If you live along the Mississippi River, READ THIS

[Terre]

Source: Daily Kos

Cross-posted with permission by Deep Harm:

FEMA has finally acknowledged what some of us in the blogging community have been pointing out for days: those floodwaters in the rivers inundating Iowa and Illinois towns inevitably will make their way into the Mississippi River, increasing its flow and potentially overtopping or breaking 27 levees. But, FEMA isn't publicly sharing the specifics and there is little effort to get residents in the target areas prepared. As a result, we may see a repeat of the Iowa situation, where many residents were forced to evacuate with little more than the clothes on their backs.

My advice to those who live on the banks of the Mississippi: don't wait. Get ready now.

For anyone living along the Mississippi, this is a good time to test the family emergency plan. Don't have one, yet? Then, prepare one now. There's plenty of guidance on the Internet, from FEMA, the Red Cross and others, and I won't duplicate all of it here. However, I would plan to have on hand a week's worth of food and water, not just the three days some sources recommend. Even those not threatened by floodwaters may find their utilities interrupted and shipments to stores may be affected by closed transportation routes. Rest of the diary after the break.

Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/17/65254/3534

---

Make contingency arrangements for shelter for yourselves and your animal friends. Ensure that each household member has a copy of the addresses and telephone numbers for the places where you can meet up if separated. If possible, include one location that is out of state.

If you may need to go to a public shelter, find out where you will go, how to get there, and what you can take along. Very likely, pets will have to stay at a facility designated just for them. Bringing along the pet's favorite food and toy (and any medicine) available will make the temporary separation easier.

If a member of your family is in a local nursing home, hospital or other full-time care facility, ask about the facility's evacuation plans. Knowing that loved ones are safe will make it easier for you to concentrate on other emergency tasks.

Shop Now

Many supplies will disappear when a disaster threat is imminent, so shop now for any items missing from your emergency kit. Buy that battery powered NOAA weather alert radio, lantern and flashlight you know you need. (I like the kind that include a hand-crank, as well.) And, don't forget the batteries! (Tip: get stuff that uses the same-size battery.)

Refill that prescription and the first-aid kit you've been depleting for everyday hurts. Gather critical papers, such as birth certificate, passport, citizenship or residency papers, insurance, photo IDs, deeds, car title, and documentation of local residency. Keep the car's gas tank about 3/4 full, make sure to keep some cash handy, and get a carrier for the cat or dog if you don't already have one.

Pack the Pics

Now's a great time to get out those family photos and take steps to keep them safe. If the photos are digital or you have a scanner, upload them to one of the free Internet photo sharing sites, like Picasa and PhotoBucket. Burn them to a disk that you can put with your critical papers. If that isn't possible, consider taking the pics down to a one-hour photo shop. Make copies of the best and mail the copies to family or friends who live out of the area. Whether or not you are able to take any of these precautions, you will still want to tuck some of your favorite photos next to the critical papers, and
keep them close at hand for the next few days.

Stow It

Some sources recommend plastic tubs, duffle bags, back packs, and other items for storying emergency supplies. But, a plastic cooler with a tight lid may be a better choice, because it will float if somehow it gets away from you. The waterproof, floatable bags designed for use by kayakers are good, too, and are available at many sporting goods stores. Where you stow the critical items depends on where you might be when an evacuation becomes necessary. Two options are the coat closet near the front door or the car trunk (or both).

If your home has an upper story, now would be a good time to move that heirloom bureau and other treasures upstairs until the threat has passed.

Reach Out

If you are disabled, have no transportation at hand for evacuation, or for other reasons cannot make the necessary preparations, now is the time to contact your neighbors, church members, local emergency management agency or social service agency to see what help can be provided. If you know someone who might, consider offering it, in case they are shy about asking.

Tune In

Begin following weather updates and listening for alerts on NOAA Weather Radio. If possible, check out NOAA's web page where you will find a map of current flood conditions and the areas where flooding is expected over the next 48 hours. The latter will give you a valuable heads up on what's coming your way. (Note: clicking on the maps will take you to a map with more detail.) (Especially, go to this link provided in the comments by billlaurelMD.)

Hopefully, as flooding moves into new areas, fewer people will be caught unprepared. What tips and stories do you have to offer?

Deep Harm's UPDATE:

In view of the number of readers who indicate that they live in the affected areas, this seems like a good time to mention the Disaster Accountability Project's Disaster Monitor Program which is currently looking for volunteers. Below is the program description from the DAP website (where I also blog occasionally).

