FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF MINNEAPOLI S OCTOBER 2011

VO L. 25 NO . 4 fedgazetteA REPORT ON THE 2011 FLOODS

minneapolisfed.org Regional Business & Economics Newspaper z t r i W

A . A d l a n o R y b h p a r g o t o h fAloflooodd ofof p p o T Above: Gavins Point Dam in July, where 165,000 cubic feet of ffloods water was discharged per second, 50 percent Floods are common in the district, but the floods of 2011 were anything but typical more than Niagara Falls. By RONALD A. WIRTZ Editor Also in this issue It’s rare in today’s media-soaked world for things to be understated. Small, even After the flood trivial, events are sensationalized, framed as epic, over the top, bigger than life. But for the floods of 2011, it might be the opposite: too widespread, torrential Financial and other marks and destructive to overstate their imprint across the Ninth District. will be left on communities If you haven’t heard much about them, you live either on very high ground or page 11 nowhere near water, for it’s hard to ignore lazy rivers and streams that turn into property vandals seemingly everywhere. Floods are also tragically photogenic ; they make for great news stories expressly because they are visible, personal, indiscrimi - A new look at hydropower nating and utterly heartless. New energy proposals are That’s what brought the national media to Minot, N.D., in late June when a coming to district rivers biblical surge of water in the Souris River pushed through the middle of town. The spotlight also came to Billings, Mont., when a burst oil pipeline underneath a In Minot, N.D., dikes built for a 100-year flood were no match for the page 13 raging Yellowstone River put a slick spin on an all-too-common disaster. Souris River, which inundated 4,100 homes and businesses. Continued on page 2 fedgazette Page 2 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

These floods were also exceptionally three-dimensional, often coming at great height and velocity, and enduring for weeks, even months.

A flood of floods from page 1 Zimbelman in mid-July. Three weeks “A torrent of water floods, especially large, unseasonal ones.) Abstract: after the initial flood, “houses are still Nor do these figures represent the The floods of 2011 were historical up to the middle of the picture win - everywhere” full extent of flooding because not every river and tributary is tracked by in breadth, volume and duration, dow. It has been devastation. And Flooding is not unusual in Ninth the USGS, and even major rivers are particularly in the Dakotas and that’s the good areas,” he said. District states. Flooding of some staked only intermittently, which means As such, the floods of 2011 can be rivers—like the Red River, which flows Montana. They forced thousands that “the number of locations that have hard to appreciate as a headline news north between Minnesota and North of people to flee their homes, had flooding issues is actually higher story. They were so widespread, so huge Dakota—is almost an annual ritual. sometimes for months. They inun - than what is reflected by our gage data,” in volume and so long in duration that This year, Fargo, N.D., saw the Red according to Ryan Thompson, a hydrol - dated homes, damaged businesses, they read more like a novel in their scale. River rise 21 feet over flood stage, which ogist in the South Dakota USGS office. ruined public infrastructure and They forced thousands of people to flee sounds dramatic until you learn that These floods were exceptionally three- swamped local budgets. The public their homes, sometimes for months. this is the third year running that the dimensional, often coming at great They inundated homes, damaged busi - river has threatened to inundate the cost of floods—while still sketchy— height and velocity, and enduring for nesses, ruined roads and bridges, city. Two years ago, the river crested 23 will likely run into the hundreds of we eks, even months (see sidebar on page 5). turned parks into messy swimming feet over flood stage and left behind an millions of dollars in district states; Regions of the Dakotas and pools and swamped local budgets. They estimated $70 million in damage. the private loss of wealth is mostly Minnesota are also experiencing basin interrupted and upended life for entire One of the big differences this year unknown, aside from anecdotes, communities as never before. Flood flooding—a type of slow-motion flood - was that so much water filled so many ing of glacial lakes that have no natural and possibly even higher. With the costs will likely run into the hundreds of rivers and streams, reaching so many millions of dollars in district states—and or significant outlets to release large exception of Minot, N.D., it could places in the district, many of which those are just the public funds that are inflows from rain and snowmelt. (These hadn’t seen significant flooding for 50 have been much worse. Cities like relatively easy to track; the loss of private lakes were not included in the above years or longer. Although historical Bismarck and Mandan (N.D.) and wealth is mostly unknown and may run flood counts and will be the subject of a comparisons are difficult, the floods of Pierre and Dakota Dunes (S.D.) even higher than public losses. future fedgazette article.) 2011 appear unprecedented in their Somewhat overlooked in the chaos faced significant peril from floods. breadth, depth and duration. of floods is a backhanded feel-good But advanced warning, heavy levee Ed Tinsley, administrator of story. Were it not for aggressive, pro - Not so nice to meet you, fortifying and community boot - Montana Disaster and Emergency tective actions on the part of commu - Services , knows something about Mr. Flood strapping helped these communi - nities—including private individuals, nature’s fury . He noted that the state ties avoid much worse fates. but also numerous federal, state and As one might imagine, such widespread, has “had its share of catastrophic disas - local government agencies—the floods intensive flooding puts much life and ters,” whether flood, drought, wildfire, of 2011 would have been much worse, property in harm’s way. There were few In the end, however, the national even earthquake. While they take a toll, inflicting devastation far beyond hard- firm estimates of flood costs by the end media acted like a flood of their own: “the disastrous flooding of 2011 was an hit communities such as Minot and its of summer, especially from Montana or right here, right now and gone tomor - unprecedented series of events . ... As we immediate neighbors. Cities like South Dakota, mostly because damage row. The real floods, on the other hand, look back, and even as we look ahead, it Bismarck and Mandan (N.D.) and was widespread, and floodwaters were stayed like an old college roommate, has been an adventure on many levels .” Pierre and Dakota Dunes (S.D.) faced slow to recede and allow for assess - hanging around until everyone prayed Andy Peterson travels the neighboring significant peril from floods, but ments. for them to leave. While many people state widely as head of the North Dakota advance warning, heavy levee fortify - As of early September, the state of might have heard about the plight of Chamber of Commerce : “ I get into every ing, community bootstrapping and North Dakota had identified more than Minot, few can appreciate the flood’s even a little bit of luck helped these corner of the state. What I have witnessed $500 million in flood-related costs, duration in the city, said Mayor Curt communities avoid catastrophe. is a torrent of water everywhere you go.” including $305 million in public infra - The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) structure damage; earlier in the sum - constantly monitors thousands of mer, it estimated that total public and FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF MINNEAPOLIS streamgages—depth sticks—to measure private damages could exceed $1 bil - Regional Business & Economics Newspaper levels across the country, including the lion. Almost 8,800 individuals have been Ninth District. Data from these gages approved to receive $90 million in grant ISSN 1045-3334 show the widespread nature of flood - assistance from the Federal Emergency ing, especially in Montana and North Subscriptions are available without charge. Back issues are available EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kei-Mu Yi Management Agency (FEMA) for tem - on the Web. Articles may be reprinted if the source is credited and Public Dakota (see map on page 3). Between SENIOR EDITOR David Fettig porary housing and essential home Affairs is provided with copies. Permission to photocopy is unrestricted. April 1 and July 31, streamgages in 74 repairs. The U.S. Small Business Send correspondence to Public Affairs, Federal Reserve Bank of EDITOR Ronald A. Wirtz unique rivers, streams and other tribu - Minneapolis, 90 Hennepin Avenue, P.O. Box 291, Minneapolis, MN, MANAGING EDITOR Jenni C. Schoppers Administration has also approved $210 55480-0291; (612) 204-5255. taries in Minnesota, the Dakotas and REGIONAL ECONOMIST Tobias Madden million in low-interest disaster loans to Montana hit flood stage—the point at Email: [email protected] ASSOCIATE ECONOMIST Rob Grunewald residents and businesses . ( Those figures Internet: minneapolisfed.org which a river overtops its banks and SENIOR WRITER Phil Davies will also change, given late-September spreads onto its flood plain. These tor - One of the Minneapolis Fed’s congressionally mandated responsibilities GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rick Cucci deadlines for assistance.) is to gather information on the Ninth District economy. The fedgazette Mark Shafer rents affected 150 unique locations— Suffice to say that where water invad - is published quarterly to share that information with the district, which includes Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, northwestern cities large and small, as well as unpop - ed, most everything was affected— Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. ulated rural areas. homes, businesses, roads, parks, water

The opinions expressed in the fedgazette are expressly those of the authors (The northwestern portion of and sewer infrastructure, schools—life or of attributed sources and are not intended to represent a formal position Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of in general. (For more detail on the eco - of this bank or the Federal Reserve System. Michigan, both part of the district, were nomic impact of floods, see article on not included in this analysis because page 11.) these areas had comparatively fewer Minot was flood-zero. Despite a rush fedgazette Page 3 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

Check online A dynamic version of this stream data can be found in the fedgazette online. The stream data map uses Google Public Data beta for visualizing peak flood height, duration of flood between April 1 and July 31, and day of the highest peak for each flood station in Minnesota, South Streamgage readings suggest a sense of scale of 2011 flooding Dakota, North Dakota and Montana .

