hurricane daily summary report - animals - NC Dept. of Environment ...

SITUATION REPORT
Department of Environment and Natural Resources September 23, 2003 1600 hours
Divisions:
Air Quality (DAQ) Aquariums(AQU) Coastal Management (DCM) Customer Service Center (CSC)
Environmental Health (DEH) Forest Resources (DFR) Land Resources (DLR) Legislative/Intergovernmental Affairs(LIA)
Marine Fisheries (DMF) Museum on Nat. Sciences (DMNS) Parks and Recreation (DPR) Pollution Prevention (DPPEA)
Radiation Protection (RP) Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC) Waste Management (DWM) Water Quality (DWQ)
Water Resources (DWR)
Zoological Park (DZP)
Current Situation:
CSC:
FEMA is referring a number of calls to CSC and hurricane related calls are increasing daily.
Expect the calls to increase as folks contact other agencies and find out help may not be available. Many
factsheets are being distributed in hurricane areas that have the Customer Service Center telephone number.
Tree cutting, debris, mold and mildew and need for monetary assistance are initial topics of inquiry. Extra staff
from PPEA is already scheduled through the week. I have contacted several others in Parker Lincoln about
additonal potential help. An assessment will be made later in the week if volunteers are needed beyond Parker
Lincoln.
DCM:
The Elizabeth City DCM office, which had power and phone service Monday, lost both this morning.
Upate…as of 3:30 pm The DCM Elizabeth City office has power and phones again.
The Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve is accessible. It is a bit slow going though, since
the majority of the power lines in Tyrrell County are on the ground and in the roadways. Grapevine Landing
Road has been cleared to the Alligator River, probably by local crabbers. Fallen trees block all roads leading to
the interior of the reserve. There appears to be a tree across all the roads at least every 50 yards. Site Manager
estimates at least 20 percent of the trees on site have been downed or damaged. He will be coordinating with
Wildlife Resources Commission on tree removal from the roads. There were signs of flooding along the
Alligator River, and the USGS (which is already involved in a water study at Buckridge) will be coming down
soon to try and estimate how high the waters reached. The trailer and metal storage building on site suffered no
apparent damage. The reserve office in Columbia was not damaged, but is on generator power right now.
Regular power won't be returned for another one to three weeks, according to current estimates. Phone and
Internet service come and go.
DCM's Assistant Director for Permits and Enforcement is viewing storm-damaged areas of the Outer Banks and
northeastern coastal region. He has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday with officials of several Outer Banks
towns to discuss issues related to repairing or replacing damaged septic systems.
The major permits section is working with NCDOT, the Corps of Engineers, FEMA and other agencies on the
necessary authorizations for filling in the inlet created by the storm on Hatteras Island and replacing the
breached section of N.C. 12.
Staff in the field offices in Elizabeth City, Washington and Morehead City continue to do damage assessments
throughout storm-affected areas. Staff in the Elizabeth City office are working to establish a field office in one

