Midwest Flood Waters Threaten 2 Nebraska Nuke Plants

[wkmac]

Tens of millions of acres in the US corn belt have flooded, which will spike the cost of gas and food over the next several months. Worse, several nuclear power plants sit in the flooded plains. Both nuclear plants in Nebraska are partly submerged and the FAA has issued a no-fly order over both of them.
On June 7, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant filed an Alert with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after a fire broke out in the switchgear room. During the event, “spent fuel pool cooling was lost” when two fuel pumps failed for about 90 minutes.
On June 9, Nebraska’s other plant, Cooper Nuclear Power Station near Brownville, filed a Notice of Unusual Event (NOUE), advising it is unable to discharge sludge into the Missouri River due to flooding, and therefore “overtopped” its sludge pond.
The Fort Calhoun TFR (temporary flight restriction) was issued the day before the nuclear Alert. The FAA issued another TFR on June 7 for the Cooper plant.
Other flood-related TFRs were issued on June 13 for the Garrison Dam in Bismarck, North Dakota and on June 5 for rescue operations in Sioux City, SD.
Under the four-level nuclear event scale used in the US, an NOUE is the least hazardous. In an Alert, however, “events are in process or have occurred that involve an actual or potential substantial degradation in the level of safety of the plant,” according to the NRC.

source at LRC

 

[raceanoncr]

Live near one of these. Was shutdown for regular maintenance, so is really good timing.

Our house is last one before levee on Iowas side. River is at a little over 33' today (Sat), levee is at 41'. They say they're predicting 36' tops but worried about breaking thru.

Basement got water the first time in 9 yrs of living here. Got sump and is keeping up well from ground seepage. Got backup just in case. Alot of neighbors have panicked and moved out. I guess I should be more concerned but put trust in 60 yr old levees.

Lots of questions for the Corps of Engineers when this is all over, tho. Rumors that they didn't want to release more water earlier this yr because of Sand Plovers, Pallid Sturgeon, The Spotted Elephant Trunk Giant Gerbil nesting grounds up north. They, of course, are sounding a different story and claim they had no clue! Kinda like UPS dispatch, huh?

 

[moreluck]

Live near one of these. Was shutdown for regular maintenance, so is really good timing.

Our house is last one before levee on Iowas side. River is at a little over 33' today (Sat), levee is at 41'. They say they're predicting 36' tops but worried about breaking thru.

Basement got water the first time in 9 yrs of living here. Got sump and is keeping up well from ground seepage. Got backup just in case. Alot of neighbors have panicked and moved out. I guess I should be more concerned but put trust in 60 yr old levees.

Lots of questions for the Corps of Engineers when this is all over, tho. Rumors that they didn't want to release more water earlier this yr because of Sand Plovers, Pallid Sturgeon, The Spotted Elephant Trunk Giant Gerbil nesting grounds up north. They, of course, are sounding a different story and claim they had no clue! Kinda like UPS dispatch, huh?

So you've spent your birthday week sump-pumping? Bummer! Hope everything holds!

 

[raceanoncr]

You know what, More? I feel like I've had 4 yrs taken outta my life with this. '08 had first hip replaced...took most of yr to really get back. Then in Jan of '09, had second hip done...was out for 7 months on THAT one. '10, had to 24/7 my mom before she died (cuz my fata***, lazy sister couldn't do anything), then had to liquidate everything in estate, which took a long time. Now, in '11, was finally getting our chit together, with retiring in Sep last year, opps, no. I had to go and seriously break this left ankle (surgery, plates, pins, screws, etc) in Feb. Still weak and limping right now.

Then, this! Now gotta babysit this, which they say will be most of summer. River levels are gonna be high thruout Aug, at least, then there's cleanup from whatever did happen.

Yeah, I'm enjoying retirement but wanted to take some cruises, play, bike ride, car cruises, etc. Ain't gonna happen again. Not this year anyway. What am I gonna break NEXT year?

 

[wkmac]

You know what, More? I feel like I've had 4 yrs taken outta my life with this. '08 had first hip replaced...took most of yr to really get back. Then in Jan of '09, had second hip done...was out for 7 months on THAT one. '10, had to 24/7 my mom before she died (cuz my fata***, lazy sister couldn't do anything), then had to liquidate everything in estate, which took a long time. Now, in '11, was finally getting our chit together, with retiring in Sep last year, opps, no. I had to go and seriously break this left ankle (surgery, plates, pins, screws, etc) in Feb. Still weak and limping right now.

