Post on 14-Apr-2017
Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway:The Story Behind the Decision
Charles CamilloHistorian/Executive Director
Mississippi River Commission
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MRL Confluence
Area
2
Set-Back Levee
UpperFuseplug
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Operating Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway
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30-Day Rainfall Totals (April 5-May 5, 2011)
4
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Plan of Operations-Based on Cairo Gage
Prepare Inflow & Load pipes (59’)
Inflow crevasse ready by 60’
Depart Memphis Harbor by 56’
Load barges at Memphis Harbor
Personnel and equipmenton “alert”
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
62
63
66
65
Setback Levee (65.5')
Cairo Floodwall and Commerce Birds Point Levee (65.3’)
Must Operate by 61’
April 21 49.0 -- 52.0
April 22 49.8 +0.8 52.0
April 23 51.0 +1.2 52.0
April 24 52.5 +1.5 58.5
April 25 54.5 +2.0 60.0
April 26 56.5 +2.0 61.0
April 27 57.9 +1.4 60.5
April 28 58.7 +0.8 60.5
April 29 59.0 +0.3 60.5
April 30 59.1 +0.1 60.5
Date Cairo Change Forecast Gage Crest
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Reservoir Status
6
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Plan of Operations-Based on Cairo Gage
Prepare Inflow & Load pipes (59’)
Inflow crevasse ready by 60’
Depart Memphis Harbor by 56’
Load barges at Memphis Harbor
Personnel and equipmenton “alert”
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
62
63
66
65Cairo Floodwall and Commerce Birds Point Levee (65.3’)
Must Operate by 61’
April 21 49.0 -- 52.0
April 22 49.8 +0.8 52.0
April 23 51.0 +1.2 52.0
April 24 52.5 +1.5 58.5
April 25 54.5 +2.0 60.0
April 26 56.5 +2.0 61.0
April 27 57.9 +1.4 60.5
April 28 58.7 +0.8 60.5
April 29 59.0 +0.3 60.5
April 30 59.1 +0.1 60.5
Date Cairo Change Forecast Gage Crest
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Plan of Operations-Based on Cairo Gage
H-21 Prepare Inflow & Load pipes (59’)
H-3 Inflow crevasse ready by 60’
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
62
63
66
65Cairo Floodwall and Commerce Birds Point Levee (65.3’)
H-0 Must Operate by 61’
May 1 0600 59.7 60.5
1030 Reichling asks to move to H-3
1500 59.9 61.8
1530 Walsh approves H-3
1400 60.0 61.8
1730 Ops halted
May 2
0400 60.7 63.5
1500 61.3 63.0
2200 61.7 63.0
Date Cairo Gage Forecast Crest
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322.5
324.5
326.5
328.5
330.5
332.5
334.5
52.0
54.0
56.0
58.0
60.0
62.0
64.0
4/15/11 4/20/11 4/25/11 4/30/11 5/5/11 5/10/11 5/15/11 5/20/11 5/25/11
ELEV
ATI
ON
(FT)
CA
IRO
GA
GE
(FT)
2011 Floodfight - Cairo AreaGage Zero = 270.5 ft.
Actual Ohio River Level Projected Before Floodway Activated
2011 ‐ 61.7 ft.
1937 ‐ 59.5 ft.
1997 ‐ 56.2 ft.
1973 ‐ 55.7 ft.
Project Design Flood
9
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1927 Flood (pre MR&T)vs
2011 Flood (with MR&T) 1927: 26,000 square miles flooded.
2011: 9,900 square miles flooded, per system design.
Over 16,000 square miles not flooded in 2011 because of system.
New stages and flood records set in 2011 over much of lower Mississippi River basin.
Operated 3 of 4 system floodways and 0 of 4 backwater areas in 2011.
Mississippi River & tributaries system passed 80-85% of the project design flood in 2011, while system is 89% complete.
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Federal levees; floodways and backwater areas; revetment;
dredging; river training dikes; reservoirs
MR&T Project
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Project Design Flood
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Plan of Operations-Based on Cairo Gage
Arrive at Floodway; Load embedded pipes (forecast 60.5’ and rising)
Inflow crevasse ready for operation by 60
Depart Memphis Harbor (projected rise)
Load barges at Memphis Harbor
Personnel and equipment on “alert”
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
62
63
66
65
Comparative Heights of Flood Control Works
PDF with Floodway (62.5')Frontline Levee (62.5')
Setback Levee (65.5')Cairo Floodwall and Commerce Birds Point Levee (65.3’)
Fuseplugs on Frontline Levee (60.5’) Passive Activation
Must Operate by 61’
Trigger Points and Operation Times