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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
FFX County & Local Area News
()
Date: September 08, 2011 05:17PM
Deadly flooding shuts down area roads
Thursday - 9/8/2011, 4:40pm ET
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2534211
WASHINGTON - Flood waters are slowing the evening commute, driving people from their homes, canceling events across the region and appear to have claimed one life in the Baltimore-Washington area.
Anne Arundel County police said Thursday that a Pasadena man is presumed to have drowned after he was pulled from high water behind his home Wednesday night.
Thursday afternoon, the mayor of Port Deposit ordered a mandatory evacuation of the Susquehanna River town as flood gates are opened on the nearby Conowingo Dam.
The city of Havre de Grace is ordering a mandatory evacuation of hundreds of residents from low-lying areas as the Susquehanna River continues to rise.
The Charles County Department of Public Works and the Maryland Department of the Environment announced precautionary boil water advisory to customers of the Clifton on the Potomac water system. They are repairing a broken water main and hope to restore water service by Friday.
Once water service is restored, some residents may experience water discoloration.
Prince George's County and the city of Annapolis have opened emergency operations centers to respond to the rising water. And with some areas of the WTOP listening area receiving between 6 and 10 inches of rain over the last four days, flood warnings continue to be posted.
"Any little bit of moderate to heavy rain is just going to make the streams come up. They just can't drain off," says ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Doug Hill.
A flash flood warning has been issued until 7:30 p.m. for Montgomery and Frederick counties and portions of Northern Virginia; and Prince George's, Charles and St. Mary's counties until 8:45 p.m.
A flood warning is in effect for Anne Arundel, Calvert and St. Mary's counties until 8:30 p.m.
A flash flood watch is in effect until 2 a.m. Friday for the entire D.C. region. A watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding.
Between 10 a.m. and 10:30, more than an inch of rain fell near Dawsonville, the National Weather Service says.
Forecast
The forecast calls for more rain Thursday, and it could be heavy at times. It will be near 80. Friday will bring a 40 percent chance of showers. Temperatures will be near 80. Saturday and Sunday will be partly sunny, humid with some isolated afternoon storms.
"At times this afternoon, we will have heavy, heavy downpours," says ABC 7 Meteorologist Chris Naille.
For more weather, click here.
Closings
Charles County Public Schools are closed Friday.
All Prince George's County Public School after school and evening activities have been canceled for Thursday. The back-to-school nights scheduled for Thursday will be rescheduled for a later date. For more information, click here.
In Howard County Public Schools, Worthington Elementary School closed because of a power outage.
The Our Lady of Lords private school in Bethesda is closed. St. Mary of the Assumption in Upper Marlboro is closed.
Some of the courthouses in Prince George's County also closed. Click here for WTOP's closings list.
Rain Totals
Since Monday, some areas of the WTOP listening area have received nearly 10 inches of rain, flooding basements and roads.
Here are some of the unofficial rain totals:
Columbia, Md: 9.89 inches
Bowie, Md.: 8.08 inches
Upper Marlboro, Md.: 7.39 inches
Waldorf, Md.: 7.02 inches
Chevy Chase, Md.: 6.23 inches
Arlington, Va.: 5.91 inches
Woodbridge, Va.: 5.82 inches
Washington, D.C. at Children's Hospital: 5.6 inches
Many roads are shut down because of flooding or high water. Prince George's County has been particularly hard hit.
The Maryland State Highway Administration says it's closing a section of southbound US 301 indefinitely in La Plata due to storm damage. The agency urged motorists on Thursday to take other routes, such as Interstate 95 or Interstate 495, to get from the Baltimore-Washington area to northern Virginia.
The SHA says about 30 state-maintained highways are among the scores of roads closed by flooding.
If your Prince George's County road is flooded or impassable, call the automated customer service line at 301-499-8520 to report it.
In Largo, the Southwest Branch stream rushed over its banks, flooding some streets. The water in some areas is car-tire high.
Here is a list of major road closures and incidents in the D.C. area:
US 301 BETWEEN MD 725 AND MD 4, Upper Marlboro - All lanes closed, high water.