The Disaster Accountability Monitor and Blogger network is recruiting "Disaster Accountability Monitors" and "Disaster Accountability Bloggers" across the nation, in every state and community.

One key component of this project is to make sure gaps in critical relief services are discovered, publicized, and addressed. The sooner gaps in services are realized, the faster they'll be addressed-- especially when organizations, relief agencies, and the government are exposed for not doing their jobs.

In the event of a disaster, monitors will:

1. disseminate the toll-free hotline.
2. assist individuals with reporting gaps.
3. help verify reported gaps.
4. help publicize gaps.

Apply here to be a Disaster Monitor. For more information, email Director Ben Smilowitz at [e-mail].

My notes: This is sound advise, and worthy of breaking news. If the moderators feel it belongs in a different forum, please move as appropriate. Also, please check the original Daily Kos link for any other UPDATES to Deep Harm's diary. Thank you.

To those of you that may be in harm's way, be safe.

[CountAllVotes]

1. advice from a part Choctaw Indian here ...

Get the HELL OUT NOW!

You can't fool Mother Nature!

:kick: & recommend!!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. That is what I have repeatedly thought....

during this whole thing. You have hundreds of miles of levees and flood gates and diversions -- all are an attempt to "control" and Mother Nature cannot not and will not be controlled. I think these attempts actually worsen the problem -- the rivers are trying to "breath" and we've essentially corseted them. :( And then we build communities along side them. Not. Too, Bright.

I kid you now, 2 days before the flood hit Charles City, Iowa, a friend who is retiring there was showing me some brand new condos with a river view he and his wife were considering buying. They were very nice, high end, new construction. And they had a flood wall. I was skeptical about the ability of that wall to hold back a river and said so, but they were still really interested in the units.

Those units are now under water. A 100% loss.

You can't fool with Mother Nature indeed!

[defendandprotect]

12. Questions about the dams and advice to knock them down began . . .

about a dozen or so years ago and slowly muted ---

I remember seeing an article in the NY Times, in fact, even before that reporting that

"the dams and reservoirs built by our Army Corps of Engineers over the past 50 years were

impacting the rotation of the earth."

Imagine that!!!


The war on nature has to stop --- because it is simply a suicidal war on ourselves ---

[Dover]

20. Fascinating. Do you have a link to that article?

I'd like to read it. Thanks. Developing new understanding of water hydrology and how we respond to human water needs is probably one of the most important fields of study right now.

Wonder what this professor in Michigan is thinking about all the midwest flooding:

Philip P. Micklin1

(1) Department of Geography, Western Michigan University, 49008 Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA


Abstract - Water is essential to life. Modern, technological societies use huge quantities of this precious liquid. The hydrologic (water) cycle represents the movement of water through the earth's environmental systems. Humankind primarily makes use of three parts of the hydrologic cycle for its water needs: rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Our use of these components of the water cycle has had a variety of deleterious effects. Many large rivers have had their flow regimes modified and suffered from pollution with attendant negative effects of riverine, estuarial, and oceanic ecosystems. Lakes have suffered most seriously from anthropogenic caused pollution but have been impacted by introduction of exotic biota and regime alteration as well. Groundwater, because of its slow rate of replenishment, has suffered from depletion and accumulating pollutants. Looking toward the next century, we must alter our management of water and put it on an ecologically sustainable footing. This involves three key actions: (1) developing an ecosystems approach, (2) improving the water knowledge base, and (3) promoting improved management and cooperation, both nationally and internationally.

[Terre]

29. Fascinating is putting it mildly

Here's a Google link showing http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=dams+reservoirs+impacting+rotation+earth&spell=1">32,800 Results for the keywords: dams reservoirs impacting rotation earth.

Wonderful. Just wonderful. :sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

39. No -- someone asked me about it before because I've referred to it

a few times ---

I used to have the article --- it was in the front pages of the NY Times --- not the Science
pages. Appeared at top of page --- small article -- brief.

However, I'm sure you'd have no problem in getting ahold of the many articles a while back
advocating taking the dams down for environmental reasons ---

Another interesting article from the NY Times -- and I gave up reading it when they took on Rove ---
also appeared probably around that same time re OIL . . .

And it was OPEC saying that "when the time came that they would have to curtail or stop oil
production because of Global Warming" ... they were asking to be subsidized!!!
So it was recognization that long ago that the industry was more than aware of the problems
being caused by burning fossil fuels. Yet, in suidical fashion we have gone on down that road
because oil is in private hands.