Depth over flood stage

10 feet

5 feet

2 feet

The U.S. Geological Survey has measuring sticks-- 31 of this year and shows just how widespread the For example, hundreds of miles of the Missouri called streamgages--scattered in the many rivers and flooding was in the Ninth District, especially River were above flood stage for most of the summer. their tributaries winding their way through district throughout the Dakotas and Montana. The map is But because its flow is constantly controlled (by the states. The above map identifies rivers and streams also a conservative illustration of flooding because it U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), the USGS has com - above flood stage anytime between April 1 and July sho ws only those areas where the USGS has a mar ker. paratively few gages marking its depth.

to build up existing levees to ward off rapidly rising water, the city watched helplessly as the Souris River filled the Disaster assistance to Ninth District counties valley and with it the oldest portions of the town that had grown up around it. Some 4,100 structures—mostly homes and businesses—were inundated, about 80 percent of which took at least six feet of water on their main floor. An analysis by Job Service North Dakota identified 283 businesses locat - ed in the flood zone. Affected busi - nesses included “hotels to insurance 25 companies to Dairy Queen. It runs the Public only gamut,” said David Waind, the city’s Individual only administrator. He noted that “even Public and individual Not affected Red Cross is flooded out” and had to shift its daily office operations to the municipal auditorium, the same build - When disaster strikes, FEMA has tiered aid programs defined thresholds. Reimbursements go only to local ing from where it was coordinating that reimburse local governments and residents for governments. Individual assistance is disaster aid for relief help and emergency shelter for expenses related to flood prevention and cleanup. homeowners and businesses, and damage thresholds are residents. (See sidebar on page 8 for Disasters are declared at the county level and officially considerably higher. Where designated, homeowners more on Minot.) made by the president of the United States in consulta - become eligible for grant assistance that tops out at about But while Minot received the lion’s tion with FEMA. The first level of disaster aid is called $30,000; businesses are eligible only for low-interest loans share of media attention, many other public assistance and is declared where flood-related through the Small Business Administration. places also suffered significant flood costs and damage to public property exceeds FEMA- damage. In Montana, the Dakotas and Continued on page 4 fedgazette Page 4 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

“Over the first two or three weeks,it was a panic” to get the dikes built, and then praying they would hold. —Ray Roggow, emergency services director, Union County, S.D.

A flood of floods from page 3 Minnesota, two-thirds of all counties The flood also knocked out the reser - (193 in total) and 12 tribal reservations vation’s water and sewer systems and have been declared flood disaster areas closed 70 miles of Interstate 90 for five this year, making governments in those days. In June, the tribe was forced to lay counties and reservations eligible for off 150 workers—about a fifth of its federal assistance to help pay for flood- workforce—due to flooding . related damages and other costs. About 20 miles west of Great Falls, As of September, 45 counties and the Sun River flooded 55 homes in its five reservations in Montana and the namesake city in June. Yet by mid-July, Dakota s were also eligible for individ - many still did not have drinking water— ual federal disaster assistance, which some wells had tested positive for coli- signifies much more extensive damage. form bacteria—and portable toilets and The program offers up to $30,200 in showers had to be brought in for resi - individual grant assistance to house - dents. holds and makes low-interest loans In the Dakotas, aside from Minot and z available to homeowners and business - its immediate small-town neighbors t r i W es, but eligibility is much stricter than (like Burlington, which reportedly lost . A

assistance for public infrastructure about one-third of its 320 homes), the d l a n

damage. flood appears to have done its worst to o In Montana, 70 percent of the state, low-density residential areas without the R local and tribal jurisdictions declared capacity or resources to mount a Linn Thomas emergencies in response to flooding. defense against rising waters. In Amid the flood: But even the counties that didn’t Burleigh County, home to Bismarck, a declare local emergencies still report - marauding Missouri River damaged 450 Heartache, hard work ed some flooding, said Monique Lay, a homes; 75 were severely damaged or spokesperson for the state Disaster destroyed. Virtually all of them lay out - and Emergency Services Division. “So, side the city. and hope truly, the flooding was statewide.” She Across the river in Morton County, added that the state hasn’t had an another 75 or so homes were ravaged, Linn Thomas and Peggy Petry are neighbors outside Mandan in rural individual assistance declaration in mostly in township developments along Morton County, N.D. In late May, the Missouri River was predicted to reach over 20 years, “so this has been quite the river north of the city of Mandan, historic heights—enough to reach halfway up both homes. So the two an adventure for us. It certainly would according to Bruce Strinden, chairman joined forces to move out their possessions and build a six-foot wall con - have been easier to address had the of the Morton County Board of taining 30,000 sandbags around their two houses. disaster been more concentrated. The Commissioners. While the county “We built the Great Wall of China and moved out in eight days,” said vastness of it has made it a much would like to have offered residents Thomas. lengthier and more complicated more protection, it could only provide The water came as predicted, and the sandbag dikes held, but they were response and recovery—very similar sandbags and fill. The rest was up to powerless to prevent an immense influx of groundwater. Luckily, the prop - to the hurricanes that traveled all the resi dents. “It’s extremely difficult for erty retained power, and both homeowners ran 15 pumps around the clock way up the East Coast.” government entities to protect rural res - to remove thousands of gallons an hour of groundwater seepage—which The hardest hit areas included Crow idences. We don’t have enough people they did for the next seven weeks—Thomas said during a visit in mid-July. Agency about 60 miles east of Billings to sandbag” all the property that would They expected to have to keep pumping for several more weeks. (which itself saw flooding and national have been necessary to protect rural Having just come from his home—via boat—and standing on a highway- news coverage when a gushing developments, said Strinden. turned-boat-dock, Thomas said they’ve managed to keep their homes dry for Yellowstone River carved out enough of The Missouri River found similar the most part; both houses have water in their crawl spaces, but their main its bottom to expose and break an oil low-lying victims as it flowed southward, floors are dry. If the pumps go down, “in two hours, we’ll have a lake in our pipeline). At Crow Agency, the home of near Pierre and Fort Pierre and in rural house,” he said. By about mid-July, Thomas had burned out three pumps. the Crow Tribe, late-May flooding of developments in southeastern counties. He took turns with Petry’s two grown sons to keep an eye on both prop - the Little Bighorn River killed two peo - At Riv-R-Land Estates , a private subdivi - erties. Thomas mans the pumps four days a week, and Petry’s sons cover ple. About 300 people had to be evacu - sion at the southeastern tip of South the other days. Thomas is an employee of Morton County. “I work the most ated, and water reached the main floor Dakota, 52 of the 56 homes flooded and I can,” he said. “My bosses and co-workers are behind me.” The time off is of 60 homes; 23 saw major damage. Continued on page 6 unpaid, and Thomas said he has had to spend $5,000 in retirement funds to buy pumps and other items in the fight to keep his house dry. He has no flood insurance. His wife is staying elsewhere, and the couple is getting Table 1 Homes waterlogged $477 in rental assistance from FEMA. Number of flooded houses, by water depth on main living floor, identified by August Despite the personal and financial toll, Thomas and Petry both put a positive spin on their predicament. Petry, for example, said her electricity State Destroyed Major Minor Slight damage (more than 10’) (6’ to 10’) (2’ to 6’) (0.5’ to 2.0’) bill increased from a typical $150 per summer month to $740 because of the constant pumping—and she seemed almost happy. “It could have been Montana 15 102 256 221 worse. I was expecting $1,000,” she said. North Dakota* 831 2,427 967 416 Asked about having to deal with the flood since late May, Thomas said with a tired voice but not a shred of sarcasm, “We have a lot of hope.” He South Dakota 7 104 301 238 noted optimistically that the water level outside the dike had dropped, even though at the time it was less than an inch from peak. “We can’t look *Roughly 90 percent of the inundated homes in North Dakota were in the Minot area. a month down the road. We try to get through tomorrow.” Sources: Montana Department of Disaster and Emergency Services; North Dakota Office of Emergency Services; South Dakota Office of Emergency Management —Ronald A. Wirtz At the Oahe Dam near Fort Pierre, S.D., Page fedgazette A FLOOD OF normal summertime river flow is 24,000 cfs, according to Mayor Sam Tidball. “We got up “Over the first two or three weeks,it was a panic” to get the dikes built, to 160,000. That’s one hell of a difference.” and then praying they would hold. —Ray Roggow, emergency services director, Union County, S.D. A long, tall slap of water

