Hurricane Floyd Daily Response and Recovery Update
Department of Environment and Natural Resources • September 29, 1999 • 4 p.m. Current Situation:
DAQ: Air monitoring began 9/28/99 near the site of carcass burning in Duplin Co.
DCM: Unchanged for 9-28-99
DEH: Reports of large numbers of mosquitoes are reported in Nash/Edgecombe/Hertford/Gates areas. No aerial spraying has been conducted to date due to the lack of public health need. DEH is continuing to update the list of public water supplies with problems as well as to identify those that are safe. Rainfall over the last two days are delaying testing of private water supplies due to new flooding. State Public Health Lab still has capacity to do more sampled daily. Currently analyzing about 400 samples per day.
DFR: Sporadic re-flooding resulting from rainfall on 9-28 observed in Greene, Wayne and other flood-stricken counties. High water in Hookerton community required evacuation of DFR chainsaw crew from the area. Volume-lift pumps dispatched to Pitt and Beaufort counties. Pitt intended to reduce critical water levels in a lake where breach of the lake's dam is imminent. Beaufort-County assist water pumping station efforts in Washington, NC. Also assisting Pitt County Emergency Operations Center in the Belvoir Community. Major clean-up at Clardge Nursery on hold awaiting dry weather, damage appraisal continuing. Five roads damaged at Bladen Lakes State Forest, part of the Forest is still inundated by floodwater.
DLR: At least 144 dams have been inspected with the following reported: 30 dams known to have failed, 75 dams have overtopped, and 54 dams have been damaged but not failed. Recent rainfall caused further damage. Many dam failures are older dams which were not built to modern safety standards. All known high hazard potential category dams have been inspected and are being monitored by LQ, DOT, and/or emergency mgmt personnel. LQ/WQ teams have inspected over 312 animal waste lagoons since September 24. Four lagoon dike failures have been found thus far. All inspections should be finished by October 1, with at least 12 lagoons not yet accessible because of floodwaters.
DMF: Completed the collection of finfish, shrimp and crab tissue samples for toxicological analysis as follows: Upper Neuse River- Striped Bass, Southern Flounder; Lower Neuse River- Blue Crab, Gray Trout, Spotted Trout; Pamlico River- Red Drum; Croatan Sound- Red Drum, Blue Crab, Spot, Pigfish; W. Albemarle Sound- Atlantic Croaker; New River- White Shrimp, Spot, Striped Mullet, Southern Flounder; Lower Cape Fear River- Spot, Upper Cape Fear River- Catfish. Tissue samples are enroute to Charleston, SC for analysis. Marine Patrol remains under Ops Control of the state EAC, but all officers are presently assigned to routine fisheries enforcement activities.
DPR: Six parks remain closed and ten parks are open with limited facilities. Damage assessments have increased to more than 1.1 million in damages with approximately $620,000 in facility damage and $537,000 in resource damage. Some facilities have still not been evaluated.
DSW: Continue evaluating the structural integrity of all animal waste lagoons and effects of recent rains and additional flooding. Initial evaluations expected by end of week.
DWM: HHW issues need to be addressed for homes destined for demolition. Division working towards developing contracts for handling HHW. Seeking additional areas for land application of portable toilet waste. Superfund sites in flood zone identified and some evaluated by EPA. Possible asbestos concerns over grinding C&D waste at Brunswick Co. landfill. Pit burner for animal carcasses is being shut down in Duplin Co. Portable toilet shortage issue resolved in Edgecombe Co., but still having problem at convenience centers (cannot get staff to site to operate). Compiled staging sites for debris by county.
DWQ: There are 36 farms still flooded and 20 NPDES minicipal WWTPs currently flooded or inundated with stormwater (4 are currently OK).
DPPEA: Continue working on Mobile Homes Recovery, completed composting animal mortalities guidelines and have assigned three staff persons to work with Hazardous Waste Section of DWM to establish HHW collection in flooded counties. Will also provide PIO support, educational support, and other support to counties for HHW efforts. Hazardous Waste Section is the lead on this effort.
Operational Priorities:
Drinking Water
Animal Operations
Waste Disposal
testing
system backups
systems/plants operational
inspections
assessments
re-permitting
restrictions
disposal methods
temporary measures
garbage collection
site selection
contingencies in place and executed
These priorities expected to remain during the next 72 hours
DFR: A priority for DFR is the rehabilitation of Bladen Lakes State Forest.
DLR: Re-inspect high hazard potential category dams, and complete animal waste lagoon dike inspections.
Operational Status:
DCM: Field staff are working on assessment, setback determination and permitting. Several Raleigh staff members still assisting field staff.
DEH: Currently DEH field staff in Columbus (1), Edgecombe(5), Pitt(2), Lenoir(3), Greene(1), Pender(1) and Beaufort(1) counties. In addition, 2 staff members from DWQ are working in Beaufort County. For most of the DEH staff, general environmental health duties are being carried out as assistance to local health departments. DWQ staff are collecting water samples. DEH in conjunction with DPH in DHHS has identified 7 impacted zones and found a zone coordinator for each zone. 4 DEH staff are zone coordinators, and 3 from Epidemiology. These zone coordinators are the point person to work through public health and environmental health issues from the zone in which they are placed. Requests for assistance from the local level will funnel through these coordinators as a way of seeing that needs are met. Each zone coordinator will report daily and DEH will incorporate these reports into the Sit Rep.
DFR: DFR personnel assisting the National Guard in Greene County in debris removal. Primary efforts by DFR in Edgecombe County are casket recovery and improving graveyard access as part of the support effort provided to the Disaster Mortuary Team. Eleven DFR personnel, 2 forklifts, 1 bulldozer with blade and 1 all-terrain vehicle assisting. Also, a DFR tractor with operator is assisting DOT in pushing and piling storm debris in Onslow County.
DLR: 15 inspection teams working out of RRO, WaRO, and WiRO, inspecting animal waste lagoon dikes.
DMF: Marine Patrol remains on-call for possible ground patrols in support of local law enforcement agencies. Anticipate possible follow-up for the collection of seafood tissue samples for toxicological analysis over laspsed time.
DPR: Plan for demobilization of Bethel ranger force by 1200, 1 Oct. Continue entering preliminary damage reports into database. Monitor new flooding at Falls Lake. Plan for closing Incident Command Unit as emergency response phase ends and long term recovery begins. Establish team and begin Damage Survey Reports.
DSW: Still working with Land Quality and Water Quality staff on completing assessments.
DWM: Bringing in western regional staff and evaluating need for assistance offered by EPA. As of 9-27-99 the U.S. EPA has responded to 13 incidents (Superfund sites).
DWQ: 42 staff members currently investigating Floyd related problems.
DPPEA: One staff on mobile homes, 1 staff on composting, 4 on assignment to Customer Service Center, 3 on HHW and 1 in the Response Center.
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