Flooding in the Upper Midwest and climate change

[fargoflooding]

I am trying to gather information about climate change and how it might be impacting the upper midwest. Specifically, I am noticing what seem to be long term changes (well, when I say long term, I am talking about my lifetime) in the waterways of my region in North Dakota. The Devils Lake area is flowing over. The Red River is flooding more often and more dramatically. I live in the Red River Valley and understand that it was once a water bed, but might climate change be turning it back into one?

Although I have my opinions on whether climate change exists or not, I would be interested to hear what all of you have to say! Thanks in advance.

[Clifford]

Here is the US Global Climate Change Report:

http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts/download-the-report

On Document pages 43&44, index 47&48, it seems to indicate predictions of lower drought for North Dakota, as well as an observed higher incidence of days with very heavy precipitation.

Oregon is also listed for "heavy precipitation". There are floods off and on.

One of the more spectacular floods was a half century ago, 1964.

"Flood Stage" on the Rogue River is considered 17 feet. It hit 68 feet in Agness, and some notes indicate that it hit +80 feet near Galice. Notes are that it was higher in 1861, 1890, and perhaps 1927.

Here, floods have been limited significantly due to hydroelectric power generating dams, and intentional fall season draw-downs of lake levels.

In the past the USACE had a policy of not holding any Fall Flow water. I don't know if that policy has changed as there was a flood a few years ago that they could have contained, but poorly managed.

I just calculated... at peak flow (152,000 ft³/sec), the entire dam system on the Rogue River would be able to hold about 11 ½ hrs of flood water not counting the released water, which might extend it to a day or so.. I'm not sure how long it was at peak flow in 1964, but perhaps the dams just give one a false sense of security.

If you have built a house on a dry lake bed... you probably shouldn't blame global warming for flooding.

[fargoflooding]

Here is the US Global Climate Change Report:

http://www.globalcha...load-the-report

On Document pages 43&44, index 47&48, it seems to indicate predictions of lower drought for North Dakota, as well as an observed higher incidence of days with very heavy precipitation.

Oregon is also listed for "heavy precipitation". There are floods off and on.

One of the more spectacular floods was a half century ago, 1964.

"Flood Stage" on the Rogue River is considered 17 feet. It hit 68 feet in Agness, and some notes indicate that it hit +80 feet near Galice. Notes are that it was higher in 1861, 1890, and perhaps 1927.

Here, floods have been limited significantly due to hydroelectric power generating dams, and intentional fall season draw-downs of lake levels.

In the past the USACE had a policy of not holding any Fall Flow water. I don't know if that policy has changed as there was a flood a few years ago that they could have contained, but poorly managed.

I just calculated... at peak flow (152,000 ft³/sec), the entire dam system on the Rogue River would be able to hold about 11 ½ hrs of flood water not counting the released water, which might extend it to a day or so.. I'm not sure how long it was at peak flow in 1964, but perhaps the dams just give one a false sense of security.

If you have built a house on a dry lake bed... you probably shouldn't blame global warming for flooding.

lol... true that we are on the Lake Aggazi bed, but we are talking about a body of water that drained about 10,000 years ago. btw... was Rogue beer named after the river?

[Clifford]

I must admit that I'm not too up on my "beers".

If Rogue Beer is from the Ashland/Medford/Grants Pass area... then yes, the name would be associated with the Rogue River.

Do they brew with Rogue River Water?

So, the lake was supposed to be dry for 10,000 years?

That puts you back to the beginning of the Holocene, but I'm assuming somewhat after the Glacier retreat.

So, the question is whether the water that you had was Glacier Melt-Water, or if it was rain water.

How does the lakebed drain? Issues with salt?

I think I'd buy a house on a hillside... just to be safe