NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS IN THE USA

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NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS IN THE USA
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster
Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA
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FLOODS
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ELEMENTS OF RISK
RISK
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FLOOD HAZARDS (AKA POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)

• Too much water inserted quickly in the regional
  drainage system to be accommodated normally
  within the water cycle
• Erosion
• Scour
• Mudflows

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CAUSES OF RISK
LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN
INUNDATION
INTERACTION WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
STRUCTURAL/CONTENTS DAMAGE FROM WATER
FLOODS
WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH PROBLEMS)
CASE HISTORIES
EROSION AND MUDFLOWS
CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER
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UNACCEPTABLE RISK
RISK
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USAS COMMUNITIES
DATA BASES AND INFORMATION
HAZARDS GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE
SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN
UP AFTERSHOCKS
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SOME OF THE USAS NOTABLE FLOODS

• LOW MORTALITY, BUT VERY HIGH ECONOMIC LOSSES

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THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THE USAS 1 FLOOD
LABORATORY
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THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH A MAJOR FLOOD
LABORATORY
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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1889 JOHNSTON, PENNSYLVANIA FLOOD

• DEATHS 2,200

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1927 GREAT MISSISSIPPIERIVER FLOOD

• DEATHS 246

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1928 ST FRANCIS DAM FAILURE IN CALIFORNIA

• DEATHS 400

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1937 OHIO RIVER FLOOD (PENN., OHIO, KY, WV,
  INDIANA, ILLINOIS)

• DEATHS 385

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1993 GREAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN FLOOD

• DEATHS 50

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2005 LEVEE FAILURES IN NEW ORLEANS AFTER
  HURRICANE KATRINA

• DEATHS 70

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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2009 RED RIVER FLOOD

• DEATHS 4

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RED RIVER FLOODS FARGO, ND (TOP) AND MOORHEAD,
MN 2009
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MAKING 1 MILLION SAND BAGS NORTH DAKOTA
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DRONES MONITORED LEVEES IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA
AREA, MARCH 2009
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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2010 TENNESSEE FLOOD

• DEATHS 31

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CUMBERLAND RIVER FLOODING NASHVILLE
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USAS NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2010 ARKANSAS FLOOD

• DEATHS 20

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR BECOMING FLOOD DISASTER
RESILIENT
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

• REAL TIME WEATHER FORCASTING AND WARNING SYSTEMS
• MEASURMENT TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., STREAM GAGUES)
• RISK MODELING (E.G., HAZUS, INSURANCE
  UNDERWRITING)

• DATABASES
• MAPS 100-YEAR AND 500-YEAR FLOODS
• FLOOD DISASTER SCENARIOS
• DRONE PLANES
• HAZMAT MANAGEMENT

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FLOOD RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES
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RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR FLOODS

• PURPOSE
• PREVENTION
• PROTECTION
• LAND USE CONTROL

• TECHNIQUE
• WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
• FLOOD CONTROL (LEVEES, LOCKS, AND DAMS)
• ZONING MAPS (BUILD NO BUILD)

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LEVEE SYSTEM NEW ORLEANS
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MORGANZA SPILLWAY WITH 125 FLOODGATES
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SAND BAGS LEVEE AUGMENTATION IN THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER BASIN

• 2.5 MILLION SAND BAGS AUGMENTED SANDBAGS AND
  REDUCED LOSSES IN THE 1993 MISSISSIPPI RIVER
  FLOOD

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HOOVER DAM NEVADA

• FLOOD CONTROL (AND SOURCE OF HYDROELECTRIC
  POWER) IN THE WESTERN USA