Route 50 (Lee Jackson Highway) - in front of Fair Oaks Mall closed in both directions.
Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) at Colvin Run Road - Closed due to high water.
NB Route 4 past Route 408 - All lanes closed, high water.
Outer Loop ramps to Route 7 - closed due to standing water.
Beltway between Route 50 and Interstate 66 - High standing water reported both ways. Drivers advised to take caution.
U.S. 301 at Port Tobacco Road southbound in La Plata closed. Southbound is blocked from Glen Albin Road to District 1 Sheriff's Station because the right shoulder of the road is washed out.
For the latest traffic incidents, visit the WTOP Traffic page or follow @WTOPTraffic on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
Both the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Transportation have a list of continuously updated closures.
Annapolis Dam opened
In Annapolis, crews opened the Annapolis Dam valve to its capacity about midnight when flash flooding became a possibility.
The water rose to 25.6 feet, causing the dam to overflow at 3 a.m. The top of the dam is 25.2 feet.
In Charles County, officials say multiple county roads have high water or hazardous conditions and are impassable. Drivers are asked to stay off the roads. To report a hazardous road condition, contact the Charles County Department of Public Works, Roads Division, at 301-932-3440.
Also in Charles County, there's a water main break that has disrupted service to Clifton on the Potomac. Bottled water is available to residents at Clifton Well, 9980 Clifton Drive. The Charles County Department of Public Works, Utilities Division, is working to restore water service in this area.
Public Transportation
MARC riders experienced 15- to 30-minute delays on the Brunswick, Penn and Camden lines Thursday morning. The Laurel station lot was closed.
Delays of 30- to 45-minutes were reported Virgina Railway Express' Fredericksburg line Thursday, as well as 10-minute delays on Manassas trains.
Sandbags available
D.C. - The public works department will distribute sandbags between 10 a.m. Thursday and 12 a.m. Friday at RFK Stadium's Lot 7. The sandbags weigh between 40 and 50 pounds, and you'll need to load them into your vehicle. Anybody who received sandbags Wednesday or last month is asked not to come back for additional bags. You will need D.C. identification to receive up to five sandbags.
Charles County - Charles County will have sandbags available for county residents beginning at 1 p.m. at the county Emergency Services Building, 10425 Audie Lane, La Plata. There is a limit of 20 bags per resident. There is also a large mound of sand available in the parking lot at Laurel Springs Park, Radio Station Road, La Plata. Residents should bring a shovel to fill their own bags.
Avoid the Potomac River
People are warned to stay away from the Potomac River, particularly near the rocks at Great Falls and the Chain Bridge.
Heavy rains have resulted in the D.C. sewer system overflowing into local waterways including the Potomac. D.C. Water engineers estimate about 250 million gallons of sewer overflow including raw sewage have been released into local waterways this week.
Due to these hazardous swim conditions, organizers of the 2011 Nation's Triathlon have canceled the swim portion of Sunday's event. There will be a 40K bike and 10K run only.
The National Park Service warns hikers to avoid the C&O canal for the next few days. Campgrounds along the tow path, the overlook on the Maryland side of Great Falls and the Billy Goat Trail have all been closed.
Fletcher's Boat House just north of the Key Bridge has canceled rentals due to the threat of lightning.
Thursday - 9/8/2011, 4:40pm ET
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2534211
WASHINGTON - Flood waters are slowing the evening commute, driving people from their homes, canceling events across the region and appear to have claimed one life in the Baltimore-Washington area.
Anne Arundel County police said Thursday that a Pasadena man is presumed to have drowned after he was pulled from high water behind his home Wednesday night.
Thursday afternoon, the mayor of Port Deposit ordered a mandatory evacuation of the Susquehanna River town as flood gates are opened on the nearby Conowingo Dam.
The city of Havre de Grace is ordering a mandatory evacuation of hundreds of residents from low-lying areas as the Susquehanna River continues to rise.
The Charles County Department of Public Works and the Maryland Department of the Environment announced precautionary boil water advisory to customers of the Clifton on the Potomac water system. They are repairing a broken water main and hope to restore water service by Friday.
