feature
clusters characterized by lift, heavy rain
and strong winds—will rise by as much
as 80% in North America by the end of
the century, “substantially” raising flood
risk. Moreover, the frequency of intense
summertime MCSs will more than triple.
Already, 100-year storms have become
so common, the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration is
considering revising the standards used
to define such an event; Boston has
experienced two 100-year “monster
storms” so far this year.
Responding to a Rising Risk
Even as more precipitation falls, rising
seas are increasing flood risk for
many US coastal areas. The Union of
Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports that
more than 90 US communities now
suffer “chronic inundation,” defined as
≥10% of usable land flooded at least 26
times per year. By 2100, UCS predicts
nearly 500 communities will experience
chronic inundation, including 40% of all
oceanfront communities on the East Coast
and Gulf Coast.
10
LAB MATTERS Spring 2018
For state and local governmental
laboratories, these forecasts are a
wake-up call. Not only do storms
and floods threaten the laboratories
themselves, but receding floodwaters
pose serious public health risks. Among
other things, floodwaters may contain raw
sewage, metals, agricultural chemicals,
volatiles, fuels, parasites, enteric viruses
and pathogenic bacteria. Of additional
concern, a New York Times analysis found
that flood-prone areas of the US are home
to more than 2,500 entities known to
manufacture or handle toxic chemicals.
After Iowa’s massive flooding in 2008,
the State Hygienic Laboratory at the
University of Iowa (SHL) detected over
two dozen inorganic contaminants
in floodwaters and sediments (most
at low levels): acetone, 2-butanone,
ethylbenzene, toluene, 11 pesticides, two
phthalates, chloride sulfate, motor oil,
diesel fuel, gasoline, nitrates, ammonia,
arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel
and zinc. In addition, E. coli concentrations
reached up to 15,000 MPN/100mL in beach
water, compared with typical levels of
<10-1,000 MPN/100mL.
Nuclear power plants pose a special
risk. Because they rely on a nearby
water source to cool the steam used
to generate electricity (and thus
indirectly cool the nuclear core), they
can be vulnerable to flooding. When
the Missouri River overflowed its banks
in 2011, response crews hastily erected
sandbag walls to protect Omaha’s Fort
Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station.
Nonetheless, floodwaters forced the
plant to shut down its off-site power
supply, which runs through a few
big electrical switch buildings, and
resort to back-up generators. In the
process, it lost cooling to its spent
fuel pools for about 90 minutes.
Dustin May, radiochemistry laboratory
supervisor at the SHL, said there was
“no real risk to the public” at any time
during the shutdown. Yet, had authorities
suspected a release of radioactive
material—just across the river from
Iowa—he and his staff were prepared to
test air, soil, foliage and water samples for
risk assessment.
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
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