NO TIME TO WASTE

STATES IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER’S PATH TO ITS DELTA

REGION HAVE ABOUT 2 WEEKS TO AVERT FLOOD AND HEALTH CARE

DISASTERS

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

THE CRITICAL TIME

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 THROUGH

MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011

MEMPHIS:THE RIVER CRESTED AT NEARLY 48 FT ON MAY 9, 2011

CITIES AND DATES WHERE THE RIVER WILL CREST AND LIKELY FLOOD

• HELENA—MAY 12• GREENSVILLE—MAY 16• VICKSBURG—MAY 19• NATCHEZ—BATON ROUGE—

MAY 22• NEW ORLEANS—MAY 23

FLOOD HAZARDS (AKA

POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)

• SO MUCH WATER DISCHARGED WITHIN A RIVER’S DRAINAGE BASIN THAT IT CAN NOT BE ACCOMMODATED SAFELY WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN

• EROSION AND SCOUR

• LANDSLIDES (E.G., MUDFLOWS)

• DEBRIS

LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN

FLOODSFLOODS

INUNDATION

INTERACTION WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

STRUCTURE & CONTENTS DAMAGED BY WATER

WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS)

EROSION AND MUDFLOWS

CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

CAUSES OF RISK

CAUSES OF RISK

CASE HISTORIESCASE HISTORIES

DAMAGE DAMAGE DAMAGE DAMAGE

UNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISK

INJURIES INJURIES DEATHSDEATHS

INJURIES INJURIES DEATHSDEATHS

LOSS OF LOSS OF FUNCTIONFUNCTIONLOSS OF LOSS OF FUNCTIONFUNCTION

HEALTH NEEDSHEALTH NEEDS

ECONOMIC LOSSECONOMIC LOSS

HEALTH NEEDSHEALTH NEEDS

ECONOMIC LOSSECONOMIC LOSS

RISKRISKRISKRISK

•1) dozens of flooded towns and cities,• 2) inundated homes and businesses,• 3) lost crops and productivity of farm land,• 4) loss of function of roads,

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE MOUNTING LOSSES

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE MOUNTING LOSSES

• 5) loss of function (e.g., barges, bridges and utility systems)

• 6) losses associated with thousands of evacuees

• 7) regional business interruption

• 8) loss of tourism

•

• 9) long-term clean-up (removal of debris, sewage, garbage, 10-million sandbags)•10) drying out of houses and businesses and their contents,•11) rebuilding of houses and levees.

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE MOUNTING LOSSES

• 12) disposal of damaged home systems (e.g., refrigerators),• 13) restoration of water quality in wells and municipal water systems•14) resumption of schools and universities.

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE LOSSES

• 15) restoration of millions of acres of prime farm land.

• 16) rebuilding of cities such as Memphis (costs could reach in the billions).

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE MOUNTING LOSSES

FLOODING IS NOT THE ONLY THREAT

SO ARE THE GROWING POTENTIAL HEALTH CARE

NEEDS

DEBRIS-LADEN WATER; MAY 9TH

THE WATER IS A POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK

• The Mississippi River flood water is contaminated by the pesticides, industrial pollutants, and debris acquired along the long trip to the delta, and is now full of snakes and other animals.

TAKING A PAGE FROM LONG EXPERIENCE IN THE NETHERLANDS, …

NEW STRATEGIC ACTIONS ARE BEING INTEGRATED WITH

CONVENTIONAL STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE RISK

OBJECTIVE: Give the river more space so that it can flood

safely.

EXAMPLE 1

• Make the floodplain wider by moving levees INLAND.

EXAMPLE 2

• Lower the floodplain by EXCAVATION so that it will hold more water safely.

EXAMPLE 3

• Add a NEW channel (i.e., a high-water channel) to reroute overflow water away from the river to temporary storage areas (e.g., manmade lakes).

CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AND

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AND

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

CONVENTIONAL 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)

• REAL TIME WEATHER FORCASTING AND WARNING SYSTEMS

• MEASURMENT TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., STREAM GAGUES)

• RISK MODELING (E.G., HAZUS, INSURANCE UNDERWRITING)

• HISTORICAL DATABASES

• MAPS: 100-YEAR AND 500-YEAR FLOODS

• FLOOD DISASTER SCENARIOS

• DRONE PLANES• HAZMAT

MANAGEMENT

• HISTORICAL DATABASES

• MAPS: 100-YEAR AND 500-YEAR FLOODS

• FLOOD DISASTER SCENARIOS

• DRONE PLANES• HAZMAT

MANAGEMENT

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

• PURPOSE

• PREVENTION

• PROTECTION

• LAND USE CONTROL

• PURPOSE

• PREVENTION

• PROTECTION

• LAND USE CONTROL

• STRATEGY

• WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

• FLOOD CONTROL (DIKES, LEVEES, AND DAMS)

• HAZARD MAPS (RISK ZONES)

• STRATEGY

• WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

• FLOOD CONTROL (DIKES, LEVEES, AND DAMS)

• HAZARD MAPS (RISK ZONES)

THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA: FLOOD PREVENTION

THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA: FLOOD PREVENTION

• THE GREATEST ENGINEERING FEAT IN CHINA SINCE THE GREAT WALL

• THE GREATEST ENGINEERING FEAT IN CHINA SINCE THE GREAT WALL

THREE GORGES DAM: 2309 M LONG, 190 M HIGH, 15 M THICK

FLOOD PREVENTION ON THAMES RIVER: LONDON, ENGLAND

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

• PURPOSE

• SITE MODIFICATION

• ALERT/WARNING

• MONITORING

• RISK ZONES

• IMPROVED PREPAREDNESS

• PURPOSE

• SITE MODIFICATION

• ALERT/WARNING

• MONITORING

• RISK ZONES

• IMPROVED PREPAREDNESS

• STRATEGY

• EMBANKMENTS; SANDBAGS

• EVACUATION

• STREAM GAGUES; DRONE PLANES

• 100-500 YEAR FLOOD MAPS

• SCENARIOS

• STRATEGY

• EMBANKMENTS; SANDBAGS

• EVACUATION

• STREAM GAGUES; DRONE PLANES

• 100-500 YEAR FLOOD MAPS

• SCENARIOS

SAND BAGS: SITE MODIFICATION IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN

SAND BAGS: SITE MODIFICATION IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN

• 2.5 MILLION SAND BAGS REDUCED LOSSES IN THE 1992 FLOOD DISASTER.

• 2.5 MILLION SAND BAGS REDUCED LOSSES IN THE 1992 FLOOD DISASTER.

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

• PURPOSE

• RISK ZONES

• IMPROVE PREPAREDNESS

• ENVVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (E.G., HAZ MAT)

• PURPOSE

• RISK ZONES

• IMPROVE PREPAREDNESS

• ENVVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (E.G., HAZ MAT)

• STRATEGY

• 100 to 500 YEAR FLOOD MAPS

• DISASTER SCENARIOS

• OIL SPILL CONTAINMENT AND RECOVERY

• STRATEGY

• 100 to 500 YEAR FLOOD MAPS

• DISASTER SCENARIOS

• OIL SPILL CONTAINMENT AND RECOVERY