Once water service is restored, some residents may experience water discoloration.
Prince George's County and the city of Annapolis have opened emergency operations centers to respond to the rising water. And with some areas of the WTOP listening area receiving between 6 and 10 inches of rain over the last four days, flood warnings continue to be posted.
"Any little bit of moderate to heavy rain is just going to make the streams come up. They just can't drain off," says ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Doug Hill.
A flash flood warning has been issued until 7:30 p.m. for Montgomery and Frederick counties and portions of Northern Virginia; and Prince George's, Charles and St. Mary's counties until 8:45 p.m.
A flood warning is in effect for Anne Arundel, Calvert and St. Mary's counties until 8:30 p.m.
A flash flood watch is in effect until 2 a.m. Friday for the entire D.C. region. A watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding.
Between 10 a.m. and 10:30, more than an inch of rain fell near Dawsonville, the National Weather Service says.
Forecast
The forecast calls for more rain Thursday, and it could be heavy at times. It will be near 80. Friday will bring a 40 percent chance of showers. Temperatures will be near 80. Saturday and Sunday will be partly sunny, humid with some isolated afternoon storms.
"At times this afternoon, we will have heavy, heavy downpours," says ABC 7 Meteorologist Chris Naille.
For more weather, click here.
Closings
Charles County Public Schools are closed Friday.
All Prince George's County Public School after school and evening activities have been canceled for Thursday. The back-to-school nights scheduled for Thursday will be rescheduled for a later date. For more information, click here.
In Howard County Public Schools, Worthington Elementary School closed because of a power outage.
The Our Lady of Lords private school in Bethesda is closed. St. Mary of the Assumption in Upper Marlboro is closed.
Some of the courthouses in Prince George's County also closed. Click here for WTOP's closings list.
Rain Totals
Since Monday, some areas of the WTOP listening area have received nearly 10 inches of rain, flooding basements and roads.
Here are some of the unofficial rain totals:
Columbia, Md: 9.89 inches
Bowie, Md.: 8.08 inches
Upper Marlboro, Md.: 7.39 inches
Waldorf, Md.: 7.02 inches
Chevy Chase, Md.: 6.23 inches
Arlington, Va.: 5.91 inches
Woodbridge, Va.: 5.82 inches
Washington, D.C. at Children's Hospital: 5.6 inches
Many roads are shut down because of flooding or high water. Prince George's County has been particularly hard hit.
The Maryland State Highway Administration says it's closing a section of southbound US 301 indefinitely in La Plata due to storm damage. The agency urged motorists on Thursday to take other routes, such as Interstate 95 or Interstate 495, to get from the Baltimore-Washington area to northern Virginia.
The SHA says about 30 state-maintained highways are among the scores of roads closed by flooding.
If your Prince George's County road is flooded or impassable, call the automated customer service line at 301-499-8520 to report it.
In Largo, the Southwest Branch stream rushed over its banks, flooding some streets. The water in some areas is car-tire high.
Here is a list of major road closures and incidents in the D.C. area:
US 301 BETWEEN MD 725 AND MD 4, Upper Marlboro - All lanes closed, high water.
Route 50 (Lee Jackson Highway) - in front of Fair Oaks Mall closed in both directions.
Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) at Colvin Run Road - Closed due to high water.
NB Route 4 past Route 408 - All lanes closed, high water.
Outer Loop ramps to Route 7 - closed due to standing water.
Beltway between Route 50 and Interstate 66 - High standing water reported both ways. Drivers advised to take caution.
U.S. 301 at Port Tobacco Road southbound in La Plata closed. Southbound is blocked from Glen Albin Road to District 1 Sheriff's Station because the right shoulder of the road is washed out.
For the latest traffic incidents, visit the WTOP Traffic page or follow @WTOPTraffic on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
Both the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Transportation have a list of continuously updated closures.
Annapolis Dam opened
In Annapolis, crews opened the Annapolis Dam valve to its capacity about midnight when flash flooding became a possibility.