of the Outer Banks towns to handle questions about CAMA permits for rebuilding structures. The staff intends
to have the office up and running in the next couple of days.
DEH :
On-Site Wastewater
Contact: Andy Adams. Contact number: (pager) 1-800-614-2291; (cell) –919-218-5538
Current Situation: On-Site Wastewater Section remains on stand by as affected counties assess damage to
systems.
Priority Items: No significant changes from yesterday’s report at this time.
Operational Status: Normal.
Resource assessment: No assistance needed.
Shellfish Sanitation
Contact: Wayne Mobley. Contact Number: 252-726-6827.
Current Situation: Two staff members still working with Carteret County Health Department sampling
continues for both shellfish and recreation waters.
Priority Items: Shellfish Sanitation is sampling recreational water from Cape Look out to South Carolina.
Shellfish sampling in Brunswick, Onslow and Carteret Counties. Also, two staff members working closely with
Carteret County Health Dept. to help collect potable water samples.
Operational Status: All three labs working and all staff members available.
Resource assessment: If we have to help analyze potable water samples we will need more water sample
bottles and media. We have already been in contact with the state lab and they are aware of our needs.
Radiation Protection
Contact: Beverly Hall. Contact Number: 919-571-4141
Current Situation: Normal.
Priority Items: None.
Operational Status: Normal.
Resource assessment: None
Environmental Health Services Section
Contact: Sue Grayson/Bart Campbell. Contact Number: 919-715-0926/919-715-7148
Current Situation: EHSS is continuing to coordinate volunteer Environmental Health staff to send to the
counties that request help. We have six Environmental Health Regional Specialists currently deployed to
Chowan. There are local Environmental Health Specialists from Bumcombe (1), Haywood (2), and Onslow (1).
Deployed to Chowan County.
Pamlico County has requested two to three Environmental Health Specialists to assist with on-site wastewater
assessment and repair from 9/29 to 10/3. Brunswick County has a team ready to deploy to meet this need.
Arrangements may not yet be worked out.
Jim Hayes is coordinating the volunteer effort of EHS staff for affected areas (919)715-0924. Some additional
volunteers are available.
Chris Smith is going back and forth to home in Greenville each evening. He stated that EHSS can send him
flyers on email at home and he will print off and take into Elizabeth city in the morning for copying.

Priority Items:
No significant changes from yesterday’s report at this time.
Pest Management Section
Contact: Nolan Newton. Contact Number: 919-733-6407
Current Situation: Mosquito populations survived Isabel in most of the affected area. New broods of
mosquitoes will be produced by flooding from Isabel. Mosquito-borne arboviral activity is at an all time high in
eastern NC and is expected to increase, perhaps catastrophically, without intervention.
Priority Items: We are dealing with FEMA on their approval for cost share of aerial spraying. Some reluctance
on their part has been noted.
Public Water Supply
Contact: Jessica Miles. Contact Number: 919-715-3232
Current Situation: Field staff continue their contact and water system assistance. Today's watch list has 103
water systems. The list has been changing continuously. WE have been able to clear many community systems
and give more attention to the non-community systems, which shows that the situation is improving.
We are continuing to coordinate with Infrastructure regarding systems that we identify that may need
generators. We count 75 systems that are dependent on generated power as of their last assessment. The EOC
power folks say that power is coming back in some areas and we should expect more systems' power to return.
EPA has sent some people from Atlanta. They will coordinate directly with our Washington Regional office so
that if they offer assistance to us we can have them go somewhere where they can help without duplicating our
efforts.
DFR:
NCDFR has issued a Notice of Compliance with local Burn Bans that have been placed by county Fire
Marshals. According to tate law does not give the authority to cancel permits or implement a burn ban unless
conditions warrant. By standards outlined in As of 1500 hours (3pm) The Incident Management Team in Butner
has demobilized. A new DFR Incident Management Team has arrived and officially taken over operations of
the Kinston Incident Command Post. Chainsaw response continues and is expected to continue until the end of
the week. Three special teams continue working in Hyde, Tyrrell and Bertie counties to coordinate response
efforts because the extensive amount of damage there. All DFR chainsaw crews are currently committed in
assisting with road clearing and power line clearing. The division will continue with these efforts. Division
personnel are also assisting in distribution of food and supplies to citizens who do not have electricity at this
time. Two pumps were requested for Hyde County. There are currently 300 NCDFR personnel working Isabel
response.
DFR Operational Priorities:
IMT Operations Chain Saw Response Aerial Reconnaissance Timber Damage Assessment
Estimated 9/30 Estimated 9/26 Estimated 9/19 – 9/20
complete
These priorities expected to remain during the next X hours/days
Estimated 10/3

