Releases from Norfork Dam spillway decreasing
The Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decreased releases from Norfork Dam to 19,000 cubic feet per second. The release will be a combination of the 12 spillway gates opened to one foot releasing 13,300 cubic feet per second in addition to about 5,700 cubic feet per second being released through two turbine generators.
Gauges used by hydraulic engineers to monitor inflow into Norfork Lake were washed away during the April 28-29 rain event which makes monitoring inflow into the lake more difficult.
Although the National Weather Service is predicting dry conditions through May 10, future rainfall may cause the Corps to increase releases from Norfork Lake.
If you have questions, call the Mountain Home Project Office at 870-425-2700.
_______________________________________________________________________
Baxter County declared state of emergency
Baxter County has been declared a state of emergency. Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass says the verbal declaration was made with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Judge Pendergrass says several factors led to the declaration, but the main concern is directed toward residents living on the local watershed.
Listen:
Pendergrass says another area of concern is Denton Ferry Road north of Cotter.
Listen:
Pendergrass is joining law enforcement and the Corps of Engineers in advising residents on the Norfork watershed to evacuate their homes.
Listen:
_______________________________________________________________________
Marion Co. judges estimates damage at over $1.5 million dollars
Marion County is among a number of Arkansas Counties, including Baxter and Boone, to have declared disasters following flooding over the weekend. Marion County Judge Terry Ott, who estimates damage across the county at over $1.5 million dollars, says there isn’t a part of the county that hasn’t been impacted by the flooding.
Listen:
Right now the judge says the number one priority at this time is getting access to every resident.
Listen:
Marion County schools were in session Monday.
Listen:
No fatalities were reported in Marion County from the flooding and no serious injuries, either, according to the judge, although there were a couple of rescues.
Listen:
With over 2,000 miles of county roads in Marion County, Ott asks residents to please be patient as damage is assessed and repairs begin.
Listen:
The judge says 15 inches of rain was recorded in Yellville over a five day period beginning last Wednesday, with some areas of Marion County receiving even more rain.
____________________________________________________________________
April ranks third wettest on record
The month of April ranked the third wettest on record with rainfall at 12.92 inches recorded at KTLO, Classic Hits 101.7 and The Boot, the official weather reporting station in Mountain Home for the National Weather Service. Average rainfall for April is 4.13 inches. The wettest April on record was in 1927 when 16.87 inches fell.
The driest April on record was in 1989 when the area saw just 1.01 of an inch. This April the Twin Lakes Area saw 11 days of precipitation with the 30th having the most at 4.08 inches. That total was only beat twice with 4.10 inches recorded on the first in 1917 and 4.42 inches, on the 23rd, in 2004.
April didn’t set any temperature records. The warmest day for April this year was 90 degrees on the 21st. The hottest April day recorded was 95 degrees on April first, 1940.
The lowest temperature of the month was on the 15th when the thermometer fell to 23 degrees. The lowest temperature recorded for April is 21 degrees and happened twice-once on the first in 1924 and on the 5th in 1920.
No snow was recorded for April this year, which has seen one record snowfall in years past. In April, 1980 two inches of snow fell.
___________________________________________________________________
“Feed the Pack” raises $16,000 for Food Bank of NCA
The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas and Arvest Bank held their second-annual one-day fundraising blitz in Baxter and Marion Counties in support of the Food Bank’s Backpack Program. Friday’s “Feed the Pack” event resulted in $16,000 in donations allowing the Food Bank to provide 80,000 meals to food-insecure children throughout the Twin Lakes Area.
After starting last year strictly in Baxter County, this year’s “Feed the Pack” expanded to Marion County as collections were being accepted throughout various locations in Mountain Home, Gassville, Salesville, Flippin and Yellville. While the goal of $20,000 fell short, Arvest Bank’s Tiffany Watkins was still thankful to everyone who donated.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI