As part of post-flood assessment efforts, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division, has enlisted the assistance of experts in hydrology and/or dam and reservoir system operations and maintenance to review, analyze and assess the Corps’ operation of the six main stem dams along the Missouri River leading up to, and during the Flood of 2011.
The review panel members are:
• Bill Lawrence, Hydrologist In Charge (HIC), National Weather Service
• Darwin Ockerman, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
• Cara McCarthy, Senior Forecast Hydrologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service
National Water and Climate Center
• Neil Grigg, PhD, Professor, Colorado State University
"We have several post-flood assessment efforts underway to help us determine whether changes are warranted in any aspect of our water management and flood response operations," said Witt Anderson, Director of Programs for Northwestern Division. "This team will help shed light on whether there is anything we could have done differently to prevent this year’s flood and provide us with recommendations for improving future operations."
Specifically, the team will review and assess a number of questions including whether water management decisions made during the Flood of 2011 were appropriate and in alignment with the Missouri River Master Manual, the water control plan that guides the operation of the Missouri River. The team will also look at whether the Corps could have prevented ore reduced the impact of flooding by taking other management actions leading up to the flood, whether long-term regulation forecasts properly accounted for the runoff into the main stem system, whether climate change played a role in this year’s record runoff and the role flood plain development played in the operation of the reservoir system proper to and during this year’s flood event.
The team will begin its independent review Oct. 4. The review is expected to be complete by Dec. 2.
For general questions regarding Corps flood response information efforts, please call (402) 996-3877, (877) 214 -9110 or e-mail at: MRJIC@usace.army.mil.