The American Planning Association (APA) and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) are presenting the second Planning Information Exchange (PIE) webinar, “Climate Change and Adaptation” at 1 pm CT on July 30. PIE is a free eight-part quarterly webinar series focusing on tools, best practices, and strategies on the role of hazard mitigation planning and its connections with recovery planning and preparedness. Click here to Register

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Almost the entire city of Denver, Colorado was underwater in early June when the area was bombarded by a massive amount of rainfall. Officials announced that about three inches of rain fell in under one hour, and the ensuing runoff caused major damage to some roadways. Drivers were urged not to drive on the flooded roads to avoid being trapped in a stalled vehicle.

A powerful storm that moved through the Denver area Wednesday caused major street flooding and toppled trees in the Denver area Wednesday. Photo: KUSA

Flash flood alerts were called for much of the area, as firefighters and other rescue personnel struggled to reach stranded motorists. The region was expected to receive more rain through Friday and possibly into Saturday. There were also tornado warnings in effect for parts of the zone affected by the bad weather.

Probably the most bizarre result of the storm system occurred in just one block, in a Denver suburb. This tiny area, alone in all of the city, was buried under almost four feet of hail. Cars were blocked and some were damaged by the falling ice, which affected no other part of the city. Children were overcome with joy, and raced outside to play in the ice mounds, while adults glumly surveyed the damage to their homes and vehicles. More than 30 dump trucks were needed to haul away the piles of hailstones.

Even after the rain began to lighten up, emergency workers and city officials remained alarmed at the state of swollen and fast-moving waterways. The South Platte River was probably the main concern. This river was running at about ten feet, just one foot short of the official flood level. With more rain on the horizon, the worry is that the river will jump banks and other flood barriers to rampage through an already waterlogged city. By the middle of June, 22 counties remained in a state of ‘flood alert’ or ‘flash flood warning’.

For now, Denver seems to have been spared the major damage and loss of life that struck Texas and Oklahoma during Memorial Day weekend. However, with more rain in the forecast, this could change quickly, and residents are being urged to remain vigilant and to exercise great caution when navigating areas prone to flooding. Many Denver residents, who seem to be well accustomed to challenging weather, have been taking this storm in stride. At one outdoor festival, carnival rides and other attractions continued to operate throughout the storm. Meanwhile, rescue workers rest up while keeping an eye on the ominous forecasts.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Severe flash flooding in the states of Texas and Oklahoma has taken the lives of at least 17 people, and has swept away hundreds of homes. With as many as 12 people still not accounted for, the death toll may well rise, in what is being called some of the worst flooding in living memory. There are still many inhabited areas that have not been reached, as continued bad weather has grounded helicopters and impeded ground search crews.

San Marcos, TX — Members of the Texas State Guard continue to search the banks of the Blanco River to look for missing residents. Extensive flooding impacted the area, resulting in a Presidentially declared disaster. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

The affected area is crippled, and rescuers must contend with downed power lines, collapsed bridges, and debris that completely blocks major roadways. Authorities report that some residential streets have been swept free of homes, with only the foundation slabs remaining. Hundreds of residents have been evacuated, and with more rain in the forecast, it is unlikely that they will be able to return home soon.

The precipitation that caused this extreme flooding event has broken records for the area. In some parts of central Texas, as much as ten inches of rain has overwhelmed flood defenses, jumped riverbanks, and completely saturated the ground. The Blanco River, near San Antonio, Texas, rose at least 33 feet in the course of just three hours, reaching a level that was an incredible 27 feet above flood level, according to weather.com. The crest smashed the previous record that was set in the year 1929, and as gauges have stopped working, the true scale of this flood will never be recorded. Some observers likened the flooding on the Blanco River to a tsunami, with a gigantic wall of water that crushed everything in its path.

Meanwhile, more rain is forecast for this ironically drought-stricken zone. If as little as 2-3 inches of additional rain materializes, as meteorologists predict it will, there will be more flash flooding, with further loss of life and property damage.

At this time, over a thousand people are in emergency shelters, and these people are counting themselves lucky compared to those who lost their lives or those who are still stranded in flooded areas. Authorities are warning people to stay put, and are emphasizing the usual safety advice of the national weather service: “Turn around, don’t drown!” Many of the drowning victims during flash flooding events are people who attempt to drive through floodwaters in vehicles, which is a very dangerous choice, as even two feet of water can sweep away a vehicle.

At this moment, rescuers are still working around the clock to evacuate stranded people, locate the missing, and recover the remains of those who have perished. In these flooded parts, the Memorial Day weekend of 2015 is destined to go down in history as one of the most memorable of all time — for all the wrong reasons.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA