|
A very slow moving
low pressure system moved into the Louisville Metro area at
approximately 8:00A.M. Thursday morning. Light rain fell most of
yesterday, with an approximate total of 0.40 inch on the ground
at 10:00P.M. Thursday night. At 10:00 P.M., thunderstorms moved
into the area, producing heavy cells of rainfall. Between
10:30P.M. and midnight, approximately 1.50 inches of rain fell
in the Metro area, quickly filling flood storage basins and
driving water levels in creeks and channels to the top of their
banks. Since midnight, on average, another 1.20 to 2.50 inches
of rain has fallen, causing viaduct and road flooding throughout
the Metro Area.
RAIN TOTALS (from
8A.M. Thurs. through 6:00A.M. Friday)
Valley
Station 3.83 inches
Pleasure Ridge Park 3.52 inches
Shively 3.73 inches
West Louisville 3.54 inches
Butchertown 3.45 inches
I-71/Oldham Co. 3.83 inches
I-64/Shelby Co. 3.67 inches
Fern Creek 4.74 inches
Fairdale 4.32 inches
South Louisville 3.43 inches
Germantown 3.60 inches
St. Matthews 3.58 inches
Okolona 4.11 inches
Jeffersontown 4.05 inches
*At this time,
another 0.50 to 1.0 inch of rain is expected before daylight and
rain is currently falling at .25 inches per hour.
AREA RECON
MSD recon staff is reporting road and viaduct flooding in almost
all low lying areas of Louisville Metro. Water is over the road
on Interstate 65, northbound at Arthur Street; Outer Loop at
National Turnpike; Outer Loop west of Interstate 65; water is on
streets in Woodland Manner subdivision, just east of Interstate
65 at Outer Loop. Water is on roadways in Beechwood Village.
Water is on some low sections of Greenwood Road, west of Dixie
Highway. Water was on roadway on terrier Lane in Buechel. Water
is on roadway at Browns Lane, near Baptist East Hospital.
All flood storage
basins in Louisville Metro are FULL causing streams to top their
banks. The National Weather Service has issued a FLASH FLOOD
WARNING for all of Louisville Metro and surrounding counties for
the entire day (Friday).
GROUND HAS BEEN
COMPLETELY SATURATED BY PREVIOUS RAIN EVENTS. RAINFALL TOTALS
FOR 2008 ARE NOW 12 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE YEAR TO DATE.
It is expected that
there will be some homes flooded before this system moves out of
the Metro area.
MSD INFRASTRUCTURE
Crews report all auxiliary pumps in Beechwood Village, Hikes
Point and Highgate Springs are running full bore to prevent
basement flooding.
MSD OPERATIONS
MSD crews are working 80 to 100 high wet wells at sanitary
pumping stations and flows at wastewater treatment plants are
running at maximum. Emphasis is keeping water from backing up
through sewer systems and out of homes.
MSD CUSTOMER
RELATIONS
Staff has taken 88 customer calls since Midnight. Of that
total, 19 are sewer backups and 54 are flooding/drainage
related. Those totals are expected to climb with additional
rainfall.
OHIO RIVER
The river is expected to start rising again with a crest
early next week. Predictions on actual elevations will be
available later in the day. MSD is ready to place flood pumping
stations in service as necessary. Street closures are currently
in place at 10th and Main and 27th and Northwestern Parkway.
FORECAST
This is the most serious rain/flooding event we have
experienced since September 2006. With soils saturated, all
rainfall is runoff. Storm drainage systems
(creeks/channels/sewers and flood basins) are maxed out.
MSD crews will remain
on extended shifts through the next 48 hours to minimize damages
that any additional rain may cause. The goal now is to protect
public safety, maximize the carrying capacity of the system and
to minimize flooding of structures. The Weather Service
forecasts rain to diminish late morning/early afternoon.
News Release Archive |
