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Posted on Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 9:08 a.m.

Flood watch issued starting this evening

By AnnArbor.com Staff

With additional rain likely today and tonight, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the area starting at 6 p.m.

If forecasts for up to 2 inches of rain prove accurate, the Weather Service says "significant street flooding" is possible in Ann Arbor.

Today's forecast calls for an isolated shower or thunderstorm this morning, then showers and a thunderstorm this afternoon, with a high temperature of 77 to 81. Overnight, heavy rain is likely.

Up-to-date weather information is always available on the AnnArbor.com weather page.

Full text of the flood watch:

... Flood Watch in effect from this evening through Sunday morning...

The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a Flood Watch for a portion of Southeast Michigan... including the following areas... Lenawee... Monroe... Washtenaw and Wayne.

From this evening through Sunday morning showers and thunderstorms are expected to bring periods of heavy rainfall to the area. Rainfall amounts may exceed two inches.

Prolonged heavy rainfall tonight may lead to flooding along rivers... streams and in low lying areas. Heavily urbanized locations... particularly in and around Detroit and Ann Arbor... may experience significant street flooding.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Comments

Rork Kuick

Tue, Jun 29, 2010 : 6:58 a.m.

I want to admit that I was probably wrong in attributing a large spike in water levels in town to Barton dam. Ed's point that huge spikes may be partly, even largely, due to Allen Creek instead is more likely. Measurements at Malletts creek show what it can look like (this storm caused flooding there). How large, and quick, those spikes can be was beyond my imagination at the time, but lamentably, it makes sense. Development of residential housing in Ann Arbor has occurred with little or no retention or detention of rain water - you just send everything to the storm drains and don't worry. The result of this horrible planning and stewardship is flooding downhill, and giant spikes of water, silt, and pollutants (like phosphorous) to the river. I found this link to be fairly good: http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/drain_commissioner/dc_webWaterQuality

Rork Kuick

Tue, Jun 8, 2010 : 8 a.m.

I see from a letter of Feb 8, 2010 that the city is proposing to estimate the outflow by gate opening and hydropower generation info. It claims that gaging below Barton would not be accurate since Argo impoundment nearly backs the water up to the Barton dam, which I can see is a problem if Argo is maintained at its current height. It (perhaps slyly) does not propose to measure the inflow. The letter contains addresses of several people who may be worth writing to. Maybe they care more about our river than Ann Arbor does. That's from searching http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/fercadvsearch.asp with docket "P-3142", as I was taught to do by Ed's a2docs link.

Rork Kuick

Tue, Jun 8, 2010 : 7:15 a.m.

Excellent work Ed, worthy of news stories. I also wonder about whether Barton is living up to it's requirements for public access required as part of it's licensing, but am having a hard time determining that. I saw the problem hinted at in a DNR Huron River report around 1995. But here is what shocked me most in the FERC letters: "Pursuant to article 2, the exemption order requires you to implement a Michigan Department of Natural Resources' (MDNR) requirement to provide a minimum flow of 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) or inflow to the impoundment, whichever is less. By letter dated December 24, 1981, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) requires you to provide stream gaging stations immediately upstream and downstream of the project to verify instantaneous run-of-river operations." So for nearly 30 years the city has not lived up to the requirements for the gaging stations. Aren't there some penalties for non-compliance? I am concerned that they have not been put in place because the data would show even more clearly how bad the fluctuations are. I'm concerned they would also show how much water the city is removing from the impoundment in times of drought. Here's a question: What can be done? PS: I find that 1988 was the year I got hopping mad, when flows averaged about 20 cfs at the beginning of July. It was a horrible to see it fluctuate then.

BobbyJohn

Mon, Jun 7, 2010 : 3:03 p.m.

Many people in the community have had wet or flooded basements. A warning to building owners that there are many disreputable basement waterproofing companies who prey on people in these situations. Before spending a fortune, hire your own independent home inspector to give you an unbiased viewpoint on what was the cause and proper fixes; often inexpensive and simple. Caution, however, choose your home inspector carefully. Make sure they are also independent and experienced; and will take the time to figure out individual solutions for your building.

