...FLOOD STAGE WILL CHANGE ON BIRD CREEK NEAR AVANT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA WILL BE CHANGING THE FLOOD
STAGE ON BIRD CREEK NEAR AVANT.  THE CURRENT FLOOD STAGE OF 21 FEET
WILL BE LOWERED TO 17 FEET EFFECTIVE 18 JULY 2007.

FLOOD STAGE IS THE ELEVATION ABOVE GAGE ZERO AT WHICH OVERFLOW OF
THE NATURAL BANKS OF A STREAM BEGINS TO CAUSE DAMAGE OR PRESENT A
FLOOD-DAMAGE HAZARD.  IT IS DETERMINED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

IN OCTOBER 2004, THE USGS AUTOMATED RIVER GAGE ON BIRD CREEK NEAR
AVANT WAS RELOCATED FROM AN ABANDONED BRIDGE TO THE NEW SHAFER
BRIDGE ON JAYVINE HILL ROAD.  THE RELOCATION OF THE GAGE FORCED AN
ADJUSTMENT OF THE FLOOD STAGE FOR THAT SITE.

SINCE THE NEW BRIDGE WAS ONLY A QUARTER-MILE DOWNSTREAM FROM THE OLD
BRIDGE...IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE ADJUSTMENT COULD BE MADE USING THE
ELEVATION DIFFERENCE IN THE ZERO DATUMS BETWEEN THE TWO SITES.  THUS
THE FLOOD STAGE WAS CHANGED TO 21 FEET IN FEBRUARY 2005.

SINCE THEN...THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS RE-EVALUATED THE
SURROUNDING AREA AND SET 17 FEET AS THEIR NEW REGULATORY LIMIT FOR
BIRD CREEK NEAR AVANT.  ON MAY 7...A FLOOD EVENT ALONG BIRD CREEK
CONFIRMED THEIR REGULATORY LIMIT TO BE REASONABLE.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN TULSA IS THEREFORE CHANGING
THE FLOOD STAGE FOR BIRD CREEK NEAR AVANT FROM 21 FEET TO 17
FEET...EFFECTIVE 18 JULY 2007.  THIS WILL COINCIDE WITH THE COE
REGULATORY LIMIT AND MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE STAGE AT WHICH
FLOODING BEGINS.

THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HAVE
GIVEN THEIR CONCURRENCE TO THE FLOOD STAGE CHANGE ON BIRD CREEK NEAR
AVANT.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM OSAGE COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF
AVANT HAVE GIVEN THEIR CONSENT.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS FLOOD STAGE CHANGE ON BIRD CREEK
NEAR AVANT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE SERVICE HYDROLOGIST AT THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN TULSA.  PLEASE CALL US AT
918-838-7838...OR WRITE US AT THE ADDRESS BELOW.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
10159 EAST 11TH STREET, SUITE 300
TULSA, OK 74128-3050
 
ALVIN HONG, SERVICE HYDROLOGIST
STEVEN PILTZ, METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE