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A Flood as Big As Rhode Island!

A Flood as Big As Rhode Island!. Background-Flood Timeline. Flood was a two-stage event March 12-15, 2010 First event- 4-6” of rain/hurricane force winds Pawtuxet River crests at 14.98 feet, 5 feet above flood stage and a historic record March 28-April 1, 2010 Second event-8”-12” of rain

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A Flood as Big As Rhode Island!

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  1. A Flood as Big As Rhode Island!

  2. Background-Flood Timeline • Flood was a two-stage event • March 12-15, 2010 • First event- 4-6” of rain/hurricane force winds • Pawtuxet River crests at 14.98 feet, 5 feet above flood stage and a historic record • March 28-April 1, 2010 • Second event-8”-12” of rain • Pawtuxet River crests at 20.79 feet

  3. Pawtuxet River in RI

  4. Scope of DEM Involvement • Overall Unified Command/ICS • Dam Safety • Wastewater Treatment Plant Inundation • Oil and Petroleum Releases • Debris Management • Sediment Characterization & Management • TSDF Impacts • UST Impacts

  5. Overall Unified Command/ICS • Emergency Operations Center activated at State Emergency Management Agency • Web EOC activated for needs/assignments • Emergency Support Functions: • Oil and Haz Mat Response • Public Works- Dam Safety • Debris Management • DEM Agency Desk • Wastewater Recovery TF under Operations

  6. Dam Safety • 42 Inspections at 33 dams • 4 dam breaches • Laurel Avenue-”Signature Site of Crisis” • Staff supplemented by Army Corps of Engineers

  7. Wastewaster Treatment • 2 major plants inundated • Several pump stations impacted • Major downstream risk- water contaminated with sewage • Electronics destroyed • Recovery linked to energy efficiency

  8. Oil and Haz Mat Releases • 170 locations • Lots of loose containers and tanks • Gas cylinders • Many releases inside structures

  9. Debris Management • Extended Landfill and Transfer Station Hours • Household Hazardous Waste Advisories • Segregation of “Green” vegetative wastes • Marine debris

  10. Sediment • Downstream outlet of Pawtuxet River- 18,000 cubic yards of sediment deposited in cove • Concerns about entrainment/deposition of historical contamination • Advisory on treatment with lime- sewage contamination • Strategies for response • Check all known sites for releases/impacts • Respond to all releases discovered • 29 recreation fields underwater- 111 acres • Municipal sampling • Providence-Dioxin (upstream NPL site) • PCB, TPH, Metals, PAH • Street sweepings advisory

  11. Impacted TSDF • Safety Kleen • Activated contingency plan • Relocated drums/wastes • Submerged: • Lab • Records • No releases

  12. USTs • 55 impacted facilities • All inspected post-flood • No major issues • No critical damage • No releases

  13. Lessons Learned • Communications-Getting the word out • Supplemental staffing- back ups for programs expected for response • Planning- Hurricane exercises were very valuable • Working with federal agencies- regular partnerships vs. Stafford Act protocols • Issues with FEMA pre-approvals • Community Expectations of FEMA- can impact all operations.

  14. Questions?

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