The breadth of flooding is only one of its note - that time of year, according worthy dimensions. Just as remarkable is its col - to USGS data, is about 600 lective depth and duration. cubic feet (or about 4,500 Many rivers and streams overtop their natural gallons) per second. The Souris River floodwater in Burlington, N.D. holding pens in spring, or during heavy rains, and previous week, the Musselshell’s water levels were some flooding in the district was of such garden elevated and rising, and by the morning of May Flood, flood, go away variety. But most rivers and streams didn’t flood 25, water was whistling by at about 3,500 cfs. Number of locations* above flood stage, between just a little. In district states, 18 rivers or tributar - Turns out that the Musselshell was just getting April 1 and July 31, by duration ies rose at least five feet above flood stage at more warmed up. By the end of the next day, it would 45 than 40 locations (and given data limitations, briefly touch 15,000 cfs. Flood stage is 10 feet; 40 there were likely more). In many of these rivers, the ri ver roared to almost 15 feet, close to 2 fee t 35 flood stage is between 8 and 15 feet of river higher than the previous mark set in 1975. A week 30 height, which means many sloshed easily and later, the water finally fell below flood stage, only 25 widely over their natural borders. The Wild Rice to quickly swell again on June 8, topping 14 feet 20 River near Abercrombie, N.D., shot past its flood for a repeat dousing of Roundup. The river didn ’t 15 10 stage of 10 feet to peak near 26 feet. fall below flood stage again until June 18. 5 In fact, depending on location, it doesn’t take Dozens of other small watercourses in the dis - 0 a big rise in river level to cause serious conse - trict have a similar story, and most of them even - Fewer than 5 to 9 10 to 25 26 to 50 More than 5 days days days days 50 days quences. “Depending on how flat the topography tually pour into the Missouri River (see map on * A location is a water-level gage, often identified by a nearby city, town is, even one foot above flood stage can inundate a page 7). The results were predictable. This sum - or township. Source: U.S. Geological Survey lot of land,” said Ryan Thompson, a hydrologist mer, the Big Muddy reached levels not seen since with the South Dakota office of the U.S. the Pick-Sloan Act slung a harness on the river Hope you brought your waders Geological Survey. For example, “the James River back in the 1940s. The law authorized and paid Mean daily discharge per month (thousand cfs) basin is very flat along most of its length, so small for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install rises above flood stage can submerge a lot of agri - five additional dams (one in North Dakota, four Yellowstone River near Sidney, Mont. cultural land. ” in South Dakota) to go along with the Fort Peck 80 2011 This year the James’ rise was not small. The Dam in Montana. The dams created monstrous 70 river also known as “the Jimmy” runs the vertical reservoirs that could hold water as needed while Previous high annual 60 discharge (1997) length of South Dakota, and USGS markers in controlling downstream releases at each level. 50 Mean of monthly eight locations across the state showed that the The six impoundment lakes—among the largest discharge (1911 to 2010) river rose between 5.8 feet and 11 feet over flood freshwater lakes in the country—can hold 40 stage—a level sufficient to swamp thousands of enough water to put the entire state of North 30 acres of farmland. The basin’s flat topography Dakota about a foot and a half underwater. 20 also means that the water meanders, in no hurry Normally, the reservoirs have ample room to 10 to go anywhere—one reason that seven of these absorb spring rains and snowmelt, but this year’s 0 eight locations had been flooded for 120 days at runoff was unprecedented. The Army Corps Jan Feb Mar* Apr May Jun Jul the beginning of August. measures total runoff into the Missouri River *March 2011 discharge is an estimate. Source: U.S. Geological Survey Indeed, maybe more than any other character - above Sioux City, Iowa, in acre feet (an acre of Missouri River near Culbertson, Mont. istic, the floods of 2011 will be remembered— water 1 foot deep, or about 325,000 gallons). This 80 water-tortured into local memory—for their past June, runoff in the region was 13.8 million 2011 70 longevity; they lasted weeks in many places (see acre feet (MAF), the single highest monthly Previous high annual chart at top right). “People expected the flood to runoff since recordkeeping started in 1898. This 60 discharge (1975) 50 Mean of monthly exit quickly. This is a different breed; it’s much outpouring came on top of May runoff of 10.5 discharge (1942 to 2010) longer going away,” said Bill Wocken, Bismarck, MAF, the third -highest monthly runoff ever 40 N.D., city administrator. recorded . In those two months, the Missouri 30 basin absorbed as much water as it typically 20 receives in an entire year. More like the Big Meanie So much water came, so quickly, that the Corps 10 was forced to literally open the floodgates. The 0 It’s hard to say just how much dry land, how many Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul river’s six dams in the district were opened wide Source: U.S. Geological Survey homes, how much community got swallowed by so that each discharged 150,000 to 165,000 cfs for floods in the district because existing data systems much of the summer. Not only were these record Missouri River at Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, S.D. don’t track inundation (though new satellite and flows—by far—for each individual dam, but each 180 other technology may change that, at least for 2011 was releasing 50 percent more water than Niagara 160 future floods). But other measures such as a Previous high annual Falls on a high-flow day. At the Oahe Dam near 140 discharge (1997) river’s discharge—how much water is passing by Fort Pierre, S.D., normal summertime river flow is 120 2010 at a given moment—help to illustrate the sheer 24,000 cfs, according to Mayor Sam Tidball. “We 100 volume of water involved in this year’s flooding. got up to 160,000. That’s one hell of a differ - 80 USGS data show that the 2011 floods have ence.” 60 obliterated flow records in many rivers and —Ronald A. Wirtz. Aaron Richins, 40 streams. Twice in the span of about two weeks, the research assistant, contributed data research 20 Musselshell River flooded the city of Roundup, to this article . 0 Mont. The first onslaught came suddenly, in the Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul middle of the night on May 26. Average flow for Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fedgazette Page 6 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

River basins in the Ninth District Although historical comparisons are difficult, the floods of 2011 appear unprecedented in their breadth, depth and duration. A flood of floods from page 4

42 sustained major water damage, tective levees.) Montana Sun River Minot Bismarck Garrison Dam according to local officials. Trace a route down the Missouri River—which overwhelmed virtually 27 different 55 homes 4,100 homes 8 million Emergency Only grazed by every water level and flow rate on bodies of the bullet record since the dam-and-reservoir sys - inundated and businesses sandbags gates opened tem was completed more than half a water were Amid the widespread flooding and century ago—and the potential for cata- in June inundated filled for the first severe damage to some areas, many peo - strophic loss was palpable. For example, above flood time ever ple and communities were fortunate, when the Corps released final projec - stage at some Many without drinking narrowly avoiding disaster. tions of flood peaks along the Missouri, water into July In South Dakota, for example, Bismarck faced the likelihood that an point since roughly 2,800 homes were under volun - estimated 5,550 structures, mostly homes spring tary evacuation orders, and untold but also 70 commercial buildings, would numbers of others were in the flood’s be inundated, according to Gloria David, path, mostly on the Missouri River. But the city’s public information officer . floods ultimately hit about 650 homes, Those projections jarred residents according to August estimates. Outside and local governments into action. the Minot catastrophe, about 500 Over the next week or so , a total of 8 homes were inundated elsewhere in million sandbags were filled in North Dakota—less than 10 percent of Bismarck and the surrounding area. the (non-Minot) homes originally Businesses and residents—often aided '!($ believed to be in the flood’s path. About by higher-ground community mem - 600 homes were inundated in Montana. bers—walled off their properties as best In the southeastern South Dakota they could, not knowing if the city could county of Yankton, some 400 homes build more substantial levees in time or were believed to be in the Missouri’s whether they would be on the dry side floodway, according to Carmen of the levees if they were built. Schramm of the Yankton Chamber of In the span of a week, with major Commerce. But “actual water invaded help from the Corps, about nine miles about 20-some (homes). … Not to min - of levees in the city and county were imize [those affected], but we have a lot thrown up to protect everything possi - to be thankful for. ” ble , given the time and material avail - Part of the reason for the lesser able. Based on 2000 Census data and impact was the nature of these floods. inundation estimates, the homes of For one, the Missouri’s flow was so large 14,000 people were shielded by these and swift that the river scoured itself levees and dikes. Thanks to the levees deeper, allowing its expanded channel and river crests that were a foot lower to hold more water. In some places, this than predicted, no homes or businesses scouring reportedly took almost a foot within the city limits of Bismarck were off the river’s eventual crest. inundated, David said . But probably more important, the Across the river in Mandan, city admin - "& '!% floods announced themselves well in istrator Jim Neubauer said roughly 420 Yellowstone River Roundup North Dakota Pierre Gavins Point Dakota Dunes James River advance—thanks to close tracking by homes were in harm ’s way. But not a sin - the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of gle home or business was damaged by Oil pipeline Flooded 15 different 3 million 165,000 cfs 300,000 cubic Eight locations Engineers—which helped mobilize pri - overland flood waters, “mainly due to pro - dug out and twice in two bodies of sandbags 50% more yards of fill on the river vate individuals and governments, tective measures that were put in place.” Minot Garrison Dam either to protect assets or to move peo - Float down to Pierre, and communi - broken by weeks water above filled than Niagara for levees were above ple and property to higher ground. ty development coordinator Scott (It should be noted that the Army Carbonneau estimated that 400 to 500 the raging flood stage by Falls 1 dump truck every flood stage for Corps has taken blistering criticism for homes were initially at risk. The Corps 45 seconds its management of the Missouri River built two levees protecting most of the river an average of more than before and during the flood, as well as city’s southern flank and the wastewater 6.5 ft., and for 100 days its subsequent predictions of flood treatment plant, and the city reinforced crests, which were frequently revised those by tying them together with a an average of upward during critical planning and third levee. In all, about three and a 46 days mobilization stages in late May and half miles of levee were built. As a early June. These matters deal with, result, the city “was largely unscathed in (as of August 1) among other things, the Corps’ multi - a direct sense. I believe we have only Sandbags headed and often conflicting missions seen one or two homes with actual Roundup and are outside the scope of this article. floodwater ,” Carbonneau said. Irrespective of the Corps’ performance In Fort Pierre, across the Big Muddy, in helping to mitigate the floods them - an estimated 600 homes—in other selves, or accurately predicting the tim - words, most of them—“would have been ing and size of crests, numerous com - inundated and received substantial dam - munity officials lauded the agency for age” given the river’s predicted crest, its help and expertise in building pro - Continued on page 8 fedgazette Page 7 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

Montana Sun River Minot Bismarck Garrison Dam 27 different 55 homes 4,100 homes 8 million Emergency bodies of inundated and businesses sandbags gates opened water were in June inundated filled for the first above flood time ever stage at some Many without drinking water into July Minot Garrison Dam point since Minot Garrison Dam spring

'!($

Roundup Sandbags Roundup Sandbags

"& '!% Yellowstone River Roundup North Dakota Pierre Gavins Point Dakota Dunes James River Oil pipeline Flooded 15 different 3 million 165,000 cfs 300,000 cubic Eight locations dug out and twice in two bodies of sandbags 50% more yards of fill on the river Garrison Dam broken by weeks water above Minot filled than Niagara for levees were above the raging flood stage by Falls 1 dump truck every flood stage for river an average of 45 seconds more than 6.5 ft., and for 100 days an average of 46 days (as of August 1)

Roundup Sandbags

Photographs: Roundup, MT.—Larry Mayer, The Billings Daily Gazette, Garrison Dam, Riverdale, N.D. – Maj.Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. National Guard fedgazette NINTH DPaIgeS 8 -

