2010 flood in the red river valley
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2010 Flood in the Red River Valley. Steve Robinson USGS Hydrologist North Dakota WSC. 2010 Flood - Details to Remember. Flooding on the Red River in the spring of 2010 while not as severe as the previous year was still significant - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
2010 Flood in the Red River Valley
Steve RobinsonUSGS HydrologistNorth Dakota WSC
1. Flooding on the Red River in the spring of 2010 while not as severe as the previous year was still significant
2. The early occurrence of the snow melt and associated runoff – 2010 one of the largest magnitude flood to occur this early on the Red River
3. An unusual warming trend resulted in a melt pattern from east to west
The east to west melt pattern resulted in Minnesota tributaries melting first North Dakota tributaries stayed frozen with snow cover intact This melt pattern was favorable and most likely lessened the impact
of the Spring flood
2010 Flood - Details to Remember
2010 Flood in North DakotaTopics
• Flood preparations by the ND WSC staff• Field Issues• Weather conditions leading to the flood• 2010 Flood magnitude and characterization• Devils Lake
Preparations for Flooding• By Feb 2010 a larger than normal flood was
expected• WSC Preparations for Flood Event
– Extension of stage-discharge ratings• Based on need of NWS NCRFC
– Review of gage elevations versus AHPS probabilities– Placement of back up stage sensors at key gages– Locating and recruiting additional field staff
(AR,CO,KS,NE,MA,MT,IN -12 staff total)
– Installation of Rapid Deployment and project gages
2010 Flood Field issuesRapid Deployment Gaging Stations
Additional Monitoring for Fargo Area 2 - Rapid Deployment Gages (COE) 4 - Project gages (COE) 5 - Project gages (WRD) 6 - Project gages (Fargo)Additional Monitoring for Sheyenne R 2 - Rapid Deployment Gages (COE)Additional Monitoring for North Dakota 8 - Rapid Deployment Gages (COE)
2010 Flood Information
Flood Field issuesRiver Ice Conditions
• Destroys or damages sensing equipment in the River
• Creates conditions that are unmeasurable• Damages or destroys measuring equipment
Flood Field issuesGage Access
• Road washouts• Flooded Roads• Submerged Equipment
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 FloodSummary
• Above normal Autumn precipitation• Saturated soils• Above normal river flows• Above normal snow pack• Major early spring rain (Mar 9-12)
• An unusual melt pattern and earlier than normal spring thaw in the southern Red River Valley
From National Weather Service
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 FloodFall Precipitation Departure From Normal
2-3 X Normal
Steve BuanDan LunaNWS - NCRFCChanhassen, MN
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 FloodSoil Moisture Saturation Ranking
Wettest Soil Moisture State in 100 Years
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 Flood Above Normal Fall and Winter Flows in the Red River
2-4 X Normal
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 Flood Winter Precipitation Departure
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Snow Pack Evolution Early March
Weather Factors Contributing to the 2010 FloodEarly Spring Rain – March 9-12
• Fargo Weather– Rain - 1.27 inches– Temp range from 34 – 40 F
• Grand Forks Weather– Rain - 1.22 inches– Temp range from 33 – 37 F
2009 Flood Information
0 40 80 120 MILES
Base from U.S. Geological Survey1:2,000,000, 1972
103°
101° 99° 97°
95°
93°
91°
49°
47°
45°
43°
43°
45°
47°
49°
51°
91°
93°95°
97°
99°101°103°
51°
Lakeof theWoods
UpperRed
LakeDevils
Lake
MilleLacsLake
Sakakawea
LakeOahe
LowerRed
Lake
Lake
River
Souris
Red
River
ofthe
North
Minnesota River
River
Mississippi
Missouri
River
River
Missouri
James
River
RiverAssiniboine
Big
SiouxR
iver
MANITOBACANADA
UNITED STATES
ON
TA
RIO
Manitoba
Winnipeg
Lake
Lake
Winnipegosis
Lake
Minot
BISMARCK Jamestown
MoorheadFargo
Wahpeton
GrandForks
Valley City
Emerson
WINNIPEG
Halstad
EXPLANATION
Red River of the North Basin(excluding Assiniboine Basin)
Devils Lake Basin
Figure 1. Locations of the Devils Lake Basin and the Red River of the North Basin.
