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.

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.

Washinton State Hit By Severe Weather 30,000 Evacuated

Washington State, hit by storms that caused massive flooding, mudslides, avalanches and the evacuation of 30,000 people from western Washington.

State officials closed a 20-mile stretch of I-5, other routes such as the state's three major east-west routes across the Cascade mountains due to avalanches.

The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for about two dozen rivers in western Washington, and Amtrak passenger train service out of Seattle was suspended because of mudslides.

Current information on state highways is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov, with county-by-county closure lists at www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/update.

Here are some Flood Safety Tips

Real Time Information: (was provided by @carolARC)

Seattle Situation Page

Resilient 2 Disaster: Western Washinton