Page 8

A flood of floods from page 6

said Mayor Sam Tidball. The Corps and Iowa in the southeastern corner of installed a dike protecting the older, the state. About 460 homes in this eastern portion of the city, where most upscale bedroom community would of the city’s commerce takes place, but have filled to the rafters without a mas - left unprotected most residential areas, sive, four-mile levee built over the located to the north along the river. course of about a week in June. But Corps policy is to build levees Ray Roggow is the emergency servic - An earth mover packs down a dike as higher crest estimates of the Souris River were announced. only where significant public infrastruc - es director for Union County, home to ture—water and sewer plants, roads, Dakota Dunes. Ironically, Roggow was schools and other public buildings—are fishing on an upstream stretch of the Mi not at risk. So the Corps did not act to pro - Missouri River when he received word tect all areas of a given city, even if that the Corps planned releases from homes were clearly in danger. As hap - Gavins Point Dam near Yankton that Reeling but resilient pened in other cities, Fort Pierre hired would ultimately inundate Dakota a private contractor to build a second Dunes downstream. They saw it coming. They just didn’t see this coming. dike two feet above projected flood “I said, ‘Roll up your reels ; we gotta Minot, N.D., captured the nation’s attention for a few days in late June stage to protect as many homes as possi - go ’ because I knew we were in big trou - when the city discovered that a quarter of its homes would get flushed by a ble, Tidball said. After all the work, ble.” At the time, the Corps was pre - lazy-turned-raging Souris River, which flows south from Canada, meanders Tidball estimated that 25 homes were dicting discharges of 85,000 cubic feet through the heart of Minot and eventually makes its way back up to Canada. inundated with water. “There was not a per second, a record amount at the On a normal summer day last year, the Souris flowed at a couple hun - terrific amount of damage, which is time. A few days later , Roggow said, dred cubic feet per second (cfs), a rate that would fill an Olympic-sized amazing given the height of the river,” “85,000 went to a whole lot more”— swimming pool in about four minutes. By May, major flooding was pre - he said. “There wasn’t more major dam - eventually 165,000 cfs—and the wheels dicted, but existing levees were believed sufficient to avert severe damage. age because we got the dikes built.” of flood protection went from first to Built after a disastrous 1969 flood, the dikes were designed to protect the Even where cities got involved in fifth gear with little shifting in between. city against a 100-year flood in which the Souris was expected to reach levee building, difficult decisions had to “Over the first two or three weeks, it was 5,000 cfs, a fill rate of about 20 seconds for that same Olympic-sized pool. be made, because the exigencies of a panic” to get the dikes built, and then “It worked as designed every year since it was built,” said David Waind, city levee placement often do not conform praying they would hold, Roggow said. administrator. to the jagged boundaries of cities. “You With dump trucks unloading every But record rain fell in May in northern Canada and flowed southward in hate to see people unprotected, but 45 seconds, 300,000 cubic yards of fill the Souris. Based on early warning and river crest estimates, the city twice that’s the nature of dikes,” said Bill was spilled and graded as a sodden bar - hired contractors to raise dikes to withstand 11,000 cfs—the river’s record flow Wocken, Bismarck city administrator. rier between the river and threatened during the 1969 flood. In that city, despite intensive levee homes, up to 12 feet high in places. As It wouldn’t be enough to stop the Souris. Final estimates of river crests building and sandbag filling, pockets of of August, not a single home behind were cartoonishly large—the type of deluge that occurs once every 500 homes went unprotected , like the well-to- the levee had taken floodwater . years. A late warning made matters worse; Minot received just three days’ do Southport neighborhood on the Among other heartaches, the flood notice of the eventual river crest, in part because heavy rains came in banks of the Missouri, which the city con - “shut down one of the most unique golf remote parts of Canada where the government doesn’t maintain stream - gages. In contrast, most cities on the Missouri River received seven to 10 troversially decided to leave on the wrong courses in South Dakota ,” with its signa - days’ notice of historic side of the levees. Southport residents ture hole number 18 and others under - reportedly spent upward of $3 million of river crests—advance water or bisected by the levee, Roggow their own money to erect private levees An inland Souris tsunami warning that can make said. “But had we not got the levee s up, we and pump out groundwater, successfully Souris River discharge at Canadian border (near Sherwood N.D.) a world of difference in would have had devastation.” 35 protecting 226 homes from flooding. 2011 flood preparation. Said )

s 30 f

c Waind, “If we [had]

Previous high water d n

a discharge (1969)

s 25 had early warning, it u

Something in the water o

h 2010 t

Earthen fences make ( might have taken the

e 20 g r

But make no mistake, there is misery, a edge off of [damage] h c

good neighbors s i 15 d

and it will linger. Homes and businesses because we would have y l i a d No single location probably benefited inundated with water have months of 10 had three or more e g a r

more from Army Corps levees than dreary, backbreaking cleanup ahead of e [extra] days to prepare. v 5 Dakota Dunes, S.D., a town of 2,500 sit - them; tens of thousands of others, A It gave us very little uated a stone ’s throw from Nebraska 0 time to react.” Continued on page 10 Jan Feb Mar* Apr May Jun Jul On June 23, the river Source: U.S. Geological Survey also known as the Little Table 2 Mouse roared to 29,000 Narrow misses cfs (see chart), almost three times its previous peak flow. Enough water to fill that Olympic pool in three seconds swamped all man-made defenses; more City Homes at flood level Homes inundated Total inundation in home county than 10,000 people were evacuated ahead of the flood, as the Souris eventu - ally rose 4 feet higher than ever recorded. Bismarck, N.D. 5,500 0 About 450 homes in Burleigh County The flood gutted the valley, the oldest and most heavily developed portion of the city. Roughly 4,100 homes and businesses were inundated, most of them Mandan, N.D. 420 0 About 75 homes in Morton County catastrophically. The Souris remained at flood stage for weeks, wreaking havoc on efforts to clean up and assess damage. Pierre, S.D. 400 –500 1 or 2 Several hundred homes in Hughes County

