Owners in potential flood communities?

[mjwalsh]

Anybody else have a serious current situation or memories of floods or potential floods affecting community which would also include their car wash?

Our city workers --- while doing their needed aerial views --- are sharing the below facebook page --- the plan is for the page to be updated as the water rises potentially over 6 feet above flood stage. The Missouri with its over 7 times current flow than normal is raging downstream a bit like a giant whitewater rafting stream. Those of us reckless enough to have swam in the Missouri --- we know how strong the "normal current is" as a reference point!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3403749697601#!/photos.php?id=103403749697601

We will find out if our community has come together enough & continues to come together with over 8 million sandbags & over 10 miles of emergency levees as the "How High is the Water Momma situation" evolves!

The dams from Montana & upper North Dakota are in a situation over 10 inches of very recent rains with greater than normal snowmelt from the mountains & higher elevations etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjDULUsvq90

Mike Walsh kingkoin of Bismarck, North Dakota

 

[Reds]

I went thru a flood in 2006. Highest level ever recorded (by 5') in the Susquehanna River at the nearest reference point. 5' of water in my bays. 3' in the equipment room which is 2' higher in elevation than the bays. Bays are at 100 year flood level. 35k in damage. Down for 3 weeks. FEMA offered loans at rates higher than the banks were offering. There is no government help for anyone who works or has assets. Tremendous amount of work & stress.

 

[borumrm]

In Nashville we had a flood last year.....it was one of the worst things I have ever experienced....my home was the last one from the river side that did not receive any major damage. Most if not all of the fellow carwashers suffered damage from the actual flood....our problem was the water plants did....because they were not able to operate at full capacity they issued a mandatory order that car washes, landscaping companies and a few other business had to shut down. No one really seemed to know why...of course the media did not help as they kept saying conserve water...etc...my wash did not receive water from the Metro water but because of the media everyone thought we had to be shut down as well....we had people reporting us and even had people phoning us telling us we were not good citizens..we would try to explain that only affected the metro water district and we were not in that district however they did not seem to understand...so we ended up losing most of our business for almost 6 weeks. The irony is that the metro water washes ended up getting a credit on their water bills somehow but since we were not metro customer we were not entitled to it even though we suffered just as much. Sometimes life just sucks.....

 

[Whale of a Wash]

Wishing you the best mike. I hope the 1 million filled sandbags our city sent out--help with the water. As you know we just went thru 2 floods in 2 yrs and 80 mph thunderstorms and tornadoes this week. It is very difficult on businesses. I hope you guys make it threw it . On the news they mention the possible loss of 900 newer homes. That would really be devastating to the city.

 

[mjwalsh]

We are cautiously optimistic!

Wishing you the best mike. I hope the 1 million filled sandbags our city sent out--help with the water. As you know we just went thru 2 floods in 2 yrs and 80 mph thunderstorms and tornadoes this week. It is very difficult on businesses. I hope you guys make it threw it . On the news they mention the possible loss of 900 newer homes. That would really be devastating to the city.

Thanks John & others,

We are thankful we are getting outside help in combination of the local effort.
The 1,500 ND Nat'l Guard is making a difference too. Our mayor said in order for us to understand & get the magnitude of 8 million sand bags in perspective, Fargo only had to use 1/2 million sand bags in their recent spring battle.

The June 1st one on the list within the link below is actual recent videos -- which they also plan on updating with their BlackHawk aircraft. June 1st is when we were just below technical flood stage --- can you visualize 4 to 6 feet higher as to what the Corp of Engineers is saying will be a certainty to prevent an even more serious over the top of the release gates of the Garrison Dam situation.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=missouri+river+aerial+Bismarck&aq=f

There has been non stop surveying to verify the elevations of every address in the city & it has been posted online so the property owners know of the likelihood of both manhole cover mysteriously popping up from ground water & the need for both sumps & for determining their sandbagging levels. As you can see even at this stage there are many who have evacuated. Some will be just fine as long as the power stays on --- some are accessing their home via boat but special drain tile in the yard of their structure with pumps will keep their homes dry for the potentially one month or two duration --- as long as the power is not mindlessly shut off! Another reason to have calm but caring elected officials along with paid truly qualified staff.

Mike Walsh kingkoin of Bismarck, North Dakota