Floods in the United States: since 2001 is a list of significant floods which have struck the United States since 2001. Floods are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, storm surge from hurricanes, and dam failure. Below is a list of flood events which were of significant impact to the country, since 2001.
The remains of the tropical cyclone sat and spun over eastern Texas for several days before moving eastward just inland of the Gulf coast. Heavy rains fell along the western Gulf coast that week, with storm totals of near 940 mm (37 in) near Houston and 1041mm (41 in) west of Beaumont. Damage from the storm was estimated near US$6 billion (2001 dollars), and 41 perished from the flood.[1]
A large category 3 hurricane at landfall along the southeast tip of Louisiana, strong northerly flow behind Katrina while weakening to category 1 strength caused breaks and failures in the levees that protected the lower Ninth Ward and along other canals in New Orleans, flooding 80 percent of the city for nearly a month. The mouth of the Mississippi River saw breaks in its levee system due to storm surge. In Mississippi, a massive storm surge destroyed most structures along the coast including floating casinos, and preliminary figures show that the storm surge was higher than in Hurricane Camille of 1969.[2] There were 1,836 fatalities, mostly from flooding.
The combination of a moisture fetch set up by Subtropical Depression 22 and Tropical Storm Tammy, as well as an additional tropical disturbance which rode up a stationary frontal zone, set up excessive rains from coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states through southern New England. In New Hampshire, the Monadnock region was affected, with Alstead among the hardest hit as 300 mm (12 in) of rain fell within 30 hours, allowing this month to be the wettest in the history of the Granite State. It was considered a once in 500 year flood event.[3]
Prolonged rains fell across Hawaii between February 19 and April 2, 2006 as upper cyclones kept closing off northwest of the archipelago, virtually eliminating their normal trade winds, and bringing some of the wettest conditions seen for the 50th state since March 1951. Four of the cyclones were kona lows. The heavy rain event of March 1 to March 3 brought severe flooding to the east-facing slopes of the Koolau Range in Oahu, with 571 mm (22.47 in) falling in two days at Punalu'u. During the next rain event from March 8 to March 11, many of the larger islands received significant rain. Flash flooding occurred in Maakua Stream, and severe inundation affected communities from Laie to Kahana. As much as 356 mm (14 in) of rain fell over north Kauai, forcing the closure of Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei Bridge for the second time in 24-hours. 150–255 mm (6–10 in)of rain fell upon the southeast-facing slopes of the Big Island causing numerous road closures in Hilo. North and east Kauai experiences 200–300 mm (8–12 in) of rain over a 3 day period. Mount Waialeale recorded over 711 mm (28 in) during this 4-day period. The Kauai Marriott Resort suffered significant damage due to the overflow of Keonaawanui Stream during the early morning hours of March 11. The third significant rain event between March 13 and March 18 were too much for Ka Loko Dam in northeast Kauai, which failed during the early morning of March 14. The wall of water swept away homes and structures and resulted in 3 confirmed deaths and 4 persons missing. Repeated thunderstorms and heavy rains produced numerous road closures from flooding and inundated many properties.[4]
A stalled frontal boundary, a tropical connection, and a developing tropical disturbance led to heavy rains across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, particularly in central Maryland and Pennsylvania during late June. Rainfall amounts ranged up to 430 mm (17 in) during the several days of heavy rain. There was threat of dam failure around an earthen dam around Lake Needwood in eastern Montgomery County, Maryland, due to the deluge.
A trio of heavy rainfall events, on October 14–17, October 18–19,[5] and again from October 26–27 set the stage for moderate to significant flooding across portions of eastern Texas, Louisiana, as well as portions of Arkansas and Mississippi.[6] This was the wettest spell for the region since T.S. Allison of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season.[7] Two of these events were fed by tropical cyclones from the 2006 Pacific Hurricane Season, Norman and Paul, which affected western Mexico. Each rainfall event led to localized maxima in excess of 250 mm (10 in), and helped break a dry spell across the region. Localized totals ranged up to 711 mm (28 in) near Kountze, Texas during the 13 day period from October 14 through October 27.
Severe flooding in Washington state closed Mount Rainier National Park and damaged several mountain towns, including North Bend.
A stalled frontal boundary stretching from Iowa to Ohio was the focus for several rounds of heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding the week August 18 – August 25, 2007. Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio were the states hardest hit. Across the six states, 18 counties were declared federal disaster areas. Numerous rainfall records, both for most rain in the month of August as well as 24 hour rainfall totals were recorded. Over 457 mm (18 in) of rain was recorded in some locations during this week. At least $100 million in damages has been reported in Minnesota and Wisconsin alone, and 18 people were killed.