Re this . . .
Abstract - Water is essential to life. Modern, technological societies use huge quantities of this precious liquid. The hydrologic (water) cycle represents the movement of water through the earth's environmental systems. Humankind primarily makes use of three parts of the hydrologic cycle for its water needs: rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Our use of these components of the water cycle has had a variety of deleterious effects. Many large rivers have had their flow regimes modified and suffered from pollution with attendant negative effects of riverine, estuarial, and oceanic ecosystems. Lakes have suffered most seriously from anthropogenic caused pollution but have been impacted by introduction of exotic biota and regime alteration as well. Groundwater, because of its slow rate of replenishment, has suffered from depletion and accumulating pollutants. Looking toward the next century, we must alter our management of water and put it on an ecologically sustainable footing. This involves three key actions: (1) developing an ecosystems approach, (2) improving the water knowledge base, and (3) promoting improved management and cooperation, both nationally and internationally.

As I recall it, about 80% or more of our water is used by business.

And speaking of "lakes," did you see the article today re Canada . . .
Lakes Across Canada Face Being Turned Into Mine Dump Sites
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/06/17/9694/

If he's "looking forward to the next century," I think he doesn't really understand GW and
the seriousness of the threat to humanity and our planet ---

Hoping for the best ---

[jwirr]

37. Vine DeLorian (sp?) wrote in the 70s "God created the world and

it was good and then mankind decided to remake it." He was right.

[saigon68]

21. YES---- "Brownie" is doing one hell of a job

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

23. Ho!

I have Choctaw friends both on and off the res. Hello to you!

[Hugin]

2. k/r

Serious stuff.

[emmadoggy]

3. Excellent post. k & r.

[hedgehog]

4. kick

[Raine1967]

6. K&R

:kick:

[Politicalboi]

7. It's a shame

Lives, homes and towns lost due to flooding. I have thought for years if this were oil we would pipe it. Why not pipe states that flood to others that need water. It makes no sense to think these old levee's can hold. If "Korina" as Laura Bush put it wasn't a wake up call then I don't know what is. We could be drinking that water here in Ca right now. Lake Mead is in trouble and it could have used some of that water. It would cost a fortune, but in the long run it will pay for itself in no time. Very good tips for those in harms way. I'm just wondering when Ca is going to have an earthquake. After all the other earthquakes around the world I think were due. I hope not but it makes me think more about them when they happen elsewhere. By the way I don't have a plan either.

[MercutioATC]

8. Ahhh, if we only had a "Preparedness" forum here at DU...

I think we have the votes to have one created...just awaiting approval from the Admins.

[MadinMo]

17. Love to see a preparedness forum........

[dixiegrrrrl]

40. I seconed...or third...that

The Disaster Accountability Monitor and Blogger network is great idea, and a
forum for DU would be good. Lottsa very bright experienced folks here, which is why I like DU so much.

Terre....great detailed info, very practical, and of course you/Kos are right on with knowing that flood water in the Upper Miss. will keep on coming downstream....duh....

FEMA hasn't said anything about this ???????

I have a re-newed appreciation of the situation after reading Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America,
so full of (scary) history/details Army Corp. of Engineers kind of thinking.

[bluesmail]

60. A couple of weeks ago one was proposed, I was all for it...n/t

[MercutioATC]

73. Like I said, I think we got the necessary support...

...just waiting for Admin approval.

(I have soooooo many things to post there...)

[kimmylavin]

9. That's a really good post.

I'm printing and saving.
We've gone through a bunch of wildfires in my area of CA, and last year we actually had the car packed up, just in case.

Think this is good advice for anyone...

[annabanana]

10. big k&r for rational thought.. . . . .n/t

[pattmarty]

11. Dickhead, finally went on TV today about the midwest flooding.

[defendandprotect]

13. .... hard to know if anyone is better off when Bush is paying attention to a problem???

[Spiffarino]

76. That sounds about right

He ignored Katrina and the Asian Tsunami for about four days before he even made a lame-ass speech.

Four days must be how long it takes to pull a head from an ass.

[truthisfreedom]

14. Thanks, Terre, for doing FEMA's work for them... they're obviously busy developing new formaldehyde

delivery systems...

[dysfunctional press]

15. the mississippi is a lot wider and deeper than the rivers that are flooding now.

while there will probably be flooding- it won't be on the scale of what's been going on in iowa.