Rork Kuick

Mon, Jun 7, 2010 : 12:38 p.m.

But the river did not need to go over 15ft, right? That was just because of Barton Dam, right? Looking at the last 120 days worth of data the over-reactions are rather disturbing, often over-reacting both ways within a short time period: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mi/nwis/uv/?site_no=04174500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 You can compare that to the smooth curves near Hamburg or at Mill Creek. Can't that be improved? When the river is low this is a big problem too. I tried to engage the managers, unsuccessfully, about 20 years ago, during drought. A measuring devise at the bridge in Dexter might be useful, or at the Huron River Drive bridge above Baton or at Delhi.

L. C. Burgundy

Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 11:48 p.m.

Now a flash flood warning: Statement as of 12:09 AM EDT on June 06, 2010 The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Washtenaw County in Southeast Michigan... Wayne County in Southeast Michigan... * until 600 am EDT * at 1208 am EDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a large area of thunderstorms producing extremely heavy rainfall moving along the Interstate 94 corridor and extending all the way back to Kalamazoo. * Runoff from this excessive rainfall will cause flash flooding to occur. Some locations that will experience flooding include... Ann Arbor... Canton... Chelsea... Dexter... downtown Detroit... Flat Rock... Livonia... Manchester... Romulus... Saline... Taylor... Ypsilanti... Belleville... Dearborn... Detroit... Dixboro... Grosse Ile... Northville... Salem... Trenton... Whitmore Lake... Willis and Wyandotte. Ealier storms have already produced an estimated 1 to 2 inches of rain across portions of the area. Precautionary/preparedness actions... Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area within the next one to two hours. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. If flash flooding is observed act quickly. Do not enter the water. Turn around and move up to higher ground to escape flood waters. Do not stay in areas subject to flooding when water begins rising.

Susan Montgomery

Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 11:20 p.m.

Statement as of 12:07 PM EDT on June 06, 2010 The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a * Tornado Warning for... southern Washtenaw County in Southeast Michigan... * until 100 am EDT * at 1205 am EDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This dangerous storm was located near Manchester... and moving east at 35 mph. * This dangerous storm will be near... Pleasant Lake around 1220 am EDT. Bridgewater around 1225 am EDT. Saline around 1235 am EDT. Pittsfield Township and Ann Arbor around 1240 am EDT. Ypsilanti and Whittaker around 1245 am EDT. Willis around 1250 am EDT. The warning includes areas surrounding these locations... Willis... Dixboro... Ypsilanti... Saline... Manchester... Ann Arbor... Precautionary/preparedness actions... Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a Mobile home... a vehicle or outdoors... move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Susan Montgomery

Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 10:14 p.m.

Statement as of 11:04 PM EDT on June 05, 2010... A Tornado Warning remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 1115 PM EDT... At 1101 PM EDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This dangerous storm was located near Willis... or 5 miles south of Ypsilanti... moving east at 45 mph. This dangerous storm will affect far southeast sections of Washtenaw County. Precautionary/preparedness actions... Tornadoes are difficult to see and confirm at night. Take cover now.

Susan Montgomery

Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 9:55 p.m.

It's now a tornado warning:... A Tornado Warning remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 1115 PM EDT... At 1048 PM EDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This dangerous storm was located near Manchester... moving east at 40 mph. This dangerous storm will be near... Pleasant Lake around 1100 PM EDT. Bridgewater around 1105 PM EDT. Saline around 1110 PM EDT. Pittsfield Township around 1115 PM EDT. The warning includes areas surrounding these locations... Willis... Dixboro... Ypsilanti... Saline... Manchester... Ann Arbor... A second storm was located just to the east near Saline also capable of a tornado and also moving east at 40 mph. Precautionary/preparedness actions... Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a Mobile home... a vehicle or outdoors... move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.