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Storm tide, rain raise Potomac, Rappahannock rivers
Despite already saturated ground, Isabel's tidal surge and heavy rains were not as bad as predicted.
Date published: 9/19/2003 Storm tide, rain raise Potomac, Rappahannock rivers The Fredericksburg area received a one-two punch of flooding courtesy of Hurricane Isabel. Tides on the lower Potomac and Rappahannock rivers swelled to 4 to 6 feet above normal, inundating parts of Colonial Beach and severely damaging some buildings. The second punch is still to come: The Rappahannock is expected to crest slightly above flood stage early tomorrow. Melody Paschetag, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service said yesterday that rainfall totals in the immediate area would total between 3 and 6 inches. The estimate was a little high--Fredericksburg received just under 3 inches. As rain in the upper parts of the Rappahannock moves down stream there could be minor flooding. In Culpeper, the crest is expected at 6 p.m. today at 18.2 feet, which is 4.2 above flood stage. In Remington, it will crest at 19.3 feet, 4.3 feet above flood stage at 8 o'clock tonight. The Rappahannock is expected to crest in Fredericksburg at 19.4 feet at 2 a.m. tomorrow. That's 1.4 feet above flood stage. Flood stage is 18 feet in the city, the height at which water begins to enter riverfront buildings. If that's the case, the crest would be way below that of Hurricane Fran. During the September 1996 storm, the Rappahannock crested at 26.9 feet, reaching into several blocks of Sophia Street and inundating River Road in Falmouth. Fran dumped 3 to 5 inches of rain on Fredericksburg, and up to 11 inches in counties to the west. It took about two days for that wave of water to arrive here. The storm was destructive, damaging more than 1,600 homes in 37 counties in western and southwestern Virginia, causing an estimated $230 million in damage. More than 400,000 homes and businesses were without electricity. Fran claimed seven lives. Some residents in low-lying areas of Fredericksburg were taking no chances yesterday afternoon, loading up belongings and heading for higher ground. In June 1972, Hurricane Agnes dumped 6 inches here and up to 9 inches west of the city. The river crested at 39.1 feet. Still, the flooding from Isabel could be enhanced because of precipitation already this year. Having rain on top of rain raises the stakes, said Wendy McPherson of the U.S. Geological Survey office in Baltimore.
Date published: 9/19/2003
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