Flooding occurred in Oregon and Washington along with high winds. Interstate 5 was both closed and damaged.
Flooding occurred in the midwest part of the United States.
Extensive flooding is occurring or has occurred on the Wabash, White, Zumbro, Kickapoo, Wisconsin, Baraboo, Cedar, Crawfish, Fox, Iowa, Rock, and Des Moines rivers, as well as the upper Mississippi River, leading to extensive flooding in Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, and Missouri.
See September 2009 Southern Flood
A major rain event from September 16–22 which brought over ten inches of rain to the Atlanta, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Athens areas as well as the states of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. As of September 22, 2009 in Atlanta, 9 people have been killed due to the floods.[8]
A major rainfall event which lasted from March 28–30 which brought twelve inches of rain and flooded the Pawtuxet River, Blackstone River and numerous other rivers, lakes, ponds and streams in Rhode Island. The flooding was the worst in Rhode Island history, as the Pawtuxet River crested over 20 feet—12 feet above flood stage, shattering the previous record by several feet. The rainstorm, which occurred during the cool, dry season, added 8.79" to an already rainy March. At 16.34" of rain, it was the wettest month on record for Rhode Island.[9] A seasonal high tide led to severe coastal flooding in Bristol, Rhode Island; four of Rhode Island's counties were declared emergency disaster zones. The Warwick Mall in Warwick was flooded with 20 inches of water, leaving hundreds of employees out of work.[10] A sewage treatment plant in the area failed, contaminating the rainwater with raw sewage. Hundreds of homes in Warwick, Cranston and Johnston were flooded with over a foot of contaminated water. Many towns in Southeastern Massachusetts were also effected by the flood.
The May 2010 Tennessee floods were 1000-year[11] floods in Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee, south-central and western Kentucky and northern Mississippi as the result of torrential rains on May 1 and 2, 2010. Floods from these rains affected the area for several days afterwards, resulting in a number of deaths and widespread property damage.[12]
Flash floods put towns underwater and forced evacuations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A strong system caused the heavy rain and flash flooding in the Upper Midwest. Some of the worse flooding came a week after the flood. Near record stage on the Minnesota river in New Ulm, Mankato, St Peter, Jordan, Shakopee, Savage, and breaking records in Henderson. Records were also broken on the Cannon River and the Zumbro River.
St. Francois County has been the hardest hit thus far. Poplar Bluff has had over 1,000 people evacuated thus far. On May 3, the US Army Corps of Engineers blasted a hole in two levees along the Mississippi River, flooding some 200 square miles (520 km2) of Missouri farmland in an effort to save the town of Cairo, Illinois from record-breaking flood waters. [13] Further downriver in Memphis, Tennessee the high-end neighborhood of Harbor Town located along the river on Mud Island in Downtown Memphis has begun evacuating its 5,200 residents as flood waters rise to record-levels. [14] Interstate 40 that connects Memphis to Little Rock, Arkansas has experienced flooding along the White River where westbound lanes have been closed. Authorities expect the entire highway to be flooded, thus cutting off a major east-west route across the country. [15] In Tunica County, Mississippi, nine casinos are located in front of the levees in accordance with Mississippi law restricting gambling to water-born vessels. The hotel portion of the casinos are located on adjacent, low-lying land and have begun to flood with the rising waters. The Harrah's Casino in Tunica has reported nearly six feet of water on the ground floor of the hotel tower. [16]
In early September, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee had stalled due to Hurricane Katia. As a result, the main cyclone stalled over the Midwest, and a cold front associated with Lee stalled over the Northeastern states. This drew tropical moisture into the Mid-Atlantic. Over 1 1/2 feet of rain fell in some areas from September 3 to September 7. Moisture from Hurricane Irene had already saturated the ground little over a week before, leaving the runoff plunging straight into waterways. Streams and creaks throughout the region flooded, as well as moderate flooding of the Delaware River in some spots. The worst of the flooding stayed in the Susquehanna River area. Both the West Branch and North Branch, as well as most of their tributaries, flooded. Flood damage was sustained in a swath from southern New York to the mouth, located at Havre De Grace in northern Maryland. Record flooding occurred in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. In Wilkes-Barre, the water was measured at 42.66 feet, an astounding number compared to the record of 40.90 feet Hurricane Agnes set in 1972. Municipalities along the river sustained major damage, many househoulds and businesses among them declared condemned. The town of Bloomsburg sustained record flood levels, not seen since the flood of 1914 inundated the area. Many homes along U.S. Route 11 had sunken into their foundations, others being stucturely unsound. The Bloomsburg Fair, an event in the town since 1855, was canceled for the first time. Damages for the disaster will be in the tens of millions (USD), if not hundreds.