Then, this! Now gotta babysit this, which they say will be most of summer. River levels are gonna be high thruout Aug, at least, then there's cleanup from whatever did happen.

Yeah, I'm enjoying retirement but wanted to take some cruises, play, bike ride, car cruises, etc. Ain't gonna happen again. Not this year anyway. What am I gonna break NEXT year?

Easier said than done but what don't break you makes you stronger. Hoping the best for you with the flood threat. Keep us up on this because news outlets are one thing but a person on the ground seeing if firsthand often give the best perspective. Besides, if the worse should befall you, ain't nothing better than to help one of our own any way we can!

 

[moreluck]

You know what, More? I feel like I've had 4 yrs taken outta my life with this. '08 had first hip replaced...took most of yr to really get back. Then in Jan of '09, had second hip done...was out for 7 months on THAT one. '10, had to 24/7 my mom before she died (cuz my fata***, lazy sister couldn't do anything), then had to liquidate everything in estate, which took a long time. Now, in '11, was finally getting our chit together, with retiring in Sep last year, opps, no. I had to go and seriously break this left ankle (surgery, plates, pins, screws, etc) in Feb. Still weak and limping right now.

Then, this! Now gotta babysit this, which they say will be most of summer. River levels are gonna be high thruout Aug, at least, then there's cleanup from whatever did happen.

Yeah, I'm enjoying retirement but wanted to take some cruises, play, bike ride, car cruises, etc. Ain't gonna happen again. Not this year anyway. What am I gonna break NEXT year?

You're gonna break the cycle and start the upward trend. You're gonna be the little engine that could. Do it, just do it!!
This week my hubby had a 50 yr. old ax handle break....put a new handle on and now it's good as new. Same with us....we break from time to time, but we can come back stronger.

 

[raceanoncr]

Well, as if the whole Missouri River Basin is not flooded enough, the BRILLIANT Corps of Engineers, just last night, announce they're releasing more water from Gavins Point.

150,000 CFS wasn't enough to cause the worst flooding since 1952, now, starting today, they're gonna release 5,000 more and tomorrow, another 5,000, making a total of 160,000 Cubic Feet per Second, another record.

 

[wkmac]

Well, as if the whole Missouri River Basin is not flooded enough, the BRILLIANT Corps of Engineers, just last night, announce they're releasing more water from Gavins Point.

150,000 CFS wasn't enough to cause the worst flooding since 1952, now, starting today, they're gonna release 5,000 more and tomorrow, another 5,000, making a total of 160,000 Cubic Feet per Second, another record.

Thanks Race. You're feet on the ground and the best media, the real media so keep us up to date as best you can as to what you see going on.

Even more concerning news is that yesterday a news report came out that Tritium, a form of radioactive Hydrogen, is leaking from about 3/4ths of our nation's nuclear sites.

 

[moreluck]

I check my radiation readings daily ever since the Japan nuclear incident......................

http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

 

[raceanoncr]

Hellava storm knocked out power Sun night. No big deal cuz outside temp plummeted also, turning off brand new Kenmore Window Air Conditioner (neccesitated by basement water blowing furnace control panel outta commission, hence, central air, which I ain't gonna get fixed til this is over). BUT, thot, with sump pump on elec, there goes the rest of basement, furnace/freezer/water sofener. Basement's percolating pretty good w/pump (which keeps up) and REAL good w/o pump.

Wrote Gov, Sens and Congressman today to tell them to, at least, hold SOMEBODY's feet to the fire on THIS one! Oh, yeah, like all the congressional "gas-gouging"/finanancial institute hearings that, somehow, vaporize! We'll see.

 

[raceanoncr]

Well, as of today (Sun) the Corps is till at 160,00 CFS with a another storm that dumped between 1-2 inches of rain. River is a little over 35', with the top of levee 41. One neighbor's basement wall caved in. He moved yesterday. Nuther neighbor that let water go in basement is moving today. All lower level apartments in area are gone. Other neighbor pumps out yard abutting to ours every couple hours. Our sump is basement is still keeping up. 3 year warranty is gonna be up in before the 3 years is.

Next door neighbor came over and said he heard a gently thud. Looked out, saw my tree agains't my new garage. Don't look damaged but pretty hefty tree leaning on it with '56 inside. Everything is just full of water. Can't mow grass. Looks like reedy area. Nice and green but you can't even walk on it.

Ain't planning to move yet. Levees should

 

[wkmac]

Thanks for the updates. Hoping for the best for you!