Ice JamIce JamData CollectionData Collection

Ice Engineering Research DivisionIce Engineering Research DivisionUS Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering LaboratoryUS Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

COMET’s Hydromet 00-2Presented by Kate WhiteThursday, 9 March 2000

Data CollectionData Collection

• Background data collectionBackground data collection

–historical or archived recordshistorical or archived records

• Field data collectionField data collection

Background Data CollectionBackground Data CollectionBackground Data CollectionBackground Data Collection

• Ice recordsIce records• Ice recordsIce records

• Historical ice and stage dataHistorical ice and stage data• Historical ice and stage dataHistorical ice and stage data

• River geometryRiver geometry• River geometryRiver geometry

• River hydraulicsRiver hydraulics• River hydraulicsRiver hydraulics

• HydrologyHydrology• HydrologyHydrology

• MeteorologyMeteorology• MeteorologyMeteorology

• Flooded areasFlooded areas• Flooded areasFlooded areas

• Past flood-fighting measuresPast flood-fighting measures• Past flood-fighting measuresPast flood-fighting measures

• Potential flow controlPotential flow control• Potential flow controlPotential flow control

Sources of background informationSources of background information• CRREL and Corps reportsCRREL and Corps reports

• CRREL Ice Jam DatabaseCRREL Ice Jam Database

• NWS forecastsNWS forecasts

• USGS gage dataUSGS gage data

• Historical ice jam and open water flood data (stages, flooded areas)Historical ice jam and open water flood data (stages, flooded areas)

• Topographic/GIS mappingTopographic/GIS mapping

• Local Civil Defense/Emergency Management Agency reportsLocal Civil Defense/Emergency Management Agency reports

• Other technical reportsOther technical reports

• Newspaper/TV accountsNewspaper/TV accounts

• Photographic/videotape recordsPhotographic/videotape records

• Anecdotal recordsAnecdotal records

CRREL and CRREL and Corps ReportsCorps Reports

CRREL Ice Jam Database/ArchiveCRREL Ice Jam Database/Archive

• Database available on webDatabase available on web

http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/products/products.htmlhttp://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/products/products.html

• Archive contains paper copies/photos/videoArchive contains paper copies/photos/video

461 RWUS32 KCTP 171602FFSCTPPAZ017-024-172200-

FLOOD STATEMENTNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA1100 AM EST THU FEB 17 2000

ICE JAM CONTINUES ON CLEARFIELD CREEK NEAR DIMELING. SCRIBNERS ROAD IS STILL CLOSED.

AT 1030 AM THIS MORNING...CLEARFIELD COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS REPORT SOME MINOR CHANGES TAKING PLACE. WATER ALONG THE CLEARFIELD CREEK IS STILL FLOWING ONTO SCRIBNERS ROAD. THE WATER IS ALSO PUSHING ICE ONTO THE ROAD. THE CHANGE IS IN THE CHARACTER OF ICE THAT IS JAMMING. THE ICE THAT IS JAMMING IS NOW LARGER SHEETS OF ICE THAT ARE STACKING VERTICALLY. THE HIGHER STACKS OF ICE IN THE JAM MAY BACK WATER TO EVEN HIGHER LEVELS DURING THE NEXT THAW. SO FAR THE WATER LEVEL BEHIND THE JAM REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM YESTERDAY. AND NO HOMES ARE BEING AFFECTED. THE ROAD IS COVERED WITH ICE AND WATER FOR A DISTANCE OF ONE TO TWO MILES...DOWNSTREAM OF THE DIMELING BRIDGE.

ANOTHER ICE JAM IS OCCURRING UPSTREAM ON CLEARFIELD CREEK...BETWEEN IRVONA AND COALPORT IN BECCARIA TOWNSHIP. THERE ARE AT LEAST 7 HOMES THREATENED BY THIS JAM BUT NO FLOODING IS OCCURRING AT THIS TIME.

FURTHER UPSTREAM...IN CAMBRIA COUNTY...YET ANOTHER ICE JAM ON CLEARFIELD CREEK IN WHITE TOWNSHIP...HAS BACKED ICE UP FOR 3 QUARTERS OF A MILE. THE ICE FROM THIS JAM IS BACKED UP AGAINST THE FOSTER ROAD BRIDGE...BUT NO FLOODING IS BEING REPORTED AT THIS TIME.

