Flood hazard downgraded in parts of Glomma

Flood HazardFlood. Photo.pixabay.com

Flood hazard downgraded in parts of Glomma

The Norwegian Directorate of Water and electricity, (NVE) has downgraded the flood hazard in the Glomma River down to the merge point with Vorma in Akershus to the orange level. In the Trysil area, the danger level is still at red.

 

– The flood has now peaked in Glomma near Elverum and in Gudbrandsdalslågen near Losna near to level red, and the water level is on its way down. The water level in Mjøsa is rising rapidly, reports Varsom.no.

– The water flow is about to peak where the flood has been the worst, but it is presently increasing in the lower parts of the waterways, says Hydrologist Elise Trondsen in a press release from NVE.

It is released after the danger level for Glomma is downgraded north of the merge point with Vorma in Akershus to the orange level. The same danger level applies to Drammenselva and upper parts of Oppland and Buskerud.

Regulates Glomma and Mjøsa

The water flow at Mjøsa and Nybergsund in Trysil has however increased. In Trysil there is great uncertainty about how much snow is left, and how the situation will develop.

In Mjøsa, NVE expects a flood peak as late as on May 18th. in the short time span from Friday morning to Saturday morning, the water level in Mjøsa increased by half a metre. Mjøsa and Glomma will be regulated in turn to prevent Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad from being hit by heavy floods.

– All the water is going through the Øyeren Lake, so we first tap more than normal from Øyeren to get the water out off it. So we hope to get much of the Glomma water through Øyeren, while we hold back the Mjøsa River. And then we’ll open up from Mjøsa in the end, says NVE Director Per Sanderud to NRK.

On Friday evening, Sel municipality reported that the water level in Gudbrandsdalslågen had reached the top and was somewhat down. On Saturday morning, deputy mayor in Sel, Lene Jevnheim, announced that the water in the Otta River has withdrawn somewhat and that this is apparent in the town centre, writes Gudbrandsdølen.

Closed roads

The water bars several roads. E6 at Fåvang was closed for passenger cars on Saturday, but was reopened in the evening, according to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

National Road #2 at Kongsvinger, is closed on the stretch Nordhov-Roderud. Likewise, National Road #3 in Østerdalen, and European Route 16 (E16) between Kløfta and Masterud are unavailable for traffic

National Road #3 will be reopened no earlier than Sunday.

– There is still water in the roadway, and the road is so soft that we can not allow traffic on it now. Then the road will be destroyed, says Director of Public Administration Hedmark, Aud M. Riseng.

Set up flood protections

In Nedre Eiker in Buskerud, crews are ready to move out at short notice this weekend if the water level in the river increases.

The municipality has also applied flood protection several places. The water flow through Mjøndalen is increasing and the NVE estimates that a peak will be reached in the middle of next week.

– We start at 12 pm to apply flood protection in several places in the municipality. Among other places at Sandstranda and near Hatten kindergarten in Mjøndalen, mayor Bent Inge Bye tells Drammens Tidende.

Simutanously, Nes municipality in Akershus started work on a 50 meter flood wall along Glomma at the centre of Årnes.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today