The temperature outside right now is about 20 degrees, meaning all those homes under water are now being frozen and/or crushed by the contractions of freezing water.
We are experiencing record levels for all the rivers in the area. Newly elected Gov. Mitch Daniels has already called for federal disaster relief.
I spent my childhood in Evansville swimming in the Ohio River backwaters.
Is the whole state having flooding or just the south? My parents have a house right on a river in Rochester IN.
Doesn't water expand as it freezes?
anyone know how things look in bloomington?
As parts of levee fail, work begins on a new one
Posted: Friday, Jan 14, 2005 - 10:15:54 am EST
By SUZY HEICHELBECH Staff Writer
HAZLETON-Wednesday night proved to be by far the worst night so far for officials at the Hazleton levee, as parts of the levee collapsed four times allowing some of White River water that for days has tried to push past its barrier, to flow into the town.
Hazleton Fire Chief Mike Ellis said a 30 inch storm sewer pipe that goes through the levee failed. "We originally thought the end of the pipe on the river side had opened up letting water into the levee, but we realized that there was a leak in the pipe within the levee, causing the water to swell up inside," he said. "We began rolling sandbags around both sides of the levee to give it extra support. The first collapse occurred at 2:15 a.m., it was one foot across."
Chief Ellis describes that collapse as a slump, saying that a slump caves in, sucking the sandbags inside. "There was a National Guard member standing on the part that collapsed, when he began to feel it he jumped off," said Chief Ellis.
Troops did not stop their work, they quickly began redoubling their sandbagging efforts to build up the levee and make it stronger.
The second collapse was at 2:40 a.m. and the third happened about an hour later, Ellis said. The third cave-in being the worst. "It actually slumped below the river's height. Water began coming into the town. We quickly began pumping the water out of the streets back into the river," Chief Ellis said.
The fourth collapse happened in a different area. It was a small collapse near Brown Street. Mark Ellis, brother of the fire chief, said that collapse happened as troops examined that part of the levee. "We had a few volunteers located at the levee on Brown Street," he said. "It just so happens some members of the National Guard went over there to check on them. As soon as they made it over the top of the levee collapsed. They immediately began applying sandbags."
Chief Ellis said they knew they were in the midst of a heavy battle so they had a county-wide page for all available firefighters in the county to come help sandbag, hoping to create a sandbag dome that might give the levee extra height.
Hazleton firefighter Greg Longabaugh was brought to tears as he described what it was like being on the levee when it started to collapse.
"I don't know how to describe it in words. It just started sucking a big hole straight down, the sandbags just fell straight down," he said with obvious emotion. "It is amazing how those troops just started running around packing sandbags, they could not go fast enough. No one used the bathroom, no one ate.
"If there is any praise to be given for that levee still being there, it goes to God and the National Guard."
Chief Ellis agreed with Longabaugh's praise of levee workers.
"The National Guard, volunteers and firemen saved this town. If any of them would have stopped when that levee collapsed we would have lost the levee completely," he said.
While still optimistic about the integrity of the levee, the chief knows the situation could worsen at any time.
"It's not over yet, it could still cave in more. It's a wait and see game right now, but one thing is for sure this one about got us," said Chief Ellis.
Geology hydrologists from Louisville were brought in to help determine the best steps to take with the latest levee developments.
"They are making studies, coming up with scenarios to help fight off the problem," said Chief Ellis.
The solution they came up with was to build a new levee out of rock.
As if the collapse of parts of the levee was not enough to deal with, Chief Ellis said many other problems came up throughout Wednesday evening.
"We still had boils popping up, Haz-mat was called in to deal with sewage problems and all troops, volunteers and fireman have to now get tetanus shots if they work near the water or handle sand bags for fear of contaminated water," he said. "With sewer problems and so many thing moving downstream we are taking precautionary measures in case there is any contamination in the water."
The physical and emotional effects may be beginning to take a toll on levee workers, as well. Local volunteers and firefighters have been working since Sunday.
"The National Guard is trained to do this sort of thing , but our guys are not," said head kitchen cook volunteer Joyce Ellis, the chief's wife.
Chad Ellis, the chief's nephew, said he thinks local volunteers are doing a great job protecting the community.
"I over heard the governor talk about how great the guard was and what a good job they are doing, but I believe our locals are doing great also," he said. "There have been times where there were more local civilians on the ground than guard troops. People I've never seen before coming from all over the county to help, it's unbelievable."
Chief Ellis insisted the fight to contain the river will go on and whether it is local civilians, fire fighters or troops doing the work, there is still plenty to face in the coming days.
"We have to concentrate on boils, and soft spots, as well as the possibility for more cave-ins, but we are also worried about the freezing temperatures," he said. "It will make our job more difficult and possibly could freeze up our pumps. We are not going to let this thing go without a fight."
Here are some photos of the flooded areas:
http://section30.fynsections.com/main.asp?SectionID=3
As lousy as all the rain has been, be thankful you're not in the Anderson-Muncie area. I understand that there are still some who do not have power nine days after that ice storm last week.
But where's the UN and the rest of the internationalist buffoons when it's flooding in Indiana?
Nowhere I can see. And that's a good thing - my buddies and I like to use blue-helmeted dummies for rifle and shotgun practice. Just. In. Case.
I've been telling my wife for years and years about how sometimes Indiana looks like it's made up of a very large lake with elevated roads serving as causeways between various high spots.
She finally saw what I meant.
We came in on I-70, went through Naptown to I-65, and went South to Seymour. Then we went West over US 50 to Bedford and Indiana 37 to Bloomington. We returned to Seymour via Indiana 46 to I65, and went South. One day on the trip we drove up to 86/82nd street, and crossed Keystone from the West on 73rd street last Thursday. That was just before the White River overflowed. I was nervous about that place. The water was "right there!".
Let me contrast what happened in 1956 with what happened now. There was a flood in Southern Indiana South of Martinsville. There was no TV or weather radar. Weather reports were spotty. No general reports were made about which roads were open and which weren't. Indiana 37, elevated the whole way, was about the only access route to the Evansville, Indiana area, but when you got to the Ohio, there was no flood.
No doubt many homes were lost, but there are few photos of it.
This year, 2005, the whole thing got on TV and minor events achieved a significance far beyond their importance. Helicopters enabled you to get pictures of folks getting into boats, getting to shore, grabbing stuff, and going back to their flooded homes to (presumably) sit on the roof in the cold ~ truly bizarre stuff I really didn't know happened!
The weather maps were incredible, and at a glance you could see what was happening.
The flood control dams seem to have worked and the Wabash will not become the disaster it used to become.
I can't say the floods in Indiana are tamed, but it sure was different this time. Guess my ability to navigate around the worst places is evidence of that.
BTW, the White River along Indiana 67 between Martinsville and Mooresville was exceptionally beautiful in the sunshine Saturday ~ it also looked to be several miles wide. No doubt Father Brebeauf saw such sights before the Shawnee cooked and ate the man.