Mississippi River Flooding at Hannibal, MO - Part II

[NS145]

 :'( It appears from National Weather Service forecasts that the NS will have to close the Springfield/Hannibal District indefinately starting sometime Saturday.  The river will crest somewhere around 8 feet above track level and stay at that level for an indefinate period of time -- at least 3 days based on the current hydrograph:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lsx&gage=hnnm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

I suspect that the line will be out of the thru freight business for at least a week, if not longer.  NS today is abolishing the normal Decatur-Moberly pool jobs and placing everybody on the extra board to allow flexibility in assigning crews where ever they are needed to handle the detour trains via St. Louis. 

If the rain doesn't stop soon we could be looking at 1993 all over again.  The current projected crest of 30.4 feet is second only to the infamous 1993 flood.  I'll keep this thread updated as more info becomes available.  The wet weather this year is certainly keeping things "interesting" on the old Wabash!

[NS145]

The NWS has increased their forecast crest to 31.6 feet, which is just 0.2 feet shy of the all time record set back in 1993.  This looks like its going to get very serious, not only for the NS, but for all the railroads that either follow or cross the Mississppi across the Upper Midwest.  Its 1993 all over again.  Not good... 

[Rockin Roller]

1993 all over again? Has it ben 500 years already?

[NS145]

1993 all over again? Has it ben 500 years already?

Yeah, something is a little messed up...  I'm sure it must be global warming or the hole in the ozone layer or a mad Russian scientist with a diabolical weather modification machine.

Here's the lastest info:

20T was the last eastbound to pass thru Hannibal.  He was running about 12 hours late and passed thru Springfield around 21:00 last night.  #145 was the last westbound and the very last train to make it across the Mississippi before NS closed the line.  This morning the ionospheric skip was going crazy and I heard #260 running north on the Brooklyn District and 20T and #398 running east on the St. Louis District between Moberly, MO and St. Louis. 

NS MOW/signal forces were removing anything that might be damaged by the flood waters yesterday.  I guess the river might get 8 feet above track level in some places.  We'll have to see what happens, but my gut feeling is that the line will be out of service for at least 2 weeks, based on the latest hydrographs.  Even once the water recedes, NS will have to do a lot of work to get the track back in shape again to run trains.  I just hope this event doesn't last as long as the 1993 flood.  That was the summer from Hades - hardly anything to shoot for months... 

[NS145]

  Latest forecast crest at Hannibal, MO: 32.1 feet - 0.3 feet higher than the 1993 crest.  At least the latest hydrogaph is starting to indicate a slow fall starting next Saturday after the crest occurs on Thursday/Friday.  Of course, more rain could change everything.

Here's a link to the latest hydrograph:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lsx&gage=hnnm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

[NS145]

The NWS has reduced their flood crest forecast to 31.5 feet on Friday morning, 0.3 feet shy of the 1993 record.  The hydrograph also is starting to show a fairly sharp drop in water levels after the crest passes Hannibal.  It appears that it might take 7-10 days for the water to get back below track level after the river crests.     

[NS145]

Check out the latest hydrograph:  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lsx&gage=hnnm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

You can see the temporary drop in the river level due to the levee break up at Burlington, IA.  The NWS keeps revising things downward.  Forecast crest is now 31.4 feet, with a slightly accelerated drop in the river after the crest occurs on Thursday.   

[NS145]

There was another levee break north of Quincy.  The latest hydrograph shows a second rapid drop in the river level followed by a rapid rise toward the crest forecast on Friday, June 20th.  The forecast crest remains at 31.4 feet.   With things starting to dry out weather-wise, the river should drop faster than was initially expected.  We shall see... 

[NS145]

Just a quick update.  Some major levee breaks have occurred and drastically altered the flood hydrograph.  The water level will drop to 26.7 feet then rise again and finally crest at only 29.4 feet on Sunday.  I believe that the big levee break was near Lock and Dam No. 25 near Clarksville, MO. 

[NS145]

The Mississippi River is currently cresting at Hannibal, MO at 29.28 feet.  Barring any unforseen downpours, it appears that the river will fall below track level sometime next Monday or Tuesday (6/30/08 or 7/1/08).  I'm sure it will be touch and go from there.  At least the end is in sight (assuming mother nature doesn't throw us another 120 mph curve ball...). 

