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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Louisville, KY, United States, 06/14/2008 - Significant flooding occurred throughout Indiana leaving 30 counties declared as disaster areas. Communities continue to be threatened with flood waters. The Wabash and White Rivers are expected to crest at their juncture south of Vincennes on Friday.
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The Louisville District Army Corps of Engineers has 35 to 40 emergency operations staff fully engaged in the flood fighting process throughout 36 counties in Indiana and Illinois.
Significant flooding occurred throughout Indiana leaving 30 counties declared as disaster areas. Communities continue to be threatened with flood waters. The Wabash and White Rivers are expected to crest at their juncture south of Vincennes on Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service has forecasted one to two inches of rain on Friday, but lesser chances of more rain on Saturday and Sunday. As a result, the states of Indiana and Illinois, requested Corps of Engineers assistance under public law 84-99 to supplement their ongoing emergency response efforts.
Personnel are in the process of flood fighting, dam and levee inspections and coordination with state emergency management officials. Currently 14 pumps have been provided by the Corps and are spread throughout the affected areas to provide relief. The emergency operations center in Louisville is now operating seven days a week.
“The Corps is coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), local emergency management officials, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Emergency Operations Center,” said Steve Rager, Louisville District Emergency Manager. “This partnership means we will work together as a team to find and execute the best solution to protect the public.”
“Additionally, at the request of FEMA, the Corps of Engineers is providing technical expertise in the inspection and evaluation of more than 100 privately or state owned dams in Indiana,” continued Rager.
The Corps of Engineers maintains seven dams in Indiana. Three in the Middle Wabash Area are under increased monitoring. Corps dams are being closely monitored and continue to operate as designed. The Middle Wabash reservoirs continue to provide flood protection to the region. Had the lakes not been in place, the basin area would have experienced increased flooding along the reaches of the Middle Wabash and White Rivers area. Monroe and Patoka reservoirs saved more than $1.5 million in flood damage reduction benefits during the April flooding events.
The incoming precipitation could put Corps lake Cecil M. Harden near capacity. Cecil M. Harden Lake Reservoir, Rockville, Ind. is currently at 687.02 feet mean sea level (m.s.l) Flood pool is 690 feet. As of 6 a.m. today, the reservoir has 0.98 inch of flood control storage available and is 86 percent full. The lake level has fallen 0.39 foot in the last 24 hours, Corps officials report.
Monroe Lake, Bloomington, Ind., is currently at 552.7 feet m.s.l. or 77.8 percent capacity. Flood pool is 556 feet. Cagles Mill Lake, Poland, Ind., is currently at 688.61 feet m.s.l. or 65.9 percent full. Flood pool is 704 feet.
The Corps supports rehabilitation assistance to Corps projects damaged by storms if the maintenance is performed to the Corps’ program standard. Under public law 84-99, one of the Corps’ missions is to provide assistance, within its authorities, when natural disasters or other emergencies occur. Emergency preparedness and response is primarily a state and local responsibility. However, in instances when the nature of the disaster exceeds the capabilities of state and local interests, the Corps may provide help to save human life, prevent immediate human suffering or mitigate property damage.
Corps officials got an aerial perspective of the Midwest flooding on Wednesday to better assess the situation and gain information to plan their continued emergency response.
“The amount of flooding is really hard to fathom,” Corps of Engineers Public Affairs Chief Ron Elliott said, “It was difficult in many areas to make out the river because the water has literally flooded thousands of acres of farmland and turned them into lakes.”
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Carol.j.labashosky[.]usace.army.mil 
