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Alaska Pacific River Forecast Center Scott Lindsey, Service Coordination Click to edit Master subtitle style Hydrologist April 5, 2012
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Our mission is to provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy We provide Alaskan residents and visitors the information that they need to plan and prepare for potentially hazardous environmental conditions
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much higher than normal (130 180%) for Southcentral Alaska. Interior snowpack varied from 100 to 130% above normal. Ice thickness at the beginning of March 2012 varied from slightly below normal to slightly above normal. March was generally colder than normal and the long-term climate outlooks call for continued cooler than normal temperatures. This increases the likelihood that a sudden rise in temperatures to
Current Situation
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Current Situation
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Current Situation
Snow information Courtesy of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, their cooperators In the snow survey program and the Yukon Territory Water Resources Branch
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Current Situation
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with the State of Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM) Hydrologists from the River Forecast Center team with an emergency management specialist from DHS&EM and they follow the breakup front on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers and reach out to the communities The Hydrologist determines the potential for flooding, including the likely severity, and the team talks to community leaders to advise them of the threat and ensure that they are properly prepared NWS Forecast offices disseminate watches and warnings for the protection of life and property When severe flooding occurs, the State and
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Eagle, Stevens Village, Tanana in 2009 Crooked Creek in 2011 It pays to be prepared!!!
For more information go to aprfc.arh.noaa.gov To report breakup information see our Facebook page www.facebook.com/US.NationalWeatherService.Alaska.gov 4/5/12
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The Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (DHS&EM) the primary agency for emergency management in the state. Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center (APRFC) of the National Weather Service responsible for scientific study and information sharing. River Neighbors are riverine communities that collect data before, during, and after flooding occurs.
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Monitor rivers and obtain current information on the status of the breakup. Prepare communities in advance of flooding. Warn communities of the likelihood of approaching high water, significant ice, and imminent flooding. Advise community leaders on basic emergency management 4/5/12 immediately following
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Significant flooding on major river systems in Alaska is not uncommon. Since 1978:
Flooding caused by ice jams has garnered state- or federal-declarations over 50 times. Several state and/or federal declarations have included more than one locally-declared community:
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Ten or more communities were grouped together into federal declarations in 1989, 1991, 2002, and 2009. Five or more local declarations were included in state and/or federal declarations in 1992, 1994, and 2006.
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The State of Alaska has provided substantial public and individual assistance funds to communities impacted by ice jam flooding; an estimated 100 million dollars since 1978!
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Ice jam floods Fall sea storms and flooding Building fires Winter storms and flooding Summer storms and flooding Extreme cold/community utility freeze-ups Wildfires Generator/community power problems Facility damage All other, e.g., erosion, economic, Haz Mat, Windstorms, landslide/avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, communication problems, etc.
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Ice Jam flooding and Fall Sea storms account for a third of all declarations since 1978!
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State Disaster AK 01-196, declared May 31, 2001. Total cost for this disaster: $510,554.
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Flooding at Nulato and Koyukuk along the Yukon River. 35 Nulato residents evacuated by helicopter to Galena.
State Disaster AK 02-200, declared may 29, 2002. FEMA Disaster DR-1423-AK, declared June 26, 2002.
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Flooding at 11 communities along the Tanana, Kuskokwim, Nushagak, Susitna, and Yukon Rivers. Total costs for this disaster: $5,099,254. Total State costs
State Disaster AK 03-205, declared May 21, 2003. Total cost for this disaster: $426,048.
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Flooding at Salcha on the Tanana River the third flooding episode in two years. 40 residents evacuated and sheltered by the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
State Disaster AK 05-213, declared July 20, 2005. Total cost for this disaster: $1.293 million.
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Alakanuk, Emmonak, and McGrath were the hardest hit communities. Flooding also reported at Kwethluk and Tuluksak.
State Disaster AK 06-218, declared June 27, 2006. FEMA Disaster DR-1657-AK, declared August 4, 2006
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Hughes, Koyukuk, Kwethluk, Alakanuk, and Emmonak were the hardest hit communities. Flooding also reported at Bethel, Nulato, Tetlin, and Kongiganak. Total costs for this disaster: $2,916 million. Total State costs were $1.869
State Disaster AK 09-227, declared May 6, 2009. FEMA Disaster DR-1843-AK, declared June 11, 2009.
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Eagle and Eagle Village were only two of 40 communities flooded in May 2009! Total estimated costs for this disaster: $13 million. Total State costs were $3.25 million.
A local disaster declaration was sent to the NW Arctic Borough, but it was generally rescinded. Alternative funding via DEC was sought by the community.
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Buckland experienced about three days of high water and moderate flooding.
State Disaster AK 09 232, declared May 17, 2011. FEMA Disaster DR-1992-AK, declared June 10, 2011.
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Crooked Creek and Red Devil were the hardest hit communities. Several residents self-evacuated to Donlin Creek Mine. Total costs for this disaster: $3.69 million. Total State costs were
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Each year until 2010, DHS&EM mailed an updated Spring Flood Break up Guide to 76 at-risk riverine communities, boroughs, and tribal organizations, plus a few state agencies. This guide basically:
outlined general procedures to prepare for seasonal flooding contained helpful checklists included contact numbers for State, local, and village officials.
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DHS&EM now distributes a new response guide intended for small communities. The purpose of this guide is to meet four goals:
Assist local officials in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and emergencies. Help local officials begin 4/5/12 development of their local
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Information Sources
Field information from State Trooper, private and commercial pilot reports, and community observations. Remote involves weather products and projections, models, webcams, and satellite imagery compiled in Anchorage.
