BREAKING NEWS! Manatee Co. FL Dam May Break!!!

[wx247]

Just coming across the wires...

A dam in Manatee Co. Florida may break later this morning as one of the flood gates has faltered. Residents are being evacuated along this river. This is a report from ABC News on Radio as of the bottom of the hour. I can't find any info. off of the net to confirm this. More as I get it...

[azsnowman]

What terrible news, may those ppl get out before the dam does collapse.

Dennis

[mf_dolphin]

That's a pretty big lake! Hopefully they'll get people out before the dam breaks. I haven't heard anything locally which is kind of curious but I'm going to look now!

[mf_dolphin]

Several days of heavy rain may have caused malfunction at Manatee County DamSunday, June 22nd

A malfunctioning gate at the Manatee County Dam is forcing an emergency evacuation.

Officials with the county’s Public Safety Department ordered the move after the gate locked down at approximately 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. They say the recent barrage of heavy rains in the area has pushed the water levels of Lake Manatee to a record 42 feet.

That coupled with the malfunctioning gate may cause the lake to breach emergency spillways, which would cause uncontrolled flooding in an area of East Manatee County.

Larry Leinhauser, the spokesman for the county’s Public Safety Department, says residents in a five to six mile radius near Upper Manatee River Rd. and State Road 64 need to evacuate as soon as possible.

Officials estimate the situation could affect 500 to 600 homes in the area.
"The lake levels are high and may breach at some point this morning," Leinhauser said. "We have opened several designated shelters in the area. The problem could possibly affect 500 to 600 homes, which could mean we are talking about 1,500 to 2,000 residents."

Early this morning Manatee Emergency Management officials used the county’s reverse 9-1-1 system to contact residents that could possibly be affected by the flooding.

"There are some residents however with unlisted phone numbers that we were unable to contact and we are hoping they see the media reports of this and make the proper preparations," Leinhauser said.

Several days of heavy rain have contributed to the emergency situation.
Approximately 30 residents of the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch have already been moved to the shelter at Braden River Middle School. Officials at the facility are asking residents to bring proper lodging if necessary because the only space they have available is on the floor of the school.

They are also asking residents to use the shelter as a last resort. Another shelter is currently open at Tillman Elementary School in Palmetto.
Leinhauser says the homes that could be affected the most are older models. Two shelters have been opened for residents that have been forced to leave their homes.

"The newer developments were built at a higher level and should be less vulnerable to flooding than are the older homes that were built before the newer flood plain guidelines were in place," he said.

Residents can call the Citizen Action Center at 941-748-4501 for more

[wx247]

Here is some info. from the NWS Tampa... I know that this is a weather issue, but could become very deadly if someone doesn't know...

"Due to excessive rain, flooding, and a malfunction with the county dam, it has become necessary for residents living downstream Manatee River Dam East of Upper Manatee River Road to evacuate your home!! Please rapidly prepare your essential belongings and prepare to leave immediately. Shelters are open for your use. Braden River Elementary School and Tillman Elementary School. If you need transportation assistance, call 748-4501. It is important that you not delay and evacuate immediately!"

This was a civil emergency message which I could not just copy and paste for some reason. Scary stuff...

[mf_dolphin]

The local reports are saying that the dam is not in danger of collapsing but that they are expecting some uncontrolled flooding over the spillway around 10AM this morning.

[bfez1]

Praying that everyone in that area gets out safely and there is no loss of life.

[GulfBreezer]

Where EXACTLY is Manatee County?? My son is in south Florida, Homestead, with his dad..............not close to there is it????

My thoughts and prayers are lifted up to those affected by this!!

[mf_dolphin]

They are using "reverse 911" calls to notify residents in danger. This is the first time I've ever heard of this being done. The good news is that the impacted area is mostly large ranch and farm land so the number of people in danger is relatively small.

[wx247]

Thanks for the additional information Marshall. It remains a serious situation. CNN has been covering it... haven't seen anything on FOX but I may have just missed it.

[mf_dolphin]

We're getting a lot of local coverage now. Water is pouring over the two working flood gates as they try and lower the lake. The problem is that the lake is still rising and we're geeting even more rain this morning. The water will start over the emergency spill ways and when that starts they can't control the flow. It could get pretty ugly downstream! I'll post more information as it comes across the TV....

[Lindaloo]

Thank goodness for the reverse 911 system. My county has just installed that system. Civil Defense finally got it approved AFTER there was a deadly explosion at one of Pascagoula's chemical plants.

GulfBreezer... Manatee County is in Tampa, I believe.

Isn't Rainband down in that neck of the woods? Hope he is okay.

I pray those people are already out of the danger zone. Keep us updated Marshall.

[mf_dolphin]

Manatee County is just south of Tampa Bay. Rainband and I are north and west of this area. There is already a lot of flooding in that area and this is just making it worse. They have divers down at the lak trying to repair the stuck flood gate. Hopefully this will happen shortly and take some of the danger away.

[Lindaloo]

Glad to know you and Johnathan are okay Marshall. Hopefully the damage can be repaired soon. I have alot of faith in those highly trained divers.

[wx247]

Thanks for the updates Marshall. Lindaloo I was thinking about Johnathon on the way to church as well. Glad to know he is not in the path of this.

[therock1811]

Oh geez... stay out of there rainband and Marshall... it is just common sense.

[southerngale]

Any updates?

[wx247]

Here is a quick update...

BRADENTON, Florida (CNN) -- Engineers are manually cranking open one of three spill gates on the Lake Manatee dam in an effort to speed drainage from the lake that has reached record levels and threatened Manatee County's riverside and lakeside communities.

Two of the dam's spill gates opened properly late Saturday night, but the third jammed, prompting emergency officials to order hundreds of homes evacuated as water approached the top of the 50-foot high dam.

"The dam's going to hold," said Manatee County Risk Manager Mike Terell. "The question was whether the emergency spillway would be breached."

Officials had expected the breach to occur at about 10 a.m. ET. Instead, the water levels dropped slightly, giving engineers more time.

Capt. Larry Leinhauser of the county Department of Public Safety said officials "decided to be proactive" and ordered evacuations for about 500 to 600 homes in the immediate vicinity of the 38-year-old dam.

Shelters have been opened at Tillman Elementary School in Palmetto and Braden River Elementary School in Bradenton, across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from St. Petersburg, he said.

Terell said he did not know how many people had left the area.

"This is the first time something like this has happened," Terell said. "It's an unknown what will take place. We have designed the dam with this fail-safe in place in hopes that it will never be used."

[Lindaloo]

Thanks for the update wx247! Now... it is time for Johnathan to show himself so we can feel better.

[weatherlover427]

I hope everyone in this area stays safe so that we don't lose any of our members! Glad Marshall is OK. Hope Johnathan is too. Anyone else here from that area?