OMAHA, Neb. - The States of South Dakota and Iowa have requested assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, to provide technical assistance near Sioux City, Iowa and North Sioux City, S.D. following recent heavy rainfall.
A liaison from the Omaha District will be working within the State of South Dakota’s Emergency Operations Center.
Emergency managers from the Omaha District are providing technical assistance to Sioux City as they construct a closure structure for the Big Sioux levee and ensure culverts have been plugged to lower the risk of backwater flooding.
Working with the U.S. Geological Survey, District water control personnel installed a Rapid Deployable Stream Gauge in Sioux City, Iowa, to report real time stream data to the National Weather Service to supplement stage forecast data.
A 16-inch pump has been provided to the City of Akron, Iowa and 10,000 sandbags have been provided to the City of Hawarden, Iowa.
District personnel are also providing technical assistance to help determine areas where critical infrastructure may be affected by high water in Sioux City as well as Akron and Rock Valley, Iowa. In Akron, the Big Sioux River jumped to a record flood stage of 25.59 feet on June 18 following heavy rains, which fell over the weekend.
The Northwestern Division has reduced releases from Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams to alleviate downstream flooding. However, additional rain is in the forecast and the tributaries currently experiencing high water levels join with the Missouri River downstream from the dams.
With forecasts from the National Weather Service showing the Missouri River reaching flood stage through the southern edge of the Omaha District near Rulo, Neb., teams are assessing potential downstream effects and communicating with levee sponsors. In accordance with District high water protocols, teams will begin conducting surveillance on Federally constructed levees Saturday.
When forecasts indicate impending or current flooding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is authorized to provide emergency operations support within the guidelines of Public Law 84-99.
River stage forecasts can be found at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc/
For more information about disaster preparedness in Nebraska, visit
http://floods.dnr.ne.gov/flooding.html