About 25 Fort Pierre, S.D. About 600 Several hundred homes in Stanley County (all outside of levees) Three weeks after the initial flood, “houses are still One of the most widespread but hid - den effects of flooding in the district up to the middle of the picture window. It has been devastation. involves groundwater. Though many communities avoided widespread inun - And that’s the good areas,” dation, the height of floods in the Missouri and Souris rivers and their many tributaries pushed up groundwa - ter tables everywhere, sending water seeping—sometimes gushing—into basements and crawl spaces. Cheri Kilby is the head of emergency services in Fergus County, Mont. There, she said groundwater Floodwaters reach homes on East Central Avenue near Roosevelt Park and Zoo. Work proceeds on a dsieke, pparigvaet e“lyh bausi lbt teoe pnro atelcmt ao smt aulln bruesainle. sWs. e have had people talk about water Sudden impact shooting up from cracks in the base - The flood gutted the valley, the oldest and momsetn th. Weae hvaively springs where there Mi not Whenever the flood’s final tally is tabulated and were not springs before. Hillsides are underlined, it will be large. The city’s infrastructure developed portion of the city. Roughly 4,100 shlipopminge dso wann adnd taking foundations Reeling but resilient has been hit hard. Twelve of its 27 lift stations used with them.” to pump water were down this summer, and offi - businesses were inundated, most of them catastropGhroicunadlwlayt.er seepage can usu - cials suspect that some water mains have been ally be managed with a sump pump or crushed. Others simply are not operating. two. But the longevity of floods in Sinkholes have eroded some city roads from the many locations meant that homeown - bottom, and heavy equipment has trashed others $700. Bruels did a citywide search in July and found 79-year-old retireres, w“weraes bflaototldinegd gurpo utno dtwhaet erra fsteeerps, age from the top. The zoo was closed and the animals 41 available properties (home, condo, apartment) and he said, o‘In’l la 2e4it/h7e br asgios fotro weCeaklisf or neivae n or moved to safer ground. Parks turned into fouled for sale or rent. But 26 were either flooded or not Minneapolis (whmeoren thhiss. tTwhoe k fiadisl ulirvee )o.f Ia s peeu mnop —reoa r- and debris-strewn lakes, and some 60 park build - ready for occupancy, leaving just 15 available hous - son to rebuild hevren.’” a temporary power outage—can ings were damaged. In late August, Ron Merritt, the ing units in a city of 40,000. Some landlords are tak - For businesseles,a d“p teoo spiglen idfiocna’nt t kwnaotwer wdhaemraeg teh. eEy ven city’s parks director, put damage to the city’s parks ing advantage of very tight supply to increase rents should invest,” sifa ipdu Kmrpaimnge rs, upcocienetdins gin o kuete tphiantg d wisa-ter system, including zoo, golf course and swimming further, Bruels said. “People are getting gouged. ” cretionary incomate b aisy ,g hoiignhg girnotuon hdowmatee rr eaplsaoi rc raenad tes pools, at $25 million to $50 million. other things cotnrseimdeerneddo muso prree sessuseren toianl .s tFrourc tbuuresis-; Six Minot school buildings, serving about 1,200 nesses selling mfooruen ddiasctiroentiso cnaanr yb guocokdles. aAnndd sleikrve ic - students and 50 adult learners, suffered major dam - Business as unusual es, “it’s going tof lboeo da ipnrgo, bdlaema fgoer far owmh igler.o” undwater is age. None will be usable this fall, according to Scott It’s all part of the weary rebuilding process, said Not surprisingly, the flood disrupted any notion of often not covered by homeowners Moum, district business manager. Moum said in Kramer. “Everyone is seeking the new normal … normal business. insurance. July that damage estimates were uncertain, “but This is almost like a death. They are going through In mid-July, when officials closed Broadway Save for the many pump hoses could run upwards of $50 million,” and that does - Avenue—the main north-south route over the river that process of gtrhieavt isnnga kfoer otuhte iorf h hoommee. sY ionu a hffaevcet etod n’t include the cost of bringing in 60 temporary and through the city—“luckily we didn’t have to be sensitive. Thaerreea’s , at hleoste o pf rsotbanledmins ga raer omuonsdtl yt hoe ut of modular units. Though federal and state govern - worry about any customers,” joked Charles coffee pot. Theyv iheawv, es oto n doo o tnhea tk.”nows the full extent ment will cover most of these recovery costs, Moum Kramer, president of I. Keating Furniture. The In many wayso, fa ftfheec tperdo cbilteym re. sBiduet natns egcodto atnes e aabroly ut said the city’s property tax base—which provides business saw orders canceled by people who no start on the grievgirnogu pnrdowcaetsesr b py rloebanleimngs oanbo outhnedr. sO in ne the bulk of school revenue—is expected to drop by longer had homes or apartments to put furniture the community Mfoorn tsaunpap roerstt.o Trahtieo nfl oboudsi ndeisps lsaacided it 15 percent, denying the district about $2 million in in and by those who considered such expenditures between 10,000 raencde i1v2ed,0 0405 0p ecoalplsl ef.r oYemt tpheeo npulem wbiethr funds for the coming year “and possibly twice that ill-advised, given the circumstances. in three emergefnlocoy dsehde lbtearsse mfoer nhtos mine Bleislsli nregssi,d Jeonlites t [amount] in 2012-13.” Kathleen Gaddie, president of Ryan Family numbered onlya nadb oRuotu 3n5d0u pa ti nt heaer lhy eJuignhet. Oofn eth se tore But thanks to Minot’s proximity to the booming Dealerships, said none of the firm’s three car deal - flooding. Of thien rtehset ,B “itlhline gvsa rset gmioanj orreiptyo ratreed lwy istoh ld oil patch in western North Dakota, the city has seen erships around town flooded directly, “but nobody family and frien15d0s, ”w astaeird pWumaipnsd i—n eavnid heonut r;b ayn tohteher strong growth in recent years, which has given it the wanted to buy a car” in a community in crisis. Most many campers, stRoVres , a8n0d p utemnpts ianr o4u0 nmdi ntuowtens. this wherewithal to deal with the flood. For example, companies also sustained productivity losses summer; entire neighborThhoeo dcsi twy eorfe P ciaemrrpee, dS. oDu.,t caos n - the city plans to reduce property assessments for because employees were flooded out of their though they wedreu cgtaetdh ear (endo fnosrc ifeanmtifliyc )r esuunrivoeny so of rarea flooded homes and businesses to zero for the homes. At Ryan, 31 of 130 employees lost their Fourth of July cerelesbidreantitosn, sin. cluding those across the remainder of the year, halving annual tax bills of homes. “There’s a lot of people that don’t know Wendy Hower hiveeard isn t hFeo rcti tPyi’es rcroen. vAemntoionng a3n1d4 vis - those affected. That’s a big budgetary hit, but what to do,” Gaddie said. itor’s office and rweasps oonndee onft sth, 2o4u0sa hnadds wfoartceerd i no utht eoifr Minot has been growing so fast that higher revenue Richard Campbell, executive vice president of their homes—hecra bwals sepmaecne to srw baamsepmede natn,dm 5o free tth oafn from local sales tax and higher property values in First Western Bank and Trust in Minot, said 22 of water on the matwino f-tlhooirrd. sW wheerne aslhre awdays dfienaalilnlyg a wbilte h nonflooded areas will largely offset the property tax 100 employees were affected by the flood. Of these to get into her mhouldse i stsou eas s,s5e4ss etxhpee rdiaemncaegde ,s tmruocltd ural reduction for flooded areas, according to Waind. 22 homes, 18 “were flooded up to the rafters,” and had already spremaodv etom tehnet caenidli nogn, e“ ainn d1 0e vheardy tehxipneg ri - But the flood has also compounded growth-relat - only three had flood insurance. So the bank went has to come oute dnocewdn at os etwhe rs tbuadcsk.u” p. Separately, Fort ed problems. The city’s infrastructure needed into flex mode. “Whoever needed time off or want - Like most, hPeire rhreo mMea ywoar sS anmot Tiindsbuarlel de staigmaaintestd upgrading before the flood because of torrid oil- ed to help out, we let off. … A lot of them were very flood. She inquirtehda ta abboouut ti th eaalrfl ioefr tihne t h8e0 0sp orrin sgo, hbuotuse - related growth, Waind said. Before the flood, the appreciative.” decided against hito lbdesc ainu steh em coorme mthuani t4y0 w yeeraer sd ehaalding city had identified $120 million in sewer, water, The outlook for the business community is passed since thew viathlle gyr hoaudn dflwoaotdeerd s,e beepfaogree. the con - road and other infrastructure improvements need - uncertain because so many people face an uncer - struction of the dikes andR dicakm Jse tnos ceonn otrwonl st hse vSeorualr issm. all ed simply to accommodate a burgeoning popula - tain future. Several sources speculated that many She expected tob ruescineievses eass,s imstoanstc eo ff rthomem t hine oferd neeralr tion. Now the flood has pushed that cost much fixed-income residents will leave because they have government to hdeolpw nptaoyw fonr Prieenrtrael, awchcoicmhm woads atthiorena. t - higher. “We gotta do what we gotta do,” he said. no good reason to stay. Elderly people, for exam - But Howe heans eedv bery yf loinotdeinntgio fnro mof threeb Muiilsdsionugr, i Similarly, the flood has exacerbated a long-stand - ple, have little incentive to slog through the hassle whatever it takeRs.i vSehr.e T ehxapnekcst st on motahjionrg l elveesse so, fd othwe n - ing housing shortage. Val Bruels , a real estate agent and expense of rebuilding or finding a new place city. “We can’t ptroewtenn wda tsh sepraer ewdo, nb’ut tb vei ratuna ilmly peavcetr,”yone with Prudential Minot, said monthly average rents to live in a very tight housing market. she said. “But Misn coot pisi ncagl lweidth th een mcraogaicch ciintyg, agnrodu tnhde wa - have doubled in the past few years, with the rate for Jon Backes is a partner at the law firm McGee, magic is its resiltienr.c Jee.n” sen said he has bought 12 sump smaller or lower-end apartments increasing to about Hankla, Backes & Dobrovolny. He said one client, a pumps for his pro—peRrtoineas,l da tA $. 1W40ir tez ach. The long duration of the fedgazette Page 10 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

If water tables don’t drop before the freeze, the aftermath of the floods will wreak additional havoc on public and private water and septic systems.

A flood of floods from page 8 including those in Dakota Dunes, are coping with groundwater in basements and crawl spaces. Some rivers and streams remained above flood stage well A seeping feeling into August, and where water lingers, mold takes hold. The duration of floods also leaves scant time for critical cleanup before One of the most widespread but hidden effects of flood - frost and snow freeze the mess in a cold ing in the district involves groundwater. Though many time capsule until next year’s thaw. And communities avoided widespread inundation, the if water tables don’t drop before the height of floods in the Missouri and Souris rivers and

freeze, the aftermath of the floods will z their many tributaries pushed up groundwater tables t r i

wreak additional havoc on public and W

everywhere, sending water seeping—sometimes gush - . A private water and septic systems.

