In our hydrology class we have talked about a few methods fir predicting and modeling flood events. The Missouri River Flood of 2011 proved that it is not always a perfect system and that nature has its own set of rules. My family is from Fort Pierre, so I was able to see the affects of the flood firsthand. This flood was due to excessive snow pack in Montana and an unusually wet spring, so there was time to take precautions to reduce the effects of the flood. Both Pierre and Fort Pierre built a levee system to protect many of the structures within the cities. Storm drains were plugged by divers so the water would not back up into the streets. Pumps were brought in to pump rainwater out of the streets and back over the levees. Below are a few newspaper articles from the Capital Journal (Pierre, SD) that my Dad saved. Also there are some pictures showing the affects of the flood waters.
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| Photograph by South Dakota Highway Patrol |
This picture is just below the Oahe Dam on the west side of the Missouri River. The river typically flows several feet below the yards of these houses, the trees help mark where the yards once were. The water spread out to Highway 1806, which can be seen near the trees in the background.
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| Photograph by South Dakota Highway Patrol |
The causeway, indicated by the waves, typically is quite a few feet above the water level. The road connects Pierre (in background) and La Framboise Island (indicated by trees at right). Later in the summer the force of the water washed away part of the causeway.
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| Photograph by South Dakota Highway Patrol |
The stilling basin is located at the foot of the Oahe Dam and is used to release excess water. All tunnels were opened during the flood, a first in the Dam's history. When standing near this area you could feel the power of the water by vibrations in the ground. The waves reminded me of something you would see on the open ocean, not a river.
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| Photograph by the Capital Journal, Chris Mangan |
A vortex appeared above the dam due to the turbulence of the water flowing from the stilling basin. The pontoon boat on the right can be used as a scale to determine the size of the vortex.
Amazing photos and descriptions. It was an amazing flood. I can't believe how far the river overflowed its bank. It does go to show that with all our planning and limited data collected that nature can and does still sometimes win. I feel for those people who had to really start their lives over when the levees were breached.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. They really show the power of the flood. Glad that your Dad saved those newspaper clippings. It will be good to have those to remind those who went through it and educate those who didn't how bad it can flood.
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