Operational Status:
! Chainsaw crews continue to respond to requests
! An IMT remains in place working in Unified Command in Kinston
! DFR personnel continue to work in the EOC providing assistance and guidance with Logistics and Plans.
Resource Assessment:
! Chainsaw Crews
! Aerial Support
! Pumps
! Mobile Tactical Response Units
! People
DLR:
Geological Survey and Geodetic Survey are determining what geologic and geodetic information they may have
to help damage assessment for the Outer Banks. Dam safety is no longer considered an emergency situation for
the hurricane affected areas.
DSWC:
DSWC is meeting this week with USDA to determine how to proceed with two federal agricultural programs -
Emergency Watershed Program ("snag and drag" for clearing watercourses of fallen debris) and Emergency
Conservation Program (funds for removal of fallen trees and debris from farmlands, replacing fences, etc.).
Both were activated following Fran and Floyd, and likely can play a role in NE counties in response to Isabel.
It is not clear presently how much funding might be available, or how much is needed or where. DSWC will
assist USDA and local soil and water conservation districts in assessing need/response.
For EWP, state will need to provide 25% match funding, and local governments will need to serve as contract
managers for snag and drag work. Given extensive loss of timber in NE counties, it is hoped that both programs
can contribute to helping agricultural landowners clear and repair.
State issues include finding match requirement for EWP, contacting federal administration and Congressional
Delegation about needed funds for ECP and EWP, and coordinating with Association of County Commissioners
and other local government contacts in managing EWP contracts.
We have some time to work on this in the next several weeks as these programs will follow along behind
immediate response activities.
DWM:
Underground Storage Tank Section - Reports are just beginning to come in from the storm damaged areas. No
reports from the Elizabeth City and Outer Banks areas. No reports of UST's floating out of the ground.
Solid Waste Section – Field staff continue to report that in some areas storm waste is not being segregated.
Staff is continuing to inform local government representatives to get the message out to citizens urging them
that storm debris be segregated, with C&D, MSW, and HHW kept separate from woody storm debris. Some of
the storm debris staging sites are beginning to receive waste. So far, most of the waste received has been
vegetative debris. Three new sites have been added to the Storm Debris Staging Site list on the Section web

page. Two more sites are been assessed today. Staff continue to receive numerous calls and emails from
citizens in affected areas with questions about debris disposal.
Flyover of affected area will be conducted tomorrow.
DMF:
DMF continues to provide law enforcement assistance to local authorities for security purposes. DMF has also
offered use of it's large vessels (LCUs) to the DOT Ferry Division and dump trucks to the Carteret County
Emergency Response Center. Division employees are being encourage to assist local relief efforts as
opportunity permits
DWQ:
As of 12 noon on September 23, 2003
• Environmental damage assessments are still ongoing for eastern North Carolina.
[Especially the counties in the Washington Regional Office and Northampton & Halifax Counties in the
Raleigh Regional Office]
We are still gathering information from the areas most severely impacted by the storm:
• As stated in previous reports, we are focused on the area east of line drawn roughly through Rocky
Mount, Kinston, and Jacksonville. (This area includes the eye of the storm and the highest rainfall
amounts)
• Assessment in some of the most severe areas is difficult. Some areas have been restricted by the
National Guard in the Washington Region.
• The USACE is operating under their emergency Permitting Processing Procedures.
• FEMA has designated the USACE as the project lead agency. They are to oversee all the
engineering aspects of the repair.
• There are four dredging sites for the project fill: Hatteras Inlet, Roleson Channel, Hatteras ferry
channel, and another section of Hatteras Inlet.
• The Corps SNELL has already been dispatched to begin borings for sand capability analysis.
Reports received thus far:
Chemical/Oil spills
• Two new incidences have been reported at this time. SEE ATTACHED.
Wastewater/Sewer Systems [Since Friday, Sept. 19]
• Of the 11 major industrial wastewater facilities in the main area of impact, still NO reports of
environmental damage or problems.
• No additional reports from the Major Municipalities within the affected area. Minor municipalities
are reporting issues.
• The following municipalities have power (no longer on generator):
• Jackson
• Seaboard

