Briefing: New Evacuation Recommendations

2011 Missouri River Flood - 06/03/2011

By Jenifer Jones

Governor Dennis Daugaard is strongly recommending that residents evacuate areas of Pierre, Fort Pierre and Dakota Dunes as officials continue to brace for rising water. 

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Governor Daugaard wants homeowners in the Country Club area of Dakota Dunes out by later Friday night. The evacuation is voluntary, but he says residents need to know what they’re up against.

"The risk presented by the water goes up as the water goes up. They also should understand that utilities would become less and less available, and likely unavailable," Daugaard says. "Also the construction of the levee will increasingly restrict their ability to move and ultimately will disallow vehicle traffic out of these areas. They simply will not be able to get out because of the levees in the way."

Officials say they are making good progress on the primary levee along the river, but incident commander Joe Lowe says there are no guarantees.

"The water will rise to a point where it’s starting to hit the outside of that levee. At that point you have a high pressure situation one side of the levee and a low pressure on the other," Lowe says. "As that water rises on the levee, it creates a situation where we could have a potential levee break. When that breaks, it becomes a swift water event."

Lowe says crews are working to finish a secondary levee by Tuesday. He says at some point officials will seal the levee, meaning residents can no longer get in or out of some areas.

In Pierre and Fort Pierre officials say the majority of people in affected areas have chosen to leave. Mayors of both communities say sump pumps should be left running, but all other appliances should be disconnected. At some point water service will be disconnected and sewage backflow is possible, so residents should plug drains.

Governor Daugaard says even if the levees hold, residents of Pierre, Fort Pierre and Dakota Dunes should still expect some ground water issues.

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