2 mid-Michigan dams breached, thousands evacuated amid flooding

[Coyote]

The governor is reporting on the emergency

2 mid-Michigan dams breached, thousands evacuated amid flooding

Two breached dams caused by several days of rainfall and rising water on Tuesday forced the evacuation of about 10,000 people in mid-Michigan.

www.woodtv.com

All the money went to the illegals so they could stay in a 5 star rather than fix the dam...... good ur dumb fks deserve it all. Sry ppl with minds have to pay for it too though.

Boy, we can sure count on you to politicize this onto something unrelated.

 

[OldLady]

Michigan dam had repeated safety violations before flooding

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A hydroelectric dam that failed to hold back floodwaters this week in Michigan was the target of lengthy investigations by federal regulators, who revoked the facility's license over safety violations two years before the flooding that forced 10,000 people to evacuate the

apnews.com

The commission said it warned the dam’s previous owners of the need for improvements in early 1999, but no changes were made before the license was transferred to Boyce Hydro in 2004.

Boyce Hydro said it planned to build an auxiliary spillway on the Tittabawassee River that year and was studying the need for another on the Tobacco River, the commission said.

But the company failed to complete either project, repeatedly seeking extensions and missing deadlines, the agency said. Among its other violations: performing unauthorized dam repairs and earth-moving and failing to file an adequate public safety plan, maintain recreation facilities or monitor water quality.

It sounds like they were damned if they did and damned if they didn't. Pun works good there, huh?

 

[OldLady]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

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.

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.

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.

 

[progressive hunter]

 

[martybegan]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

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.

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.

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.

What we need to know is the reason they didn't follow through. What were the regulatory agencies asking for? Where 3 different agencies asking for 3 different things? The counterintuitive directives one, to mitigate spillway volume risk, and the other not to lower the reservoirs due to mussel beds shows that not even the government was on the same page when it came to any modifications to the operating conditions.

The one line about "unauthorized repairs" is also telling, indicating that probably some agency wasn't 100% happy with how they were maintaining the dam, and the owners took it upon themselves to do the repairs and deal with the consequences anyway.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Crumbling infrastructure and the failure of the Trump Administration to address the real problems in the nation while CB he pursues his political enemies.

Not one dime for infrastructure. Billions for a useless wall.

Don’t make any mistake. Our crumbling infrastructure is something that should be laid at the feet of the duopoly and their blind supporters. Our nation is being failed by its elevated officials, but far too many don’t give a shit so long as their party is in power.

I could has sworn the governor of Michigan was a Democrat.

So?

It would be Michigan's responsibility to fix these dams.

What does that have to do with the governor being a Democrat? What does the dam failing have to do with the governor being a Democrat?

Asked and answered. Try reading the thread please. My answer is the post you quoted.

So, nothing then.

The responsibility for these dams is with the state, The governor is a libtard Democrat. Can you not put 2 and 2 together and come up with 4?

Imbecile, this problem didn't just start. It was reported over 20 years ago the dam needed to be refurbished. There have been 4 governors over that period, 12 years under Republicans and 9 years under Democrats. Their state legislature has been in Republican control all but 2 of those years, including now. Laying all the blame on the governor now who was just sworn in last year, while ignoring the 2 decades preceeding her, is absurd.

But not entirely unexpected coming from you, I suppose.

I guess she will not bother asking for a declaration of a disaster from President Trump and seek FEMA funds for their screw ups?

 

[keepitreal]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

Read the OP and the links, the two damns are privately built and owned.

I'm sorry...your point is what

 

[Dragonlady]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

What part of “they failed to maintain the pumps” are you not hearing?

What pumps? The article mentioned lack of spillway capacity?

The article mentioned numerous problems going back 20 years. None of which have anything to do with which party is sitting in the governor’s mansion and everything to do with yet another corporation endangering lives and destroying private property in the name of profit and greed.

When will Americans stop worshipping at the feet of profiteers and bagmen and start expecting companies to act in the best interests of the community it’s profiting off of.

These are simply basic concepts for the rest of the first world.

PEOPLE FIRST.

 

[B. Kidd]

If the dams that failed were privately owned, by power companies, and the state told them to fix them and they didn't, shouldn't the state have had some way to step in and make sure it got done? This isn't a private company with a leaky roof. It affects public safety and people's property. The price tag on this will be enormous. Much more than a power company could make right.

It just seems strange that something as critical to the general public as a dam could be allowed to be insufficient like this.

Michigan hesitated and blew it as Mother Nature responded with a huge 'Fuck You'!

 

[keepitreal]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

Because Saudi Arabia needed libraries and new school books
Afghanistan needed help with the country's infrastructure
Albania needed funding for drug control and law enforcement
PRC needed a democracy, human rights and labor program AND
CDC: Coordinating Office of Global Health (COGH) Disease Detection...so much for that

There's a few reasons why shit don't get fixed here

 

[keepitreal]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

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.

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.

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.

Speaking of infrastructure...
How much of the $29 TRILLION from bailouts and recovery acts
was spent on infrastructure...Obama did tout infrastructure

How much was spent, on what and how many jobs
did infrastructure related work create...just curious

 

[keepitreal]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

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.

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.

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.

What we need to know is the reason they didn't follow through. What were the regulatory agencies asking for? Where 3 different agencies asking for 3 different things? The counterintuitive directives one, to mitigate spillway volume risk, and the other not to lower the reservoirs due to mussel beds shows that not even the government was on the same page when it came to any modifications to the operating conditions.

The one line about "unauthorized repairs" is also telling, indicating that probably some agency wasn't 100% happy with how they were maintaining the dam, and the owners took it upon themselves to do the repairs and deal with the consequences anyway.