• Woodland
• Columbia (operational)
• The following municipalities are still on generator power:
• Severn (generator - awaiting confirmation of this)
• Rich Square (generators)
• Conway (generator/power for 7 of 10 lift stations; septage hauler for remaining 3 lift stations;
WWTP has no power – but 3 ft. freeboard height)
• The following facilities have not been assessed (and no communication from them)
• Roper
• Crestwell
• Murfreesboro
• Edenton
• Colerain
• Other than those listed – no further updates on facilities in the Washington Regional Office.
Animal Systems
• Of the 550 farms in the main area of impact, there were very few reported problems. The report is the
TOTAL since the hurricane event through 9/23 at 1 pm (SEE ATTACHED – 1 additional farm
reporting)
Fish Kills
• The fish kill reported to be in the lower Roanoke River near Jamesville was checked out but no dead
fish were found.
• A fish kill was investigated at Tuscarora Beach on the Chowan River in Hertford County. The kill
appeared to extend north from Tuscarora Beach to the highway 158 bridge in Winton. We counted
approximately 200 dead fish. About 85% were carp, 10% shad, and 5% were a mixture of bass, perch,
catfish, and gar. Physical measurements read as follows: 0.55 mg/l - dissolved oxygen, 6.8 - pH, 50
umhos - conductivity, and 22.4 degrees C - water temperature. These readings were consistent
throughout the water column. Biochemical oxygen demand, nutrients, and fecal coliform samples
were taken and submitted to the DWQ lab.
We believe the kill was caused by lack of dissolved oxygen due to runoff
of oxygen consuming organic matter from nearby swamps. This high load of runoff was caused by
heavy rainfall and flooding from Hurricane Isabel. Though we only counted 200 fish, we estimated
the kill to be more in the range of
300-500 fish total.
What’s next?

• The Washington Regional office staff continues to assess damage at various sites across the
northeast. Focus is on the larger municipal and industrial facilities, particularly where flooding,
power outages, and high winds have occurred.
• We are still in the process of getting information from the air, have staff flying today.
• Volunteers from other regions of the state are standing by to help if needed.
• Fayetteville RO, Wilmington RO, and Winston-Salem report no further incidences related to the
hurricane and the situation with regard to the hurricane is under control. There will be no further
reports from these regions related to the hurricane.
• Raleigh Regional Office has a staff member living in Roanoke Rapids – he has been performing onthe-ground
assessments since Friday in that area. Communication is very difficult around that area.
HURRICANE DAILY SUMMARY REPORT - ANIMALS
(Isabel)
Please send reports to Keith Larick (phone: (919) 733-5083 x.571, fax: (919) 733-0059)
Report Date: 9/23/03 Time: 1:00
Region: All Reported by: Keith Larick
This report was generated from on-site inspections and/or phone calls received from
9/18/03 to 9/23/03@1:00.
(date / time) (date / time)
Number of farms reporting: __9___
Number of inspections: _____0_______
Number of farms with freeboard 12 to 19 inches: __7____ # of farms at < 12 inches: ____2____
Number of lagoons overtopping: ____1____ Number of lagoons breached: ____0____
Number of lagoons with dike problems: __0____ Lagoons w/ water on wall: ___0_____
Number of lagoons inundated: ______0______
Did we fly? FRO is flying today
If so, give brief description of what observed.

Operational Priorities:
DENR Operational
Priorities
Public Water
Supply Systems
WWTP status of
systems with no
contact
These priorities expected to remain during the next 24 hours/days
Operational Status:
DEH :
Shellfish Sanitation: All three labs working and all staff members available.
Pest Management Section: Local programs are severely hampered by the hurricane's effects.
Resource Assessment:
DEH :
Shellfish Sanitation: If we have to help analyze potable water samples we will need more water sample bottles
and media. We have already been in contact with the state lab and they are aware of our needs.
Environmental Health Services Section: Onsite shelter for volunteer help. Volunteers are having a hard time
finding lodging close enough to the area in need. They will be spending valuable time on the road to and from
the work area each day.
Pest Management Section: Our most pressing need is for FEMA acceptance of cost sharing.