Scientists use Matthew study to look at flooding effects on rivers
>>> NEW ESTIMATES SUGGEST
HURRICANE MATTHEW CAUSED BY $2
BILLION OF DAMAGE IN THE STATE,
MUCH OF IT CAUSED BY THE
FLOODING AS RIVERS RAN OVER
THEIR BANKS.
>> THE QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF
DAMAGE DID THAT DO TO OUR
WATERWAYS.
THE NEUSE RIVER STARTS AT FALLS
LAKE.
THE STORM FLOODED CITIES AND
TOWNS ALONG THE WAY PICKING UP
ANY CHEMICALS IN YARDS, HOUSES
AN ON THE STREETS WASHING THEM
DOWNSTREAM TO THE PAMLICO
SOUND.
IT IS ONE OF TWO RIVERS
RESEARCHERS ARE STUDYING NOW
WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE OF A
GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION.
THE NEUSE RIVER IN NEW BERN
JUST SEVEN WEEKS SIX HURRICANE
MATTHEW DEVASTATED EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.
TECHNICIAN RANDY SLOPE STEADIES
THE BOAT SO GRADUATE STUDENT
AND RESEARCHER ALEX HOUNDSHELL
CAN JUMP ON BOARD.
TWICE A WEEK, THIS CREW MOTORS
UP AND DOWN THE NEUSE AND
PAMLICO RIVERS COLLECTING
SAMPLES.
SAMPLES OF WHAT MAY HAVE WASHED
DOWNSTREAM IN MATTHEW'S FLOOD
WATT ENGINEER WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO STUDY HOW THESE LARGE
EVENTS IMPACT THE ESTUARIES SO
WE CAN BETTER PROTECT OUR
WATERWAYS.
>> Reporter: THIS SPOT IS KNOWN
AS SITE 30.
DOWNSTREAM FROM THE RAILROAD
TRESTLE, UPSTREAM FROM UNION
POINT.
>> ACTUALLY THE WORTH IS JUST
BEGINNING.
>> THE SAMPLES END UP HERE, A
LAB AT THE UNC MARINE SCIENCE
INSTITUTE IN MOREHEAD CITY.
A FEW DOORS DOWN THE HALL.
>> I THINK WE ARE ALL CONVINCED
THAT THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING.
>> Reporter: DR. HANS PEARL IS
LECTURING AN UNDERGRADUATE
CLASS ABOUT THE EBBS OF LARGE
SCALE FLOODING.
>> MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHETHER WE
HAVE HURRICANE EVENTS OR NOT.
>> HE IS THE LEAD SCIENTIST OF
THIS POST-SMOOTH AWE FLOOD
STUDY.
>> WE GOT ABOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR
OF NUTRIENT LOADING COME
NOTHING THE SYSTEM WITHIN ABOUT
A TWO OR THREE WEEK PERIOD.
THIS IS A GOOD THING UP TO A
CERTAIN POINT AND THEN YOU GET
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
>> THINK OF IT LIKE BINGE
EATING OVER COMING HOLIDAY.
>> IT COMES INTO THE SYSTEM AND
IT CAN TAKE MONTHS TO WORK ITS
WAY OUT.
SO WE CAN GET BLOOMS FROM
MATTHEW WELL INTO THE SPRING OR
SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR.
>> TOO MANY NUTRIENTS CAUSE
ALGAE BLOOMS.
>> MADELEINE ALBRIGHT THEY CAN
REDUCE WHAT THEY ARE OUT
APPROXIMATING INTO THE LAND.
>> PEARL BELIEVED THE
CONSTITUTEIED CAN HELP WITH
EVEN GREATER GOALS.
>> FLOYD WAS DECLARED A 500
YEAR FLOOD EVENT.
NOW, MATTHEW HAS BEEN DEFINED
ASOMETHING ON THE SAME SCALE.
HOW COULD WE HAVE TWO 500 YEAR
FLOOD EVENTS WITHIN 20 YEARS?
THAT IS REALLY CAUSING US TO
THINK THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING
IN TERM OF THE INTENSITY AND
MAGNITUDE OF THESE STORMS.
>> SO FAR AWAY YET THE FLOODING
HAS SUCH AN IMPACT.
UNC IS WORKING WITH NC STATE ON
THIS STUDY.
ONE POSITIVE NOTE, MATTHEW
BLOWING IN SO LATE IN THE
SEASON MEANS THE WEATHER WILL