Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2015 15:46:00 EDT
Summary: USGS crews from across the Southeast continue assisting the assessment of historic flooding associated with Hurricane Joaquin.
Five USGS personnel from the South Atlantic WSC (SAWSC)-Raleigh office continue to make streamflow measurements in the eastern portion of North Carolina. Three 2-person teams have deployed to the NC Outer Banks to recover instruments deployed to measure storm-tide from Hurricane Joaquin. Two 2-person teams continue to support field operations in the Columbia, South Carolina area by making streamflow measurements.
Latest count of measurements in South Carolina exceeds 110, with at least 17 being peak-of-record measurements. Eight streamgages have been destroyed by the floods, with two put back into operations with Rapid-Deployment Gages (RDGs) from the SAWSC-Norcross office, and hopefully two more back in service by the end of today. One M-9 ADCP was lost to flood waters on the Saluda River yesterday.
Work is beginning on a flood event report to summarize the event. Requests from the SeaGrant to coordinate sampling efforts has been received. A SAWSC field technician was interviewed by The Weather Channel yesterday afternoon.
Twenty-six employees from the SAWSC-Norcross office continue their support of field operations in South Carolina.
Assessment of needs for indirect measurements continue today.
Work on a FEMA mission assignment tasking for collection of High-Water Marks (HWMs) in the Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Columbia ares has begun, with a total of 10 3-person crews activated for this response.
It is expected that some field crews will be returning home starting Thursday, October 8th.
Support by the USGS Office of Surface Water and USGS Office of Communications continues.
Coordination of field crews continues with leadership from the Norcross, Columbia, and Raleigh offices.