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Field Observations
The primary source of river stage and ice jam conditions is provided by village observers and local pilots. NWS contacts observers in several river villages for daily reports. Pilots send in regular pilot reports (PIREPS) that help NWS determine:
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NWS Flood Forecast Tools Used For Flooding Potential Due to Ice Blockage from these NWS reviews data
sources in preparing their breakup forecast:
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Freezing degree day relationships Ice thickness data and modeling Snow water equivalent data and modeling Stream flow data and modeling Aerial reconnaissance monitoring Synthetic aperture radar images
The NWS prepares seasonal temperature and precipitation outlook maps. The maps for April 2012 are shown at left.
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NWS monitors vast stretches of Alaska daily via satellite and radar imagery. Selected satellite flight paths can be viewed individually to display timely river ice information. Available on the web at: http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Synthetic aperature radar (SAR) can identify ice cover, ice runs, and open water after dark and
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MODIS satellite view of Middle Kuskokwim River, 11 May 2010
DHS&EM monitors many statewide weather, satellite and flood information sites. NWS issues regular projections based on village reports, river stage gauge data and climate modeling. NWS reports and predictions can be found at: http://aprfc.arh.noaa.gov The progress of breakup is displayed on the web graphically along with text reports from the River Watch
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http://www.borealisbroadband.net/vidmcgrath1.htm
Teams conduct daily flights of the river stretches most at risk of ice jam flooding. Photographs are taken to document the water levels and ice conditions. Based on this data, estimates of the flood potential and threat are made to at-risk communities downriver.
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Yukon River
Break-up begins in Dawson, Canada followed a week later in Eagle, and a week and a half later in Circle. Historically, breakup in Eagle happens the first week of May and continues for approximately 2 weeks. The lower portions of the river will begin to move within ten days of the start of break up on the Kuskokwim River.
Kuskokwim River
Break-up usually begins at Nikolai within a week to ten days after break-up of the Yukon River at Circle. The rest of the river breaks up about a week later.
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The Yukon River is 1,980 miles long (1,700 miles long in Alaska); therefore, the river is divided into three segments that are flown as the river breaks up;
Upper Yukon/Tanana - based out of Fairbanks, Eagle, or Circle Hot Springs Middle Yukon/Koyukuk based out of Galena Lower Yukon based out St. Marys
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The Kuskokwim River is 702 4/5/12 miles long and the longest
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As the River Watch teams fly the rivers, they annotate USGS maps showing river miles with the following:
Location of ice jams High water spots Movement of water through side channels Ice condition (e.g., intact, deteriorated, rotten, etc)
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Visit communities providing face-to-face contact Compare current river ice information with historical accounts Advise local officials on ways to lessen future damages should flooding continue When risk arises, provide warnings and information to the community via local marine-band radio or through public radio interviews.
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The River Watch team will remain in place to assist local leaders address life safety and other immediate concerns. The team will stay throughout the response and initial damage assessment phases of the emergency to provide coordination with the SEOC. The SEOC may deploy an incident management team (IMT) to assume liaison and incident management. 4/5/12 transfer of the incident Upon
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Galena May
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Koyuk 2008
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Evacuation planning is an integral part of River Watch and Fire Season Monitoring programs Two thirds of Alaskan communities are in unorganized areas and may need evacuation planning that involves assessing the threat, the area involved, and setting a workable timeframe Relatively recent evacuation efforts:
DHS&EM coordinated the 2006 spring flood evacuations of Koyukuk, Hughes, Emmonak, and Alakanuk
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FEMA Mission
FEMAs mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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Local Government
State Government
Federal Government
Federal resources may deploy in advance of immediate danger Advance teams (IMAT) or other elements deploy as directed Emergency Support Functions (ESF) activated as required
Public Assistance: Publicly-owned facilities and infrastructure Certain non-profit entities *75/25 federal/non-federal cost share Individual Assistance (IA): SBA Loan Program for individuals in disasters Individuals & Households Program (IHP) Other Needs Assistance (ONA) *IA assistance is limited: Adjusted FY2012 maximum award is $31,400 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. State is grantee for HMGP, solicits and prioritizes projects for funding.
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FEMA-4050-DR-AK
Severe Winter Storms and Flooding Incident Period 8-13 Nov 2011 Presidential Declaration on 22 Dec 2011 Public Assistance (PA) Only PA Categories A-G are eligible Impacted Areas North Slope Borough Bering Straits REAA Lower Yukon REAA Lower Kuskokwim REAA Southwest Region REAA
FEMA-4050-DR-AK
Damage Estimate $2.04M Federal Share $1.53M (75%) State Share $.51M (25%) Complete Joint Field Office (JFO) Operations on 13 April 2012 Some sites are currently inaccessible and/or damage cannot be assessed due to snow and freezing conditions AK DHS&EM and FEMA Region X will revisit these sites in Spring/Summer 2012
FEMA-4054-DR-AK
Severe Storm Incident Period 15-17 Nov 2011 Presidential Declaration on 2 Feb 2012 Public Assistance (PA) Only PA Categories A-G are eligible Impacted Area Kenai Peninsula Borough Damage Estimate $1.83M Federal Share $1.37M (75%) State Share $.46M (25%) Complete site visits and JFO Operations on 13 April 2012
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