[Baby Snooks]

18. Not true...

Each river that is flooding now is carrying all that water into the Mississippi River and that is a lot of water. Regardless of how wide or how deep it is, there will be flooding downstream. And of course downstream lies New Orleans. People forget that the Mississippi River is as much a threat to New Orleans as Lake Pontchartrain.

And the more it rains the more water will be added to the Mississippi River. All of it headed towards New Orleans.

And more rain is being predicted for at least the next week.

[happyslug]

32. During the Floods of the earl 1990s, the LOWER MISSISSIPPI ran LOW

You had massive flooding in the UPPER Mississippi and Missouri Rivers but the Ohio was running low, so no flooding south of Cairo Illinois (Where the Ohio and Mississippi join). The reason for this was a massive High Pressure system stayed over the Ohio Valley, keeping it dry (Almost Drought Conditions). The High Pressure System also blocked the path for storms going east, so the Missouri and Upper Mississippi Rivers received what was normal to be received for both rivers AND THE OHIO.

Thus it it is possible for the Lower Mississippi to be unaffected by these storms (as it was NOT affected in the storms of the early 1990s). Ho bad the lower Mississippi river gets depends on how bad the Ohio is, and the Ohio seems to be at present at normal if not lower then normal amount of water.

[dixiegrrrrl]

44. Just looked at the NOAA map

http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=jan

which says Greenville, Vicksberg, and Natchez near flood stage now.

Above there, normal.

Weird.

Good map, that. If I lived near a river it would be the first page I would check daily.
Here where I am , we check hurricane/tropical storm development and thunderstorm tracking.

[Lasher]

77. Here's another good flood watch resource

This USGS WaterWatch webpage provides real-time streamflow information from river gauges:

http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/

USGS provides access to sites that are not available at the NOAA website. You can zoom in to your state if you wish and access individual river gauges.

[iiibbb]

58. It doesn't have to go through New Orleans... they'll divert

the water through the Atchafalaya River if they have to.

And to those who say we've messed up nature... well we have... but not with regards to devastating floods. The Mississippi used to be a very fickle mistress. In that regard these engineering projects have done precisely what we asked of them.

I'll never understand why people on the floodplains of these huge rivers don't build on stilts.

[TheWatcher]

71. Shhhhh. You're disturbing the Enchanted Paradigm.

[Strelnikov_]

51. ..

Note record stage from 1993 ~ 1/500 (500 yr.) event at these locations.

[Gore1FL]

56. in 1993 this was a scene in St. Louis

It actually got much higher than that.

[dysfunctional press]

61. the forecasts i've heard have said that st. louis won't have as high a crest as in 1993.

nt

[Gore1FL]

64. We could take it if we had to. We are on a hill

The water came up about 1/2 up the hill the arch is on then. We lost a lot of boats, as the broke free and crushed under bridges.

Here is a pick of the museum ship we had at the riverfront--a decommissioned minesweeper, the USS_Inaugural.

[damntexdem]

16. I live in the Dallas area, but ...

with this flooding, I'm wondering whether that's far enough away from the mighty Mississippi.

[RedLetterRev]

24. I used to live in Dallas

(well, Garland, actually) and remember well the damage the Trinity has caused time and time again. Even if you aren't close to the Trinity, there are lots of "low water crossings" to beware (know your routes!). Texas loses a few fools every year who try to drive through those things. (What makes folks think they can drive in 12-15' of water, I'll never know. But someone has to keep the Darwin Awards site in business.) I was taking an ASL class at Mesquite College the night Garland got torn up by a tornado. Avoiding the floods while riding a Harley impressed on me the need to have a good map in your head with lots of alternate routes.

I'd like to add something that wasn't mentioned: if you need regular meds, keep at least a month's supply ahead if you can. Some meds you can't, so for those see if you can use a chain pharmacy that can replace or refill your meds if you're suddenly displaced miles and miles from home. Some meds require refrigeration; look into getting one of those little plug-in, electronic coolers to keep those in. Spoiled meds can be dangerous.

Update your disaster kits from time to time. Many items are common: when my partner and I moved from SoFla to NC, much of our hurricane-kit became a winter-storm kit with a little rethinking and resupplying. If you've moved, make sure that your kit has kept up with your new location and circumstances.

It's better to spend a little "what-if" time now than "oh shit" time later.

[timtom]

30. And there's them that still talks about

the Memorial Day Flood 1981 in Austin. Oddly enough, I happened to be down at the Kerrville Folk Festival that weekend and heard about it from friends who came down later. All those little dry creek beds that fill up so fast...