NORTH DAKOTA
SOUTH DAKOTAMINNESOTA
SASK
AT
CH
EW
AN
2010 Flood Magnitude and CharacterizationFlood Peaks at Selected Red River Locations
Peak Stages for Selected Years on the Wild Rice River near Abercrombie, ND
2010 Peak ranks 6th in 78 Years of Record
27.7827.50
26.59
25.20 25.0624.64 24.58
14,100 cfs
2009 1897 1997 2001 2006 2010 1969
2010 Exceedance Probability (.10 -.04)
Mar 198,700 cfs
Spring Flood Comparison for Wild Rice River near Abercrombie, ND
Total Flows in Acre-ft (Mar 1 to May 31)
2009 2010 1997 2006 2001
466,090
406,560
374,157
253,870
211,124
2009 1997 1969 1897 2010 2001 2006
Peak Discharges for Selected Years on the Red River at Fargo, ND
29,50028,000
25,300 25,000
21,300 20,300 19,900
2010 ranks 5th in 109 years
109 years of recordpeaks – 1897, 1902 to currentDaily record – 1902 to current
2010 Exceedance Probability (.02)
Spring Flood Comparison for Red River at Fargo, ND
Total Flows in Acre-ft (Mar 1 to May 31)
2010 – 3/21/102009 – 7 days2006 – 15 days2001 – 24 days1997 – 27 days
2009 1997 2010 2001 2006 1969
1,562,8801,458,340
1,170,900
959,940872,780 842,400
1997 1897 1979 2009 1882 2006 2010 2001
Peak Discharges for Selected Years on theRed River at Grand Forks, ND
137,000
85,000 82,000 76,700 75,000 72,80061,400 57,800
(2010 ranks 7th in 128 years)2010 Exceedance Probability (.10 - .02)
128 years of recordpeaks -1882 to currentDaily record – 1904 to current
Spring Flood Comparison for Red River at Grand Forks, ND
2010 – 3/20/102009 – 12 days2006 – 17 days2001 – 25 days1997 – 29 days 1 Day before Fargo
2009 1997 2010 2001 2006 1979
5,390,000
5,016,300
3,973,400
3,338,7003,170,400
3,059,170
Total Flows in Acre-ft (Mar 1 to May 31)
29
-16
11
8
25
24
4
12
14
17
15
21
12
March 20, 2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
Spring Flood Comparison for Red River at Grand Forks, ND
Data Courtesy Manitoba Water Stewardship and Geological Survey of Canada Publication by Bill Rannie
1997
2009
Century-Scale Trends in Peak Streamflow in the United StatesBased on ongoing work of Bob Hirsch, Karen Ryberg, and Gregg Wiche
1776-2009
Location of Devils Lake in North Dakota
0 40 80 120 MILES
Base from U.S. Geological Survey1:2,000,000, 1972
103°
101° 99° 97°
95°
93°
91°
49°
47°
45°
43°
43°
45°
47°
49°
51°
91°
93°95°
97°
99°101°103°
51°
Lakeof theWoods
UpperRed
LakeDevils
Lake
MilleLacsLake
Sakakawea
LowerRed
Lake
River
theR
iver
MANITOBACANADA
UNITED STATES
ON
TA
RIO
Winnipeg
Lake
Winnipegosis
Minot
BISMARCK Jamestown
MoorheadFargo
Wahpeton
GrandForks
Valley City
Emerson
WINNIPEG
Halstad
EXPLANATION
Red River of the North Basin(excluding Assiniboine Basin)
Devils Lake Basin
Figure 1. Locations of the Devils Lake Basin and the Red River of the North Basin.
NORTH DAKOTA
SOUTH DAKOTAMINNESOTA
SASK
AT
CH
EW
AN
Area and Volume Comparison for Devils Lake, NDAt elevation 1,452 ft (Aug 2010)Surface area ~ 165,450 acres2
Volume ~ 3,145,500 acre-ft
At elevation 1,423.2 ft (Aug 1991)Surface area ~ 54,760 acres2
Volume ~ 813,100 acre-ft
Devils Lake Period of Record
Low of 1400.9 ft in October 1940
High of 1452.0 ft in June 2010