government should insert itself into problems on its own, but if a State requests help, then the government can assist, and should. Such is what happened in Hurricane Katrina. While the Left was accusing Bush of not using federal resources to help regarding the Katrina disaster, it was actually that FEMA was legally not allowed to do anything until the Louisiana governor requested help, one way through declaring a State of Emergency.

Governor Blanco refused to make that request, so FEMA's hands were tied because the federal government cannot impose itself upon a State without the State giving the okay.

Now, the swollen rivers of America have been flooding states like North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana. The devastation is incredible. The federal government has helped minimally, and the media has not criticized Obama one iota.

Of course not. He's one of them. However, if this had been Bush. . . well, then again, not. After all, these are "red" areas that are flooding, and the media doesn't care about them.

The Missouri River breached a southwestern Iowa levee forcing evacuations. The floodwaters have rolled through towns, leaving more to scramble to safety as their homes are inundated.

The U.S. Corps of Engineers are releasing water at peak projected rates of 160,000 cubic feet per second from Gavins Point Dam on the South Dakota-Nebraska border at least through July in the hopes of bringing down the level of the swollen Missouri River. That is well more than double the previous record rate.

Water has pressed through or over levees in numerous places from Iowa through Missouri in the last several weeks, forcing evacuation of several smaller communities.

In addition to the flooding of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, the Souris River in North Dakota has also been rising at historic levels. The swelling river has topped levees in parts of Minot, devastating that town. Evacuations have commenced, as Minot experiences the worst flooding the area has seen in 40 years.

Evacuations were quick under the threat of flash flood warnings. Eleven thousand residents have been told to leave according to reports. Meteorologist/blogger Jeff Masters said this is a “1-in-100 to 1-in-200 year flood”.

Massive rainfall in Canada along with very heavy rainfall and snow melt over North Dakota over the past month has led to the flooding. In Saskatchewan the river received 4 to 7 inches of rain, bringing the Souris River near Minot well above the already foot above the previous all-time highest mark it was experiencing as the Canadian rain flooding was arriving.

Some 10,000 people have evacuated their homes, about one-fourth of Minot’s population. Water began seeping over levees on Wednesday.

The Souris isn’t expected to crest until Sunday or Monday, and Mayor Curt Zimbelman says the city faces a “very difficult” long-term situation.

Flooding from the swollen Missouri River has caused havoc along the entire river. The flood levels have reached historic levels, and transportation companies have had to make major adjustments. BNSF Railway has rerouted coal shipments bound for Kansas City through Colorado and western Kansas because its line from Nebraska was flooded. For trucking companies, the stretch of Interstate 29 closed by high water north of Rockport, Missouri, has prompted a detour that adds scores of miles to the trip from Kansas City to Omaha. Traffic is being rerouted up Interstate 35 to Interstate 80 near Des Moines and then west Omaha. A Post Office in Craig, Missouri, was relocated to higher ground in Mound City because of flooding.

In Omaha, heavy rains already have raised the river level higher than the storm gates, backing up sewer water into the lowest part of downtown.

In Nebraska, the angry Missouri River is also threatening the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant. Precautions had been taken to deal with the floodwaters, and federal inspectors had checked over the plant.

The plant has been offline since April for refueling, and is currently not up and generating power.

The flooding will complicate getting the Nebraska reactor back up and running.

Since the Nebraska nuclear power plant is offline, its fuel rods are flooded on purpose so they can be changed out while they are underwater. With the flood waters, the plant’s fuel rods are under 23 feet of additional water, or around 200,000 gallons, giving just that much more cushion should the plant lose power.

There is a concern that water flowing around the plant might have undermined some structures, and heavy vehicles are not being driven over pavement that might have been weakened.

The flooding of the Mississippi River may be going down, but that does not leave Louisiana relaxed, when only last month Louisiana faced horrendous flooding, during which the Mississippi River was swollen to six times its average width.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Missouri River breaches levee in southwest Iowa - Reuters/Yahoo News

Souris river flooding forces thousands of Minot, North Dakota residents to evacuate - Washington Post

Businesses get ready for Missouri River flooding - The Kansas City Star

Nebraska nuclear plant threatened by flooding is safe, scientists group finds - Kansas City Star

Flooding causes problems for construction on new Mississippi River Bridge - KMOV St. Louis

Mississippi Flooding: River Cresting, Louisiana Prepares for Rising Waters - ABC News