Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2015 14:12:37 EDT
Summary: USGS Crews Switch from Flood Measurements to High-Water Mark Documentation in South Carolina Flood Effort.
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 130, with at least 17 being peak-of-record measurements. Eight streamgages have been destroyed by the floods, with five put back into operations with Rapid-Deployment Gages (RDGs) from the SAWSC-Norcross office.
Work is continuing on a flood event report to summarize the event. Storm-tide sensors deployed along the coastal areas to measure the flooding from the excessive rainfall continue to be under water and irretrievable.
Twenty employees from the SAWSC-Norcross office continue their support of field operations in South Carolina.
Assessment of needs for indirect measurements continue today. Over 35% of the existing crest-stage gages have had direct measurements performed and the remaining 65% have had high-water marks flagged for potential indirect measurement techniques.
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 13 2-person crews activated for this response.
It is expected that most measurement crews will be returning home starting Friday, October 9th.
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.