ing—into basements and crawl spaces. d l a

Local governments spent many mil - Cheri Kilby is the head of emergency services in n o lions preparing for the flood and pro - Fergus County, Mont. There, she said groundwater R tecting residents from it. But it will take seepage “has been almost unreal. We have had people Multiple pump hoses carry groundwater over a dike in rural Union County, S.D. many more millions to repair the dam - talk about water shooting up from cracks in the base - age to roads, bridges and other public ment. We have springs where there were not springs The city of Pierre, S.D., conducted a (nonscientific) infrastructure once things dry out, before. Hillsides are slipping down and taking founda - survey of area residents, including those across the river though the financial strain is cushioned tions with them.” in Fort Pierre. Among 314 respondents, 240 had water by federal and state disaster reimburse - Groundwater seepage can usually be managed with a in their crawl space or basement , more than two-thirds ment programs. sump pump or two. But the longevity of floods in many were already dealing with mold issues , 54 experienced The same is not true for homeowners locations meant that homeowners were battling structural movement and one in 10 had experienced a and businesses, whose properties were groundwater seepage on a 24/7 basis for weeks or even sewer backup. Separately, Fort Pierre Mayor Sam Tidball generally not covered by insurance. months. The failure of a pump—or even a temporary estimated that about half of the 800 or so households in Officials in Minot estimate that only 10 power outage—can lead to significant water damage. the community were dealing with groundwater seepage. percent of inundated homes were Even if pumping succeeds in keeping water at bay, high Rick Jensen owns several small businesses, most of insured for flood, and anecdotes from groundwater also creates tremendous pressure on them in or near downtown Pierre, which was threatened elsewhere suggest similarly low coverag e. structures; foundations can buckle. And like flooding, by flooding from the Missouri River. Thanks to major lev - Most people didn’t buy insurance because damage from groundwater is often not covered by ees, downtown was spared, but virtually everyone is cop - they believed that flooding was unlikely; homeowners insurance. ing with encroaching groundwater. Jensen said he has and if it did occur, existing levees and Save for the many pump hoses that snake out of bought 12 sump pumps for his properties, at $140 each . other measures would protect them. Now, homes in affected areas, these problems are mostly out The long duration of the Missouri River flood brings only the most egregiously damaged areas of view, so no one knows the full extent of the problem. additional challenges as winter approaches. Blake will receive grant assistance from federal But anecdotes about groundwater problems abound. Barringer, manager of Brosz Engineering and president disaster programs, and it won’t come One Montana restoration business said it received 450 of the Pierre Economic Development Corp., said that if close to covering private losses. calls from people with flooded basements in Billings, the ground freezes before high water tables recede, the The floods have also imposed myriad Joliet and Roundup in early June. One store in the city faces all kinds of problems. “We’re going to have small indignities on community life. The Billings region reportedly sold 150 water pumps in an busted basements, water mains and roads.” North Dakota State Fair in Minot had to hour; another store, 80 pumps in 40 minutes. —Ronald A. Wirtz be canceled this year because of damage to the fairgrounds and the city’s general state of emergency. “For the city, it’s a difficult thing to lose,” said Waind, city Said one North Dakota state official: and complete strangers, particularly to the city—for myriad repairs to roads, administrator. But he admitted (and “Grand Forks was made whole.” early on when communities were scram - water systems, parks, a municipal golf other local sources concurred), “I think While Minot will receive significant bling to develop and execute broader course and other items. “It would be there was a little bit of relief.” reimbursement for the money spent safeguards. An estimated 15 million to easy to get sucked into the gloom and Many people spoke of stress and preparing for and cleaning up after the 18 million sandbags, and possibly more, doom, the oh-woe-is-us,” said Gill. “But depression, and of a grieving process flood, fiscal realities at the federal level were filled by local government work - there’s a [recovery] plan, and we’re similar to that experienced with the loss mean the city and its residents will bear ers, residents and even nonresidents organized.” She pointed to recent of a loved one. Some of that grief is over more of the costs of flooding—includ - looking to help. efforts to oversee cleanup and debris trees—millions upon millions—that are ing improvements to existing flood pro - Gill insisted on that bootstrapping management, a recovery group that feared drowned because roots have tections—than Grand Forks. “We’re early on. Once it was known how severe includes community stakeholders and a been submerged for weeks on end, telling them that. You might as well tell the flooding would be, the city told resi - public facilities committee that is focus - starved of oxygen. them the facts,” said the state official. dents “to prepare as if there is no govern - in g on long-term restoration of the city. Communities likely will have to In Pierre, Mayor Laurie Gill was ment [flood] protection. We didn’t want The city is also sitting on a healthy rebuild with less help from the outside asked if the city expected any addition - to get into that pickle.” City engineers, fund balance of $11 million, or about compared with previous major disasters. al support beyond FEMA assistance. with the help of private contractors, went 25 percent of the city’s annual budget. In the 1997 flood that devastated Grand “I’m not getting my hopes up,” she said. neighborhood to neighborhood measur - Said Gill: “We’ve done everything we Forks, the city received a pile of federal At the same time, Gill and other ing property elevations and scratching could over the years to save money, and money from a variety of agencies to local sources repeatedly expressed lines on homes to show people how high now everybody sees why we do that.” f help affected homeowners, businesses pride at the can-do mentality of their the flood would get and telling them and local governments, with grant communities. Residents across the dis - where they could find sandbags. —Aaron Richins, research assistant, money for home buyouts, new flood trict played an integral role in efforts to After the floods, Pierre is facing steep contributed flood data and other research protections, even new home building. protect the property of family, friends costs—upward of $13 million, according to this article. fedgazette Page 11 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011 After the flood

The floods of 2011 will leave financial and other marks on district communities s

By RONALD A. WIRTZ w

Open for business, e N

Editor y l i

kind of a D

t o n

Aside from Minot, N.D., where a couple i M “Great floods have flown from simple of hundred businesses reportedly found The miserable cleanup in Minot begins. sources .” themselves in the flood zone, compara - Shakespeare writes that in his play tively few businesses elsewhere in the “All’s Well that Ends Well.” What the district were inundated. It’s hard to say “The preparation for floods is bad. Bard overlooked is another, more just how much business has suffered painful truth about floods: They leave because damage estimates focus almost The flooding part is bad . behind messy problems that make for entirely on homeowners and local gov - difficult, not easy, endings. ernments —the ones eligible for grant But the cleanup is the worst. Bruce Strinden lived in Grand assistance from the federal government. Forks, N.D., at the time of the great Businesses are eligible for low-interest It’s messy, disgusting and heartbreaking.” 1997 flood, in which two family mem - loans, but only if they’re in a county that —Bruce Strinden, bers lost homes. He later moved to has seen widespread flood damage. Mandan, N.D., across the river from But even without official tallies, it’s Morton County Board of Commisioners Bismarck. “When I left Grand Forks, I not hard to see the significant collateral thought I was done fighting floods ,” he damage inflicted on local businesses by said. the floods ’ scale and duration. While he lives on safe, higher The Missouri River, for example, has ground and has been personally unaf - been off limits most of the year, which fected by the flood, this time around he has greatly affected businesses that cater might be even further into the flood to the recreational trade, such as boat soup. As chairman of the Morton dealers, marinas and guide services; County Board of Commissioners, he most marinas were either badly dam - has had to deal nonstop with flood- aged or purposefully plugged, effective - related issues, from emergency protec - ly putting them out of service for the tion to access and safety concerns to year. Many riverside campgrounds were budget issues. He’ll take all of them destroyed . over what lies ahead for residents and In Bismarck, the Lewis and Clark the entire county. Riverboat—which gives Missouri River “The preparation for floods is bad. tours and is something of a local icon—

The flooding part is bad . But the saw revenues “fall off the table” when s w e

the boating season was closed, accord - N

cleanup is the worst. It’s messy, disgust - y l i ing and heartbreaking,” said Strinden. ing to a local source. a D

t

Along with the roughly 6,000 inun - Downriver in Pierre, S.D., the flood o n i dated homes and businesses in the wiped out the recreational season, even M Dakotas and Montana, damage to pub - off the river . Water claimed the munici - lic infrastructure and government pal golf course, along with the softball and the fishing was reported to be Stunted sales budgets have communities across the fields, all of which were low-lying. Local great—but the action is 10 to 15 miles Ninth District facing a long, expensive festivals, which bring in out-of-towners, away from the city . Given the soft economy, many business - cleanup process. have been canceled as well. Three mari - That might seem like a trifling mat - es are living on the edge to begin with, But you didn’t have to be in the nas have been wiped out and have no ter, but it makes a difference for many and small hiccups can be catastrophic floods’ path to feel their effects. The rentals, and all campsites in or near businesses. “What we sell [convention - to survival. The city of Roundup, Mont., impact of the floods on commerce Pierre—reportedly about 500 in all— eers ] is fish and golf” nearby , and both was virtually cut off from the rest of the shows that collateral damage extends are out of commission. have been eliminated, said Reis. As a state in late May and June when the well beyond those deluged by water. In summertime, “we’re usually packed result, a half dozen or more conven - Musselshell River flooded twice. Shawn Full measures of flood damages and with fishermen in the motels, and right tions scheduled for the city have been Dutton, CEO of First Security Bank in associated costs are a long time com - now we have none,” said Lois Reis, head canceled or relocated from Pierre. Reis Roundup, said there was “substantial ing because flooding was so wide - of the Pierre Convention and Visitors also worries that unless significant work loss to retail sales” when the flood cut spread and enduring . But enough Bureau. The city lies below the Oahe ensues to reopen the golf course and off all access to the town for weeks . information has become available to Dam, and the torrent it discharged all other local attractions, the flooding will Dutton said the community “has taken offer a snapshot at the wide-ranging summer ended any fishing or recre - also hurt next year’s convention season, a huge hit financially in the phy sical effects of the 2011 floods. ation. Above the dam , the river is open, which was already being scheduled. Continued on page 12 fedgazette Page 12 A FLOOD OF FLOODS OCTOBER 2011

The impact of the floods on commerce shows that collateral damage extends well beyond those inundated by water.

After the flood from page 11 losses and maybe a bigger loss in lost into and around the mouth of each mates put total damage at about $10 income during the flood , when nobody marina, at a total cost of $2 million. In million in a county whose annual road could pass through on the highway.” all, the city will likely spend about $8 and bridge budget is $1.5 million. While repair and cleanup work might million just for costs related to flood In many communities, roads took a pump more revenue into some busi - preparation and cleanup, according to beating not from floods, but from the nesses, this new spending will happen City Administrator Jim Neubauer. trucks used to build protective dikes. In “over an extended period of time and Across the river in Bismarck, whose Fort Pierre, S.D., four miles of levees were may be too late for some to keep their lower elevation exposed it more to a ris - built , and “those hundreds of trucks … business open or make their house pay - ing Missouri, the city had spent about beat the heck out of roads,” many of ment,” he said. $10 million through mid-July and was which will now have to be replaced, Randy Hellman can relate. He and authorized to spend up to $15 million. according to Mayor Sam Tidball. There brother Brad own Hellman Brothers, a City Administrator Bill Wocken said it are also numerous ongoing costs, men’s clothing boutique in Bismarck. could have been much worse, if not for whether for personnel or maintenance, When city residents got wind of the com - a “really good set of disaster plans.” like the 50 pumps that ran nonstop for

s

ing flood in late May, “I could have closed w Earlier in the year, many staff had also much of the summer to prevent ground - e N

y attended an emergency disaster confer - water from pooling inside the levees.