ADDITIONAL ICE JAMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ALONG CLEARFIELD CREEK...WHICH COULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL FLOODING. ICE JAMS CAUSE RAPID FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER LEVELS. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A RIVER OR STREAM...BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF ICE JAMS FORM OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED.MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

.END/ HEAD

LAT...LON 4033 7895 4031 7872 4113 7817 4117 7873

USGS Reports and Real-Time DataUSGS Reports and Real-Time Data

Historical stage and discharge recordsHistorical stage and discharge records

Aerial photographsAerial photographs

Topographic Topographic mappingmapping

JamToe

SAFETYSAFETYSAFETYSAFETY

Volunteer Volunteer observers should not attempt to make measurementsobservers should not attempt to make measurementsVolunteer Volunteer observers should not attempt to make measurementsobservers should not attempt to make measurementsor other observations from the surface of the iceor other observations from the surface of the iceor other observations from the surface of the iceor other observations from the surface of the ice

- The thickness and stability of ice covers and ice jams can vary widely- The thickness and stability of ice covers and ice jams can vary widelyin a very short distancein a very short distance- The thickness and stability of ice covers and ice jams can vary widely- The thickness and stability of ice covers and ice jams can vary widelyin a very short distancein a very short distance

Volunteer Volunteer observers should not collect data aloneobservers should not collect data alone..Volunteer Volunteer observers should not collect data aloneobservers should not collect data alone..

- Always let someone know where you are going and when - Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. you expect to return. - Always let someone know where you are going and when - Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. you expect to return.

Field Data CollectionField Data Collection• Type of ice jam Type of ice jam

– FreezeupFreezeup– BreakupBreakup

• Predominant ice typePredominant ice type• Scope of jamScope of jam

– LengthLength– ThicknessThickness– StagesStages

• Likelihood of progression or failureLikelihood of progression or failure– Upstream ice supplyUpstream ice supply– Downstream ice conditionsDownstream ice conditions

Location and extent of jam,Location and extent of jam,jam progressionjam progressionLocation and extent of jam,Location and extent of jam,jam progressionjam progression

Jam toe

Head of jam

Upstream ice supplyUpstream ice supplyUpstream ice supplyUpstream ice supply

• Volume of ice (length, thickness)Volume of ice (length, thickness)• Volume of ice (length, thickness)Volume of ice (length, thickness)

high frazil concentrations vs. low frazil concentrations

• Condition of ice (e.g., competent, weak, jam)Condition of ice (e.g., competent, weak, jam)• Condition of ice (e.g., competent, weak, jam)Condition of ice (e.g., competent, weak, jam)

Upstream ice supplyUpstream ice supplyUpstream ice supplyUpstream ice supply

Downstream ice conditionsDownstream ice conditionsDownstream ice conditionsDownstream ice conditions

• LengthLength• LengthLength

• ThicknessThickness• ThicknessThickness

• ConditionCondition• ConditionCondition

• Open water areasOpen water areas• Open water areasOpen water areas

• Likelihood of jamming downstreamLikelihood of jamming downstream• Likelihood of jamming downstreamLikelihood of jamming downstream

DischargeDischargeDischargeDischarge

• Event dischargeEvent discharge• Event dischargeEvent discharge

• Present and forecast dischargePresent and forecast discharge• Present and forecast dischargePresent and forecast discharge

• Potential for flow controlPotential for flow control• Potential for flow controlPotential for flow control

Air and Water TemperatureAir and Water TemperatureAir and Water TemperatureAir and Water Temperature

• AntecedentAntecedent• AntecedentAntecedent

• PresentPresent• PresentPresent

• ForecastForecast• ForecastForecast

Ice thicknessIce thicknessIce thicknessIce thickness

• Seasonal USGS measurements available?Seasonal USGS measurements available?• Seasonal USGS measurements available?Seasonal USGS measurements available?

• Direct measurementsDirect measurements• Direct measurementsDirect measurements

• Indirect measurement (e.g., ice blocks leftIndirect measurement (e.g., ice blocks lefton shore, tree scars, ice collars, highon shore, tree scars, ice collars, highwater marks)water marks)

• Estimate thermal ice growth from modifiedEstimate thermal ice growth from modifiedStefan equationStefan equation

• Indirect measurement (e.g., ice blocks leftIndirect measurement (e.g., ice blocks lefton shore, tree scars, ice collars, highon shore, tree scars, ice collars, highwater marks)water marks)

• Estimate thermal ice growth from modifiedEstimate thermal ice growth from modifiedStefan equationStefan equation

Victor Hom, NERFCVictor Hom, NERFChard at workhard at work

Kennebec River, MEKennebec River, ME

Ice thickness, competenceIce thickness, competence

Water / ice stageWater / ice stageWater / ice stageWater / ice stage

• Present stagePresent stage• Present stagePresent stage• Rate of change in stageRate of change in stage• Rate of change in stageRate of change in stage• Potential flooded areasPotential flooded areas• Potential flooded areasPotential flooded areas• Direct measurementsDirect measurements• Direct measurementsDirect measurements• Indirect Indirect (e.g., high-water marks, ice collars, tree scars)(e.g., high-water marks, ice collars, tree scars)• Indirect Indirect (e.g., high-water marks, ice collars, tree scars)(e.g., high-water marks, ice collars, tree scars)

High water marksHigh water marks

Ice collarsIce collars

Tree scars,old and new

Last But Not LeastLast But Not Least

Remember to send your Remember to send your ice event information to ice event information to CRREL for inclusion in the CRREL for inclusion in the Ice Jam Database and Ice Ice Jam Database and Ice Jam Archives!Jam Archives!

lourieh@crrel.usace.army.mil