[NS145]

It appears that the mighty Mississippi has finally crested at Hannibal, MO at 29.47 feet.  Unfortunately, the hydrograph doesn't show the water level dropping as quickly as before.  By next Monday at 1:00 PM it will still be over 25 feet, which is 2.5 feet above track level.  A lot can happen in a week, so we will have to continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.  Here are some links to some interesting stories and photos:

http://www.hannibal.net/news/x19922089/Crest-predicted-early-today

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Flooded-railroad-tracks-seen-Hannibal-Missouri-June-18-2008-Eric/photo//080620/photos_ts/2008_06_19t223812_450x300_us_usa_flooding_1//s:/nm/20080620/us_nm/usa_flooding1_dc;_ylt=AjOgCTmNDcwkeXnID.hkd6gXIr0F

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25218759/

   

[NS145]

The Mississippi River valley in and around Hannibal has been inundated again by local torrential rainfall.  The NWS now is forecasting the river to crest a second time at 29.8 feet 1:00 PM today.  However, so far the actual river readings aren't matching up well with the forecast.  Also, the hydrograph finally shows when the  river should fall below track level: sometime late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning next week.  However, we have rain in the forecast for the next few days so everything could get pushed back farther.  These continuing delays are making things feel more and more like 1993.   :

[NS145]

Well the NWS blew that forecast.  :   The river crested again at Hannibal but at 28.89 feet, not 29.8 feet as was predicted yesterday.  Any idiot looking at the forecast versus the actual readings yesterday could have figured out that the river wasn't going to crest that high. 

There's more rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow.  The Hannibal area also received more rain last night.  I don't forsee another crest at this point, but the additional rainfall will likely slow the river's fall back below track level.  And so we wait some more.  The line will have been closed for 2 weeks tomorrow.   

[NS145]

The latest hydrograph shows a consistent downward trend in water levels.  The river has fallen ~3 feet over the last 3 days.  Assuming the trend continues, the river should fall below the track level of 22.5 feet sometime early Friday morning.  I have no idea how long it will take for NS to get the track inspected and back in operation once the water receedes.  I would think, however, that trains should be running again by this time next week, if not earlier, as long as we can avoid anymore downpours. 

Here's a link to the latest hydrograph:  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lsx&gage=hnnm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

Latest news from Hannibal: http://www.hannibal.net/news_local/x1743984740/Receding-and-recovering   (I find it hard to believe the NS could be back up and running today when the river level is still at 25 feet.) 

[NS145]

The NWS is now forecasting the river to fall below track level on Thursday evening.  I am planning to monitor all NS radio communications today thru the weekend to determine when the line is offically reopened to thru traffic. 

[Rockin Roller]

After all this time, you would think that there would have to be some washed out areas.

[NS145]

After all this time, you would think that there would have to be some washed out areas.

The place where the track goes under water is actually pretty far back from the main channel of the river.  Also, BNSF's line is between the main channel and the NS, so it probably takes the brunt of the river's fury.  And the infamous Sny levee didn't break, so only a short stretch of track was actually flooded, unlike 1993.  I suspect that sediment and debris will be the primary issues in getting the line reopened. 

According to a news story just posted here on JREB, NS is planning to start running trains sometime tomorrow.   I don't know if they will be doing the "push-pull" moves  initially, or if the water will be low enough by then to allow NS to run trains straight on thru. 

[NS145]

The Springfield/Hannibal District was re-opened to thru traffic sometime early on 7/4/2008.  I had some family commitments this weekend so I wasn't able to get pictures of the first trains to run on the West End since June 14th.  I do have a scanner recording all radio traffic at a remote location.  I should be able to ascertain all the details tomorrow when I can get access to the recordings. 

Hopefully, this will be the end of the flooding for this year and many years to come.   

[NS145]

I have reviewed my recordings and 33J was the first westbound train and #398 was the first eastbound train to cross the Mississippi River at Hannibal.  #398 reached Hannibal first and had the honour of officially reopening the West End to thru traffic.