- Sep 16, 2012
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Here, I have a few pics now;I . . . "lived" two blocks from that Sanford Dam up till a few days ago.I realize there is a lot involved. Twenty years is a long time, though. This company, according to other posters' information, did not follow through with it's plans during that time.I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?
Michigan dam had repeated safety violations before flooding
A hydroelectric dam that failed to hold back floodwaters this week in Michigan was the target of lengthy investigations by federal regulators.www.wilx.com
The quote below shows the issues with competing regulatory goals, and gives you an idea of the problems over-regulation can cause.
So they were told the lake overflow was not adequate, but when they lowered the lake, which acts a buffer to overflow potential, they were sued because lowering the lake could hurt freshwater mussels.
You think that happens on a dime? The issue was spillway capacity. You have to expand the spillways, which means increasing their size, which means modifying the dam, which means approval from multiple agencies.
Well, it's too late now. People are under water and it seems to be a domino effect. Once in 500 year rainfall? The people owning the dams were hoping it wouldn't happen on their watch. But it did. At least it's bringing the issue of infrastructure to people's minds again. Infrastructure isn't terribly interesting or likely to captivate people's interest, but it's kinda important, as Michigan is being reminded.
for the past thirteen years, I have watched that city park flood every three years or so. . . as the spill way overflowed, pretty much as it is designed to.
I have also followed the local politics of the company that got suckered into taking care of these debacles. I am sure it sounded like a wise investment years ago before wetland standards changed, the climate started shifting a bit (regardless of the cause,) I believe they have also wanted the local authorities and tax-payers to buy the infrastructure back, but the government wanted to build a multi-million dollar beach and spray water park for the residents and kids. . . . as that makes the politicians, of both parties have a better resume.
I have so much more to tell, and so much more to write, but I am on dial up, way out in the woods, and an awful lap top, whose FONTS keep fluctuating, I can't edit worth shit. . . and I am stressed with a migraine to hell. I have to get up early tomorrow to go back into the disaster zone and do more salvage work at what used to be my house, and help others in my community if I have any energy.
I read the absolute stupidity of 95% of the senseless posts about this topic just break my heart. Thank you, marty, MDK and death angle for taking the time to try to understand what is really go on in my home town.
This is not the fault of corporations, nor is it the fault of political parties. It is the fault of selfish individauls and bad policy makers succumbing to the interests of stake holders with money, and folks putting their own interests above that of the community, and a lot of folks thinking, that the unthinkable, improbable won't happen. But like we see, over and over again, it can, and will, and does happen.
Greed and power know no party, are not confined to corporations of government. . . low battery. . .
From the front door, you can see it was six inches over a yard stick. . .
These are from just across the street, the water still standing. . .
. . . and my mailbox gone.
Most of the other pics are pretty uninteresting. They looked much more impressive in person. Just a scattered muddy mess really. You can't make heads or tails of them because they are so dark, messy and muddy. A camera would have been better than a phone.
The only one that can maybe be made out that show something of interest is that the flood water floated the fridge in the entryway in the back and tipped it on it's side. . . .