my doors for three weeks” because so few l i a

D ence, which helped them fine-tune As a result, the floods will leave a

customers came by, Hellman said. The t o

n their response to the flood. Those financial scar. Fort Pierre, a city of just store has been open for 14 years, and i Hellman said sales in May were down 40 M things might not seem like much, but in 2,000 people, expects to ring up percent from the previous month. June a real emergency, “you can run around between $5 million and $10 million in followed with another 10 percent about 3 million acres in 1999. A July in circles spending money like you flood repair costs. “In our budget, we decline. “July has picked up just because study by a team of researchers at North wouldn’t believe ,” Wocken said. don’t have that much money sitting I’m giving things away ,” he said. Dakota State University showed that And similar costs—for new levees, around,” said Tidball. The city has In Pierre, Rick Jensen owns a local farmers stand to lose about $1.1 billion sandbags, emergency response, law received a $5 million line of credit from restaurant and retail shop , a bed and due to this year’s prevented planting. enforcement and other protection, the state to tap if cash flow becomes a breakfast, and several rental properties. This figure doesn’t count acres that debris removal—are incurred at every problem . But the mayor added that the He said retail operations were down 50 were planted but subsequently flooded level of government. Burleigh County, city plans to postpone some previously percent in June and July. “When people in late May and June in many parts of home to Bismarck, estimated its costs at scheduled infrastructure projects. are uncertain, they do nothing. They the Ninth District. Few tallies have been $8 million. Across the Missouri River in Pierre, freeze.” made regarding spoiled crops. Fortunately for cities, much of these the flood dealt the city many indirect flood costs are eligible for reimburse - Tim Hennessey, regional president According to Montana’s application for blows that could not be deflected by the ment from FEMA, which covers 75 per - three and a half miles of levees built to for U.S. Bank in Bismarck , was seeing federal disaster assistance, only about cent to 90 percent of the eligible flood protect hundreds of homes. “We might the same mentality among bank clients. 8,000 acres went unplanted because of expenses, including levee building, not have had a lot of inundation, but “Our business customers are being very wet conditions in Big Horn County on emergency response and debris our infrastructure got hammered,” said conservative ,” he said. Given the slow the state’s southern boundary. But removal. States also assume another 10 Mayor Laurie Gill. Along with battered national economy, “there was a lot of another 43,000 acres were later ruined percent, often leaving local govern - roads, construction of the levees badly uncertainty even before the flood. This by flood, which also killed nearly a ments with less than 10 percent of the damaged much of the city’s park system. just exacerbates it.” thousand animals. bill and sometimes much less. Several The city also estimates costs for storm Most banks contacted for this article Farther north in Garfield County, the state reported that flooding affected 25 local governments said they expected to sewer repair at $2 million and for street said their exposure to risk from flooded pay as little as 3 percent to 5 percent of repair at $1.6 million. Rehabbing the homes and businesses was small to mod - percent of farm acres, with low -lying hay - fields “flooded, stunting or drowning.” their flood costs. flooded municipal golf course will prob - est . Most said they were working out But total costs will also run much high - ably cost upward of $1 million . In all, new loan terms with affected borrowers . er as governments bend to the task of the city expects to spend $13 million to Kevin Strege, president of a new Bremer The public dime flood repair. North Dakota has estimated $15 million on flood remediation . Bank branch in Bismarck , had a differ - public infrastructure damage , similarly The impact of these expenditures ent problem. Open only a month Governments—specifically their budg - eligible for FEMA reimbursement , at will be compounded by lower assessed before the flood hit, the bank didn’t ets and infrastructure—have also taken $305 million, with total flood-related values for properties damaged by flood - have time to make a lot of loans. “But big flood hits. By the end of August, costs topping a half-billion dollars. ing; in coming months and years, many business shut down. It just came to a Montana and North Dakota had Roads in particular have been hard communities will take in less property halt ,” Strege said. At the office, every - received $24 million and $13 million, hit . In South Dakota, 140 sites were in tax revenue. one was distracted. “We have 15 to 20 respectively, in reimbursements from need of repair by the state Department Regardless of the mess, the flood conversations a day on [flood ] things.” the Federal Emergency Management of Transportation at an estimated cost aftermath could have been worse. Possibly no sector has suffered more Agency (FEMA) for damage to public of $21 million, according to Scott Dakota Dunes, S.D., a bedroom com - from floods than agriculture. Estimates infrastructure. But those numbers are Rabern, a state DOT construction engi - munity in the southeastern corner of differ slightly, but in North Dakota , expected to climb significantly as reim - neer. The Montana DOT counted 179 the state, spent an estimated $10 million between 5.5 million and 6.3 million acres bursement applications from local gov - affected areas along state highways in on, among other things, four miles of of farmland—about one-quarter of the ernments are processed. need of attention as of late August, at new levees to protect about 460 homes total cropland typically seeded—did not At the local level, enough data have an estimated cost of $36 million, from sure destruction. With cleanup get planted this year because of flooding trickled out to show that cities in the according to an official there. Those and repair costs, the total bill is expect - or ground that was too saturated to plant. direct path of a flood spent significant statewide figures also don’t include city ed to reach $25 million. Whatever the final figure, “that’s just resources to protect residents and assets and county roads, which saw consider - But according to Ray Roggow, direc - enormous, far worse than anything from flood. When the U.S. Army Corps able damage . In Fergus County, Mont., tor of emergency management for we’ve ever seen,” said Ted Quanrud, of Engineers chose not to plug the roadway in 139 locations was dam - Union County, the value of the property public information officer with the state mouths of three marinas in Mandan, aged—eroded pavement, landslides, behind the dikes is $370 million. “So to Department of Agriculture. The previ - the city decided to do so itself—dump - washed -out culverts and the like — spend $25 million to save $370 million, ous high for prevented planting was ing an average of 1,800 truckloads of fill according to county officials. Early esti - it’s kind of a no-brainer ,” he said. f fedgazette Page 13 NINTH DISTRICT FEATURE OCTOBER 2 01 1

Brookfield Renewable Power’s $35 million project on Lower St. Anthony Lock and Dam near down - town Minneapolis involved installing 16 turbines in an auxiliary lock next to the shipping channel. Power from the project can provide electricity for as many as 7,500 homes.

A new look at hydropower

Thanks to new technology and recent tax incentives, new energy proposals are coming to district rivers

By FRANK JOSSI has never been much of a hydropower renewable energy—is also creating ing dam infrastructure to capture water Contributing Writer producer, especially compared with the renewed interest in this old-form power energy at five locks and dams (numbers Colorado, Missouri and Columbia rivers. source. Montana, for example, has 12 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9) between Red Wing, Call it a return to renewable roots. But spurred by aggressive renewable proposed and active projects involving Minn., and Lynxville, Wis., that will gen - Hydropower has been around long energy tax credits and new hydropower dam-and-turbine hydropower on rivers. erate more than 51 megawatts (MW). before the words “renewable energy” technology, a handful of companies have And that’s not all that’s happening became a political lightning rod in the filed plans to transform the lock-and- The Ol’ Miss on the river. Free Flow has proposed energy industry. But over the years, pro - dam system on the Upper Mississippi projects using the same technology for ponents of hydropower have watched it from Minneapolis to Rock Island, Ill., The main player on the Upper dams at Coon Rapids, Minn. (8MW) become a stepchild to sun-absorbing into a small powerhouse of hydro. There Mississippi, Boston-based Free Flow and at Genoa, Wis. (10 MW). Hydro solar panels and spinning windmills. are similar plans for several other lock- Power, has several projects at various Green Energy is working on a similar But thanks to new technology and new and-dam rivers throughout the country, stages of the approval process with the plan at a Red Wing, Minn., lock and applications of old ideas—and tax incen - including the Fox in eastern Wisconsin. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dam (4MW). And in downtown tives for both—hydropower is again being Though traditional dam-and-turbine (FERC) to develop hydropower at lock- Minneapolis, Crown Hydro has pro - talked about, as proponents argue that hydropower has become somewhat and-dam systems in the U.S. Army Corps posed to divert part of the river to an thousands of dams could be retrofitted to passé over the years because of environ - of Engineers St. Paul District. The com - underground tunnel to create 1.7 MW produce small-batch electricity. mental protests, its relative efficiency— pany has several approaches, but the fun - of renewable power, but has run into a The Mississippi River, for example, especially compared with other forms of damental idea attaches turbines to exist - storm of opposition.

