By Catherine Cuellar, KERA 90.1 Reporter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-602788.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Host: The national weather service in Fort Worth expects a new record for rainfall will be set today or tomorrow, making this the wettest June on record in north Texas. KERA's Catherine Cuellar talked with people working round-the-clock at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth and emergency operations centers in Dallas and Denton to learn how they're handling so much rain.
Catherine Cuellar, KERA Reporter: In the basement of Dallas city hall, about 15 representatives from various departments are working with emergency management specialist Raymond Rivas.
Raymond Rivas, Emergency Management Specialist, City of Dallas: Those range from our transportation and public works, our flood plain division. We have folks from our streets department over the flood control division. They're the ones that monitor the levee status and river levels. Police are reporting if we need to evacuate. They're developing traffic plans on what we might need to use as far as roadways to get out. We have folks from our parks and rec division that would open up community centers as shelters, as well as we have our office of emergency management staff bringing everybody to make a coordinated effort from all these different departments.
Cuellar: The Trinity River is swollen but still has capacity for water from Lake Lewisville, Lake Grapevine, and Lake Ray Roberts, according to emergency management director Kenny Shaw.
Kenny Shaw: We just found out that the corps of engineers is going to release some water out of the big lakes up north. So we know it will go higher. We're at 39 feet and it has to get to 62 feet which, in river talk, is a major major influx. We're not going to see that kind of thing unless something really extraordinary happens. So we don't expect it to crest.
Cuellar: The Dallas neighborhoods of Cadillac Heights and Lamar/Franklin are at highest risk for flooding. The city is urging citizens to follow guidelines from the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, where Jason Dunn is a meteorologist.
Jason Dunn: We have issued numerous flash flood warnings for the heavy rains. We see it all the time and it's very frustrating to watch kids playing in creeks and streams and parents out there, you have to keep an eye on the kids. Don't let 'em go near those flooded ditches and streams and creeks. And then for the parents, don't drive through flooded roadways. Those are the two biggest things that can prevent tragedy in events like this.
Cuellar: In Denton, which was declared a federal disaster area following flooding earlier this year, emergency manager Mike Penaluna is prepared.
Mike Penaluna, city of Denton emergency manager: We have a level 4 alert issued. That puts our high water scouts on alert and standby and our swift water rescue team through the Denton fire department on standby so if additional rainfall occurs, they go to assigned areas in the city, problem areas that typically flood, and put out barricades, make sure automatic gates are down. And if anyone does get stranded or proceeds into high water then our high water rescue team goes into action and makes rescues as needed.
Cuellar: Although the flooding in north Texas is not as bad as it has been in the hill country, Petaluna says there are contingency plans in place.
Petaluna: If something should happen and we have to evacuate neighborhoods or low-lying areas for flooding, we'll coordinate with the Red Cross to open a shelter and meet their immediate needs until it's safe to return home.
Cuellar: Right now that possibility seems remote. Most important is that citizens quote "Turn Around, Don't Drown" by avoiding flooded areas rather than trying to get through them.
For KERA, I'm Catherine Cuellar