Saturday, August 22, 2015

Still waiting for flooding from glacier in Luster – Aftenposten

Sogn og Fjordane police informs NTB very early Saturday morning that they will get an updated status orientation from Hydro Energy on the situation in the morning.

Below the glacier, Hydro has a dam that Friday was tapped down with 35,000 cubic meters of water per hour to accept the water quantities. The time twelve thirty on Friday night, capacity was increased to more than double – 72 thousand cubic meters.

Late Friday night lighted Hydro that the water level in the dam was decreasing, and that the river has not yet been bigger.



Thriller

There is thus still completely uncertain when the flood of Harbardsbreen expected to come, and that you get a so-called jukulhlaup for the first time since 2010, but in all probability it happens during the Saturday.

– The tension linked now to the amount of water coming and when it comes. So we really goes on hold. What we are waiting for is whether cap ruptures, said operations manager Bengt Nes NTB early Friday evening.

The police early Friday afternoon crisis staff in anticipation of meltwater flood.

– It is in longer expecting a so-called jökulhlaup, that large amounts of meltwater from underneath Harbardsbreen were coming but we did not know when. Now, however, it started, stated duty hydrologist Knut Ola Aamodt in Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) to NTB.



No evacuated

Currently, no residents were evacuated due to possible flooding and landslide, but the police have sent out notice to those who live in Skjolden and upwards Fortunsdalen that it could happen within the next day.

– We have a plan ready with local people if we have to evacuate. 150 residents may be affected and 20 houses are at risk. Fortun valley is quite flat, so if it comes a lot of water down on surfaces, it can be a little critical of some far down, says Bengt Nes police.

Police said early Saturday morning that it has received talked to and warned hikers and other persons residing in the relevant area inwards Fortunsdalen. Way into the association’s cabin Nørdstedalseter is blocked off.

The police considers efforts need ongoing basis and have contact with local resources such as Hydro, NVE and the county emergency manager.



Fears rise

Regional Director brigt Samdal in NVE lit Friday evening hatches in Hydro dam already then was as open as they can get become, and that it runs out as much water as possible. The challenge comes when water volumes increases.

According Samdal it is not often such situations occur, but five years ago it went fine.

When NVE Friday sent two felthydrologer to Fortunsdalen, could they determine that jökulhlaup could be started. Hydrologists observed 1 meter lower water levels and high flow out of the glacier.

The amount of water in question, is estimated at more than six million cubic meters. Five years ago there was a 5.5 million cubic meters from the glacier.



Inevitably flooding

Hydro accommodates about 3.5 million cubic meters in its water reservoir below the ice, but had greater capacity in 2010.

Although the reservoir is drawn down, it may be completely filled and a flood down into the valley is thus inevitable.

– First, it flushed out part boulders, sand and gravel, but it is mainly water that comes afterwards, that’s the problem, says Samdal. (© NTB)

Published: 22.aug. 2015 6:54

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