Continued on page 14 fedgazette Page 14 NINTH DISTRICT FEATURE OCTOBER 2 01 1

Hydropower from page 13 The full-scale potential of such proj - With many existing dams at ity, but is the only source of hydropower ects is modest; the Upper Mississippi in North Dakota. Other rivers in that state proposals alone could add close to 100 simply don’t have the flow to produce MW, give or take, to the energy grid, or the end of their design cycle, it’s much energy or do not have a lock-and- a tenth of the power of Xcel’s Prairie dam system that could add hydro, accord - Island nuclear plant, and enough to estimated that the rehabilitation ing to Mike Diller, director of economic power about 75,000 homes for a year. regulation at the North Dakota Public Despite all the FERC filings and grand of dams with the latest designs Service Commission. designs, the only project to reach South Dakota has four major dams on fruition is Brookfield Renewable the Missouri River, one reason that hydro Power’s 10 MW project near downtown and technology could increase generates almost half of the state’s elec - Minneapolis at the Lower St. Anthony tricity. But the state otherwise has few Falls Lock and Dam, which recently power output at these same dams untapped hydro assets. “The flows on our began producing power. rivers vary dramatically—in spring you But the new proposals have other have good flows; in summer not much is advantages. Dams have been heavily crit - by 20 percent or more. happening,” said Chris Nelson, vice chair icized for producing environmental of the Public Utilities Commission. debacles, but there seems to be no great opposition to the lock-and-dam propos - Follow the money als at this time. Rupak Thapaliya, nation - al coordinator for the Hydropower Relatively new federal incentives might Reform Coalition in Washington, D.C., change the equation a bit. In 2005 and said the proposals he’s seen are “relative - 2008, production tax credits were ly benign” since they build off existing extended to hydropower developers to infrastructure that has no chance of encourage them to improve existing being removed as long as shipping facilities, add hydro to nonpowered remains viable on a river. And as energy dams and build hydrokinetic power in companies and the public alike seek rivers and oceans that takes advantage more renewable energy, the Mississippi of constantly moving water to spin sub - and other rivers in the Ninth District not merged turbines. yet tapped for much hydro are likely to Through the energy investment tax see more attention. credit, hydro and other energy develop - “We’re seeing hydropower included ers write off 30 percent of the cost of a more and more in both state and feder - project. And since developers may want al incentives, whether that be for state that in the form of cash, rather than a renewable energy standards or federal write-off, a Treasury Department pro - tax incentives like the production tax gram allows them to get a direct grant credit,” said Jeff Leahey, the National from the federal government, said the Hydropower Association (NHA) direc - NHA’s Leahey. tor of government affairs. “Those are That’s not all. FERC has been providing incentives for people to look encouraging “small hydro”—defined as at new developments.” less than 5 MW—by streamlining the Hydropower supplies 7 percent of permitting process and dedicating staff total annual electricity generation, but to answer inquiries about it. In a speech two-thirds of the nation’s renewable last year before the U.S. House of electricity, the result of its efficiency in Representatives, FERC’s director of generating electricity compared with energy projects, Jeff Wright, said that other renewables. Jon Guidroz, Free “small hydropower is an important part Flow’s director of project development, of the nation’s energy mix, and offers said water is 800 times more dense and the potential to add a substantial renew - carries 26 times the force of air. able, flexible capacity.” In fact, some hydro plants generate Mark Stover, Hydro Green’s vice electricity more efficiently than even president of corporate affairs and the coal, evident in the average cost per architect of many of the tax credits as kilowatt for each. Reports from the the former lobbyist for the NHA, said Wisconsin Valley Improvement Co., the U.S. Department of Energy, con - million to upgrade Rainbow Dam at one of the primary challenges for which helps operate 25 hydro plants on cluded that by 2025, there could be Great Falls, which will increase its cur - hydro in rivers like the Mississippi is the Wisconsin River for 10 utilities, show 60,000 MW of additional capacity across rent 36 MW of production by 70 percent. attempting to capture energy in low- that hydropower there is produced for the country, enough to power tens of But as much as a third to one-half of head settings. Advocates of evolving less than one cent per kilowatt hour, millions of homes. The added capacity that potential new capacity comes sim - low-head technology say the approach half the cost of nuclear and one-third comes from a variety of sources, includ - ply from adding turbines to dams that allows for energy capture without hav - the cost of fossil fuel. Other reports ing in-stream hydrokinetics, which fea - currently generate no power, and that’s ing to create lakes and change the basic show similar results. tures turbines underwater capturing also where new technology comes into contours of rivers. wave energy, according to Leahey. play. Most dams in place today do not The energy created is modest, but New spin on an old idea The majority of the additional gener - generate power, and that’s because they could be widely applied; only about 3 ation, however, comes from doing more suffer from “low head”—when the percent of the nation’s 82,000 dams cur - Despite that efficiency advantage, envi - with the infrastructure in place. With height of a river above and below a rently produce any power, and about ronmental concerns and protests have many existing dams at the end of their dam or lock is less than about 30 feet; half of those nonproducing dams are at halted any new large-scale dam projects design cycle, it’s estimated that the reha - the lower the drop, the less energy that least 25 feet in height, according to the for decades. Still, many believe there is bilitation of dams with the latest designs can be produced. National Inventory of Dams, compiled potential for significantly more and technology could increase power The Garrison Dam over the Missouri by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. hydropower production. A recent NHA output at these same dams by 20 percent River—the fifth-largest earthen dam in One of those is Clark Canyon Dam study, corroborated by earlier studies by or more. PPL Montana is spending $230 the world—generates 580 MW of electric - on the Beaverhead River in western fedgazette Page 15 NINTH DISTRICT FEATURE OCTOBER 2 01 1

Montana, where Riverbank Power is Hydro Green that the best market for in energy. Free Flow and Hydro Green, won’t pay enough for the power, the installing 4.7 MW of new generation. its turbines was in conventional in contrast, are relatively small compa - energy developer figures it will be a waste Turnbull Hydro recently put a 13 MW hydropower, and not hydrokinetic, nies with aggressive business goals. of time and money,” she said. plant online in an irrigation canal—a and is now applying that wisdom to Hydro Green has a total of 34 low- And if the first few projects on con - glorified, manmade ditch—in Fairfield, lock-and-dam systems. Using the head dam projects in the pipeline ventional dams or locks and dams Mont., with the support of a local ener - knowledge gained from two years of nationwide, totaling 1,000 MW and has have negative environmental conse - gy supplier. Hydrodynamics, another field tests, the company has created a raised $5.5 million in corporate financ - quences, the energy developers on the small energy provider, has proposed low-head hydropower turbine “we are ing. The company just moved its corpo - river may have a harder time moving nine small projects on existing dams in confident will work in these [lock-and- rate offices from Houston to Chicago to forward, according to Bob Larson of that state, the majority under 3 MW, but dam] settings,” he said. be closer to the sites of its proposals. Nelson Energy, a two-person firm in none have been built yet, according to Free Flow brought in $5.7 million this suburban Minneapolis that develops Tom Kaiserski, who manages the energy Potential challenges year from investors and claims a staff of hydro concepts, including the promotion division of the Montana more than 30 employees, with offices in Brookfield Power operation on Lower Department of Commerce. Still, the reality of widely retrofitting Boston and New Orleans. St. Anthony Falls. Free Flow’s Guidroz agrees that low- dams, or of new hydrokinetic applica - Still, neither company would release FERC’s permitting process requires head technology has come of age. tions, is a bit more sobering. A 2009 even the rough details of the cost of energy developers to notify all parties “You’ve got dams out there with 10, 15, NHA study revealed that the Midwest— adding hydro to a lock and dam. impacted by new dam proposals, includ - 20 feet of head, with an enormous from the Dakotas to Michigan and Brookfield Power’s project on the ing environmental groups. Though the potential onsite to realize power,” he Ohio—have the least hydro potential of Lower St. Anthony represented a $35 Hydropower Reform Coalition and oth - said. “You have to dust off the lenses of any region in the nation. million investment, according to the ers have not expressed opposition to the hydropower and come at it with a new And for all the potential running company’s website. lock-and-dam proposals, Larson perspective.” through these many small-scale proj - More than a few proposals have come recalled something he has heard many Hydro Green used the nation’s first ects, there are many roadblocks, includ - and gone. Nanette Bischoff, FERC coor - times. “Hydro is easy to go after for hydrokinetic energy pilot project at ing the expense of retrofitting a lock dinator with the U.S. Army Corps of opponents because, compared to other the lock and dam in Hastings, Minn., and dam on the Mississippi, and finding Engineers St. Paul District, said market renewals, it has been around the longest to develop a new low-head turbine for the money could pose a problem. conditions have doomed proposals over and the opponents are so well-educated in-stream applications. But Stover said Brookfield, which built the only fin - the years. “It comes down to an econom - on the topic.” f the Hastings experiment proved to ished project, is a deep-pocketed player ic decision, and if energy companies

Hydro in the Ninth District

Since 1999, the hydropower share of electricity production has generally Hydropower’s share of a state’s electricity production is also a bit misleading declined in the district—by as much as a third in some states. because some states are major power exporters. South Dakota produces about That is partly due to two reasons. First, hydropower has seen little expansion three times the hydropower as its northern sibling, but hydropower’s share of over the years, while energy production and consumption have risen signifi - state electricity production is more than 10 times higher (54 percent versus 4 cantly since 1999. Second, hydropower depends on river flows, and the years of percent, respectively). That’s because North Dakota’s vast coal reserves have drought in the Dakotas and Montana have had an impact on its production. made it a major producer (and exporter) of power. That influence can be seen in 2010 figures, which increased dramatically in the The federal government defines energy in “megawatt hours,” or MWh. One Dakotas, taking advantage of a high-water year in the Missouri River basin. MWh is 1 million watt hours.

Montana North Dakota South Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin Production Production Production Production Production 2009: 9,505,940 MWh 2009: 1,475,251 MWh 2009: 4,432,451 MWh 2009: 809,000 MWh 2009: 1,393,988 MWh 2010: 9,230,000 MWh 2010: 2,042,000 MWh 2010: 5,765,000 MWh 2010: 752,000 MWh 2010: 1,392,000 MWh Percent of total electricity Percent of total electricity Percent of total electricity Percent of total electricity Percent of total electricity production from hydro production from hydro production from hydro production from hydro production from hydro (2009): 35.6 percent (2009): 4.3 percent (2009): 54.1 percent (2009): 1.5 percent (2009): 2.3 percent

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration fedgazette Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Public Affairs Paid Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Permit No. 2977 90 Hennepin Avenue Twin Cities, MN P.O. Box 291 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55480-0291

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

A flood of floods

October 2011

fedgazette Page 16 OCTOBER 2011

AK 35 Cumulative Declared Disasters 195 3-2 011 *

NH 26 ME WA VT 31 38 44 MT ND 42 20 MN MA 25 OR 48 WI NY 63 27 ID SD 35 RI 8 23 39 MI 25 CT 15 WY PA 9 IA 45 NJ 29 NE 46 OH NV 47 IL IN 45 DE 13 17 51 39 WV UT VA MD 20 46 42 9 CO MO KY 16 KS District of Columbia 9 CA 46 53 55 78 NC 39 TN 50 OK SC 70 AR 15 AZ NM 53 24 23 AL GA MS 36 50 55 LA HI TX 56 25 85 8 to 24 FL 63 25 to 39

40 to 49

*Through July 2011 50 to 85 Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency U nited States: 1,903