[undergroundpanther]

69. Red Letter..

You summed it up! Take of yourselves y'all. be safe,get yer important shit out,and don't forget your critters!

It's better to spend a little "what-if" time now than "oh shit" time later.

[proud patriot]

19. wise advice

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. I hope all folks downriver read and heed this advice

Having lived in Southern Illinois for several years, I've seen how dangerous flooding can be. Take care.

[lonestarnot]

25. K & R

[Shoelace]

26. Levee break this am now flooding Carthage, Gulfport, Ill. Water rising by the minute, CNN

just reported. Live report from one of their people who said water is rising a few inches every few minutes, inundating thousands of acres of farms.
This break just occurred at 6am without warning.

PLEASE CALL YOUR RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND READ THEM TERRE'S POST, GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE.

The Hydrological graph below shows where the water was going down until the levee broke, now going up beyond record stage. If this doesn't drive the point home, times this by 27 to get an idea of what lies ahead. Those levees aren't going to hold!

[DogPoundPup]

33. Thousands of acres of farms - - - Every last one of us will be in peril

of HUNGER this winter.

[FirstLight]

27. Wow, just wow...

I've been numb to the flooding, then some people mention fires and earthquakes...duh! I am nowhere near prepared as I would like to think. And I ran from a big fire last year even, but because it wasn't too close I still have a false sense of security. I guess I would "see" something coming, but nature has a way of making things happen faster than you would like.

Thanks for the wake up call. And thanks for reminding me to pray for all those in harm's way to be held safe. There are lots of changes ahead from this Mother Earth, we all have to be ready for the wild ride. And keep eachother safe too...

Great post, and I would LOVE a preparedness forum :)

edit, typing!

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

28. KICK !

This is the story that the news media needs to be reporting about.

[Magleetis]

31. I was in Natchez MS

This AM. They just had a scare last month and the the river is still high. I checked this page http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jan/cgi-bin/productview2.php?pil=ORNRVAORN&version=0 at NOAA and it shows a gradual increase in the river to near flood stage again.

Across the river in Vidalia they are building a brand new convention center and it is right on the river bank. They may be only a couple of big rains away from disaster. I hope not.

[DesertRat]

34. K&R

[jwirr]

35. I have just gotten Naomi Klein's book "The Shock Doctrine" and

am wondering how this is going to be used against the people in these flood areas. That would be the basic reason *ss & Co. would fail to prepare the people down stream.

[Lasher]

36. Don't look for help from FEMA

Katrina may have been a natural disaster -- but President Bush created the bungled response by gutting FEMA and turning the nation's security over to corporate cronies and for-profit contractors

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/8952492/looting_homeland_security

[sandyj999]

38. Excellent Advice. This is the first I have even heard the word FEMA

since this started over a week ago. Now they get involved cause "the leader" will be touring on Thursday. I heard someone that was being interviewed by a reporter say that it wasn't really important to them that "the leader" was coming because that had more pressing things to do. I suppose he will wear his "blue shirt, sleeves rolled up" uniform.

[Terre]

41. You forgot

"blue shirt, sleeves rolled up & miss-buttoned" (two s'? one?) ;)

[sandyj999]

43. One "s" or two doesn't matter, you made me laugh.

Maybe Laura will dress him. I just love his token interest in things like this.

[iamahaingttta]

42. Reminds me of Y2K

Lots of "preparedness" going on then too...

[elocs]

45. How did that Y2K stuff ever turn out? n/t

[iamahaingttta]

48. I think we are now experiencing...

...or are about to experience the levels of disruption that people imagined happening because of the date change rollover. Maybe it was mostly misguided concern. People saw trouble coming, but from a different direction? "Preparedness" was a good idea then, and it's a good idea now.

[elocs]

50. The trouble is that you can become so consumed with preparing for the rainy day

that you miss enjoying and appreciating the sunny days. Appropriate preparedness if fine, but I have seen where it takes over peoples' lives until they almost disappointed when no disaster happens (there were Y2Kers who were that way).

[iamahaingttta]

53. Balance...

It's all about balance.

[ensho]

81. some things only need prepared once and then sits and waits for

a time to be used. it doesn't have to consume all your time or thinking.

lists are wonderful things.

