NOAA: Imminent Flood Threat in Midwest, South and East Also at Risk

NOAA announced that flooding this year is imminent and in some places major flooding has already started as the spring thaw begins.

The above image of the released March 2010 flood map shows more than a third of the contiguous United States has an above average flood risk –– with the highest threat in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa, including along the Red River Valley where crests could approach the record levels set just last year.

This week, by no coincidence is also national Flood Safety Awareness Week and both FEMA and NOAA have renewed their partnership to raise Flood awareness safety.

Disaster Tip of the Week: Turn Around Don't Drown

This is something that confronts all drivers at one time or another, you come across a large pool of water in the road and it looks to be only a few inches deep. You drive through it and nothing happens. So you do it again next time and the time after that.

Then one day your not so lucky, you drive through the same pool of water, in fact it looks like there is less water than last time, and next thing you know your car drops into a hole and the water is up to the middle of the window, and now you can't get out.

Lets face it, driving through standing water is a bad idea, and driving through flowing water can be even more dangerous, and here is why.

As I mention above, (watch the videos below) the water may be much deeper than you realize especially if it has caused the roadway to collapse which is a common occurrence. Another reason is that it takes two feet of water to float the largest of vehicles, even a bus. However, just six inches of water can float smaller vehicles and can be enough to cause larger vehicles to become unstable.

Add flowing water to the mix and you can easily be swept away. Six inches of fast moving water can knock a person off their feet and even less if the water is moving fast enough.

Next time you come across that pool of water in the road - "Turn Around Don't Drown"

Rescue from Submerged Vehicles

 Woman Drives into Pool of Water

Rescue After Water Main Break

 Fire Truck In Hole After Road Collapses

Flooding of Green River In Washington May Cause Disaster

As we are nearing the rainy season on the Northwest Coast officials are warning that flooding of the Green River located in King County, Seattle, Washington could leave about 800,000 residents without sewage treatment for months. 

County officials fear the river may flood because the Howard Hanson Dam upstream has been weakened, which according to the report may be due to over-development in the area.

Flood Waters Continue To Rise In Fargo North Dakota

Workers continue to pile up sandbags in the hopes of holding flood waters at bay. Snow plows are busy clearing roads so flat bed trucks can carry more sandbags to where they are needed, and rescue crews have already rescued at least 78 people from the area South of Fargo.

Officials say the flood levels in Fargo are currently 39.2 feet, more than twice the 18-foot-level that is considered flood stage. The river may reach 41 feet on March 28 which will be a foot over the record flooding set back in 1897 and beat the flood of 1997 which crested at the same level.

The April 1997 flooding was the worst in 100 years and caused $5 billion in damage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It led Grand Forks, about 81 miles north of Fargo, to build a $450 million levee system, said city spokesman Kevin Dean.

Cass County’s Johnson said police are going from house to house urging residents to flee and reminding them that officials can’t perform rescues at night. More than 130,000 people live in the county, which includes Fargo.