Jamestown  (CSi)  Severe Winter Weather Awareness Week this year was October 28- November 1.

However by then, there was already had a major blizzard in North Dakota.

On Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Stutsman County Emergency Manager, Jerry Bergquist said, Excessive moisture was building all summer long (above average moisture all summer).

A Damage Assessment was submitted to the ND Department of Emergency Services on Friday, November 8.  Jerry said, the dollar amount submitted for Stutsman County Non-Federal Aid damages was $606,000. Stutsman County township road damages were put at $3.4-million, at 225 separate locations in the county.

In this region of the state, infrastructure damage was $4.2-million.

At this time, there is currently no Presidential Disaster Declaration, that would free up federal aid.

He pointed out that the City of Jamestown so far has expended $72,000 in the flood fight, including sandbagging this fall.

Jerry pointed out that all was normal for the Jamestown and Pipestem Dam flood storage capacity to reach the freeze up level.

Then a heavy Rainstorm, occurred on September 20, 2019 with — Continuous Rain Events following and the Blizzard, that occurred on October 11-12.

Not only a significant amount of rainfall within a months time in Jamestown, but also 10-12- inches of rain in Wells County with that precipitation moving south in to the basin that drains into both reservoirs.

Jerry pointed out that this fall and winter will consist of some new cold weather threats

Those include, high water releases from both Pipestem and Jamestown Dams.

Unsafe Ice on both reservoirs and on Pipestem Creek and the James River.

Stutsman County Sheriff, Chad Kaiser, has issued advisories to stay off the reservoirs and the river, when and after the ice forms.

And, Jamestown Rural Fire Dept Fishing Derby canceled

Emergency Declarations have included:

In Jamestown for reservoir water releases.

Stutsman County with the support of the City of Jamestown – road related damages.

Cleveland – Streeter – Courtenay – Medina with overloaded sanitary sewer/lagoon system.

On Tuesdays (11-12-19) Reservoir Elevation Information, included:

Jamestown Dam at a level of  1442.15 ft (still rising) 36% full  (11th highest elevation)  Inflows = 1200 cfs – outflows = 700 cfs,  and must drop to 1429.8 (12.25 ft)

The Jamestown Dam capacity is 221,000 acre feet

 

On Tuesday the Pipstem Dam level was at  1469.79 feet and falling.

Pipestem Reservoir  peaked at 1475.0 ft (8th highest elevation) 34% full:  Inflows = 350 cfs  — outflows 700 cfs

It Must drop to 1442.5  feet, 28 feet.

The Pipestem Dam  capacity is 143,000 acre feet.

River systems upstream of the dams will go into freeze-up storing about 60,000 ac ft of water on top of the normal spring melt.

River James River water temperature on Tuesday was at 32 degree, and Jerry adds, the water temperature is  very important – watching for ice formation – frazzle ice – Earliest ice formation on the river was forecasted for Wednesday November 13th.