[elocs]

46. This is simply common sense advise that anybody who lives in an area prone to natural disasters

should already have in place. In you live in a place that is prone to flooding, you should certainly have these types of plans. I live in a city on the Mississippi River and to tell the truth it would take one very, very huge flood to ever put even a part of my community in any danger. Where I am at I am not very concerned. Besides this is all kids stuff when you read the preparedness of the peak oil crowd having to deal with the zombie hordes that want to take all of your food. Reavers and the like.

[happygoluckytoyou]

47. HECK OF A JOB ------> R. David Paulison

[LynneSin]

49. For those with pets - find plans now for what to do with your pets!

So many pets were abandoned during Katrina and other major emergencies because when the families go to shelter, the shelter won't take the pets. So now is a good time to figure out what can be done with the pets if you have to make an evacuation. Some shelters will take pets while perhaps you can find a kennel in a safe area where you can keep the pet while you are in shelter.

It's best to make plans now so we don't have more pets needilessly abandoned during evacuations. But then again I'm talking to liberals here at DU who I know would never abandon their pets - so perhaps pass that info on to your pet loving neighbors & family members in harms way.

[superconnected]

52. Great, FEMA is already actively ignoring the pending crisis.

Best of luck to everyone by the Mississippi.

[bonito]

54. Some images, link

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/06/mississippi_floodwaters_in_iow.html

[Catherine Vincent]

65. Horrific pictures.

Thanks for the link.

[alfredo]

55. Breaking levees relive some of the down stream flooding and shorten

upstream flooding.

[kestrel91316]

57. K&R

[TexasLawyer]

59. and keep a big hatchet and some rope in your attic

just in case you need to bust out. Many of the Katrina drowning victims were found in their attics, and many people eventually saved from the flood waters had be cut out of attics.

From an article called "The Axeman"

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/nopd_katrina/1.html

Scanlan had grown up hearing stories from his father about Hurricane Betsy, which slammed into New Orleans in 1965, flooding the city and taking dozens of lives. "I knew what was going to happen," he says. "I knew there were going to be people in those attics." He also knew that once the flood came, the only way to get people out of an attic was to cut through the roof.

http://www.trutv.com/graphics/photos/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/nopd_katrina/Officer,-lady,-hole-in-roof.jpg

[inna]

70. wow, thank you for this!

whoever Scanlan is, it looks like he saved numerous lives.



true hero - in times when evidently we have very few ones. (not counting Obama, of course. ;)

[fudge stripe cookays]

62. As a genealogist, let me say....

PLEASE care for your family photos and get them out when you evacuate. Scan them beforehand, put them on portable disk drives or other media, and send them or e-mail them to other family members so you have backups and yours aren't the only copies.

It breaks my heart to hear that some of the descendants I've been searching for for years lost all their family photographs years before in a fire or flood.

[Catherine Vincent]

63. Great advice!

K&R! :kick:

[Fire Walk With Me]

66. FWIW, I'll be praying that it doesn't come to that.

K&R.

[earthboundmisfit]

67. "Cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good..."

"Now, cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good,
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move..."

Been going through my head all day.

[DallasNE]

68. Some Good Advise Is Not Too Practical

The Mississippi River was above flood stage in St. Louis for 82 straight days during the 1993 flood.

The good news is once the flood waters reach the confluence with the Ohio River the Mississippi River is wide enough to handle the water without flooding.

The bad news is why didn't anybody do anything about improving the levee system that also failed in 1993. Strange how these 500 year floods are happening 15 years apart. It's back to the drawing boards for the Corp of Engineers. At least we can't point fingers at Brownie this time.

[Xenotime]

72. FEMA is sitting on their ass again?

[ThingsGottaChange]

74. I really hope the people along the Mississippi will go to safety

We just had our flood here in Waverly, IA. No damage at our place but it was very difficult going out and seeing the tons of debris put out for pick up. When you stop and think of how many things this will impact, it is truly horrific. I stay out of town as much as I can for now. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Yes, it sure will be interesting (and infuriating, no doubt) to see FEMA at work on this one.

[Spiffarino]

75. Get the guitar and the cake ready!

Bush will need them for...

"Ignorefest 2008: Disaster Schmisaster!"

[Magleetis]

78. NOAA

Has now issued flood advisories along the lower Mississippi.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jan/

[sofa king]

79. And as predicted by Deep Harm...

Midwest flood woes head south
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-flood18-2008jun18,0,1591400.story

Mississippi breaks Midwest levee
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7460712.stm

Wish all you folks out there the best of luck.

[lilyannerose]

80. What Is With The MSMs NonCoverage?

There seems to have been so little coverage by the MSMcan't help but wonder what's behind that!