Nemaha, Iowa

... Changes to Flood Warning and forecast services on the Des
Moines... south skunk and Chariton rivers...

To: family of services /fos/ subscribers... NOAA weather
          wire service /nwws/ subscribers... emergency
          managers... weather information network /emwin/
          subscribers... noaaport subscribers... other National
          Weather Service /NWS/ customers and partners... NWS
          employees

From: Jeffrey zogg
          senior hydrologist... NWS Des Moines IA

Subject: change to Flood Warning and forecast services for
          the Des Moines River in The Fort Dodge IA area...
          the south Skunk River in the Oskaloosa IA area...
          and the Chariton river in the Chariton IA area...
          effective January 6 2010... at 12 PM CST


... Des Moines River in The Fort Dodge IA area...

Per coordination with local officials... the NWS in Des Moines
will raise the flood stage from the present level of 10
feet... to the new level of 10.5 feet... effective at the date
and time mentioned above.

We will provide river flood warnings when the river is
expected to reach or exceed the new flood stage of 10.5 feet.
In addition... we will provide river forecasts when the river
is expected to reach or exceed the forecast issuance stage of
9 feet.

The river stages which correspond to moderate and major
flooding will remain unchanged... at 13 feet and 14 feet
respectively.

We provide river flood warnings and forecasts for the Des
Moines River at Fort Dodge for the stretch of the Des Moines
River extending from the Municipal power dam... to Lehigh.


... South Skunk River in the Oskaloosa IA area...

Per coordination with local officials... the NWS in Des Moines
will raise the flood stage from the present level of 17
feet... to the new level of 20 feet... effective at the date
and time mentioned above.

We will provide river flood warnings when the river is
expected to reach or exceed the new flood stage of 20 feet.
In addition... we will provide river forecasts when the river
is expected to reach or exceed the forecast issuance stage of
18 feet.

The river stages which correspond to moderate and major
flooding will remain unchanged... at 21 feet and 24 feet
respectively.

We provide river flood warnings and forecasts for the south
Skunk River near Oskaloosa... for the stretch of the south
Skunk River extending from the Marion-Mahaska County
line... to the Mahaska-Keokuk County line.


... Chariton river in the Chariton IA area...

Per coordination with local officials... the NWS in Des Moines
will raise the flood stage from the present level of 15
feet... to the new level of 18 feet... effective at the date
and time mentioned above.

We will provide river flood warnings when the river is
expected to reach or exceed the new flood stage of 18 feet.
In addition... we will provide river forecasts when the river
is expected to reach or exceed the forecast issuance stage of
16 feet.

The river stages which correspond to moderate and major
flooding will remain unchanged... at 21 feet and 23 feet
respectively.

We provide river flood warnings and forecasts for the
Chariton river near Chariton... for the stretch of the
Chariton river extending from Wolf Creek to Rathbun
Reservoir.


... Other information...

More information is available on our web site...
http://www.Weather.Gov/desmoines .


The National Weather Service welcomes public feedback. If you
have any questions or comments on this change... please
contact...

     Jeffrey zogg
     National Weather Service forecast office
     9607 NW Beaver drive
     Johnston Iowa 50131-1908

     phone 515-270-4501 x493