The water rose to 25.6 feet, causing the dam to overflow at 3 a.m. The top of the dam is 25.2 feet.
In Charles County, officials say multiple county roads have high water or hazardous conditions and are impassable. Drivers are asked to stay off the roads. To report a hazardous road condition, contact the Charles County Department of Public Works, Roads Division, at 301-932-3440.
Also in Charles County, there's a water main break that has disrupted service to Clifton on the Potomac. Bottled water is available to residents at Clifton Well, 9980 Clifton Drive. The Charles County Department of Public Works, Utilities Division, is working to restore water service in this area.
Public Transportation
MARC riders experienced 15- to 30-minute delays on the Brunswick, Penn and Camden lines Thursday morning. The Laurel station lot was closed.
Delays of 30- to 45-minutes were reported Virgina Railway Express' Fredericksburg line Thursday, as well as 10-minute delays on Manassas trains.
Sandbags available
D.C. - The public works department will distribute sandbags between 10 a.m. Thursday and 12 a.m. Friday at RFK Stadium's Lot 7. The sandbags weigh between 40 and 50 pounds, and you'll need to load them into your vehicle. Anybody who received sandbags Wednesday or last month is asked not to come back for additional bags. You will need D.C. identification to receive up to five sandbags.
Charles County - Charles County will have sandbags available for county residents beginning at 1 p.m. at the county Emergency Services Building, 10425 Audie Lane, La Plata. There is a limit of 20 bags per resident. There is also a large mound of sand available in the parking lot at Laurel Springs Park, Radio Station Road, La Plata. Residents should bring a shovel to fill their own bags.
Avoid the Potomac River
People are warned to stay away from the Potomac River, particularly near the rocks at Great Falls and the Chain Bridge.
Heavy rains have resulted in the D.C. sewer system overflowing into local waterways including the Potomac. D.C. Water engineers estimate about 250 million gallons of sewer overflow including raw sewage have been released into local waterways this week.
Due to these hazardous swim conditions, organizers of the 2011 Nation's Triathlon have canceled the swim portion of Sunday's event. There will be a 40K bike and 10K run only.
The National Park Service warns hikers to avoid the C&O canal for the next few days. Campgrounds along the tow path, the overlook on the Maryland side of Great Falls and the Billy Goat Trail have all been closed.
Fletcher's Boat House just north of the Key Bridge has canceled rentals due to the threat of lightning.
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
justsayin
()
Date: September 08, 2011 05:26PM
Why post something for August 8 when the article applies to today?
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
impressive
()
Date: September 08, 2011 06:17PM
I live in Springfield and I have to say I dont remember this much rain over a few days since I moved here 9 yrs ago
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
nikki
()
Date: September 08, 2011 06:22PM
Ditto to the above comment except that I haves lived in Swingfield or abot ten miles away nearly all of my 45 yrs and I do not remember this much rain...ever.
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
Hurricane Agnes? Nikki
()
Date: September 08, 2011 06:25PM
Nickki,
Hurricane Agnes brought more rain that this. Did you live in this area in the mid seventies?
It rained for days & nights. Guinea Road and Olley Lane were under more than five feet of water in some places!!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ditto to the above comment except that I haves
> lived in Swingfield or abot ten miles away nearly
> all of my 45 yrs and I do not remember this much
> rain...ever.
Hurricane Agnes brought more rain that this. Did you live in this area in the mid seventies?
It rained for days & nights. Guinea Road and Olley Lane were under more than five feet of water in some places!!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ditto to the above comment except that I haves
> lived in Swingfield or abot ten miles away nearly
> all of my 45 yrs and I do not remember this much
> rain...ever.
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
Flooded
()
Date: September 08, 2011 09:56PM
Somebody apparently had one too many and left their car in the flood plain after the Labor Day car show in Clifton. Oops.
Attachments:
Attachments:
Re: ***Deadly flooding shuts down area roads (8/8)
Posted by:
Too funny
()
Date: September 08, 2011 10:03PM
Oh well. Live and learn. I bet it was an employee from Trummer's. They are not the brightest bulb in the box.