Let's just make this easy...it's Trump's fault...Orange Man Bad

 

[B. Kidd]

It looks like we've reached the point where Gov't on every level no longer prevents problems, instead mostly contributes to them.
It is frozen in place like a deer in headlights.

 

[keepitreal]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

What part of “they failed to maintain the pumps” are you not hearing?

What pumps? The article mentioned lack of spillway capacity?

The article mentioned numerous problems going back 20 years. None of which have anything to do with which party is sitting in the governor’s mansion and everything to do with yet another corporation endangering lives and destroying private property in the name of profit and greed.

When will Americans stop worshipping at the feet of profiteers and bagmen and start expecting companies to act in the best interests of the community it’s profiting off of.

These are simply basic concepts for the rest of the first world.

PEOPLE FIRST.

Well, aren't you special

The Queen of shit for brains telling PoliticalChic she's the queen of bullshit

 

[keepitreal]

It looks like we've reached the point where Gov't on every level no longer prevents problems, instead mostly contributes to them.
It is frozen in place like a deer in headlights.

We really need the winner ribbon back

 

[B. Kidd]

Due to a variety of petty and stupid political reasons; INFRASTRUCTURE and NATIONAL SECURITY both have taken a backseat in our priorities for too long.

 

[beagle9]

Seems the dams were being sold-
In 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revoked the license of the company that operated the Edenville Dam due to non-compliance issues that included spillway capacity and the inability to pass the most severe flood reasonably possible in the area.

The Edenville Dam, which was built in 1924, was rated in unsatisfactory condition in 2018 by the state. The Sanford Dam, which was built in 1925, received a fair condition rating.

Both dams are in the process of being sold.

There were 19 high hazard dams in unsatisfactory or poor condition in Michigan in 2018, ranking 20th among the 45 states and Puerto Rico for which The Associated Press obtained condition assessments.

Thousands evacuated as river dams break in central Michigan

By Wednesday morning, water that was several feet high covered some streets near the river in downtown Midland.

www.freep.com

Ok, so the state regulatory commission concerning dams in the state, undoubtedly had no teeth in implementing corrective solutions, and then demanding within a proper time frame for those solutions to be implemented. So do we have government ineptness, and lack of regulatory actions in play here ?? I think we doooo.. Not surprised.

Who is ever in charge of lowering and raising water levels in ponds, lakes, and reservoir's when catostrophic events threaten these infrastructure or structural levies and dams whether private or public ??

 

[B. Kidd]

Seems the dams were being sold-
In 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revoked the license of the company that operated the Edenville Dam due to non-compliance issues that included spillway capacity and the inability to pass the most severe flood reasonably possible in the area.

The Edenville Dam, which was built in 1924, was rated in unsatisfactory condition in 2018 by the state. The Sanford Dam, which was built in 1925, received a fair condition rating.

Both dams are in the process of being sold.

There were 19 high hazard dams in unsatisfactory or poor condition in Michigan in 2018, ranking 20th among the 45 states and Puerto Rico for which The Associated Press obtained condition assessments.

Thousands evacuated as river dams break in central Michigan

By Wednesday morning, water that was several feet high covered some streets near the river in downtown Midland.

www.freep.com

Ok, so the state regulatory commission concerning dams in the state, undoubtedly had no teeth in implementing corrective solutions, and then demanding within a proper time frame for those solutions to be implemented. So do we have government ineptness, and lack of regulatory actions in play here ?? I think we doooo.. Not surprised.

Who is ever in charge of lowering and raising water levels in ponds, lakes, and reservoir's when catostrophic events threaten these infrastructure or structural levies and dams whether private or public ??

Yupp!
Alot of unanswered questions that will not be adequately answered.
Mainly because it'll be easier to blame as no one wants to touch responsibility anymore with a 10 ft. F"in pole!

 

[OldLady]

They got a ton of raid due to a stalled rotating system that just kept pumping water into many watersheds in the area.

The 2nd failure appears to be a cascade failure from the first dam breaching.

I have a feeling people will be scrounging for maintenance records on these dams, especially their spillway maintenance and operation records.

Just another fine example of neglected priorities by elected officials

We don't have evidence of anything either way. Right now the job is to get people out of the way, whatever mobile property you can out of the way, sandbag or berm crucial infrastructure items, and then clean up afterwards.

Finding evidence of maintenance failure is usually pretty easy, if that is what has happened.

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.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lake’s level without permission after the federal license was revoked, said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since its federal license was withdrawn.

The department was pursuing enforcement action for the violation and resulting damage to natural resources when the dam gave way, Assendelft said. A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed “thousands, if not millions” of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

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.

I'm guessing they lowered the lake level because the dam wasn't up to par? Why didn't they just fix the dam?

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.

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.

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.

What we need to know is the reason they didn't follow through. What were the regulatory agencies asking for? Where 3 different agencies asking for 3 different things? The counterintuitive directives one, to mitigate spillway volume risk, and the other not to lower the reservoirs due to mussel beds shows that not even the government was on the same page when it came to any modifications to the operating conditions.

The one line about "unauthorized repairs" is also telling, indicating that probably some agency wasn't 100% happy with how they were maintaining the dam, and the owners took it upon themselves to do the repairs and deal with the consequences anyway.

That's why I said, damned if they did and damned if they didn't. However, since they lowered the lake level without authorization and undertook repairs without prior approval, it's not all that surprising that they got called on it.
I'm not saying all these regulations don't step on each other's toes, frustrate and confuse the issue--sometimes they do. But I'm not going to defend them "just because" either. There are no doubt billions in damage here which could have been prevented if the dams and spillways had been kept up to snuff. You can't put all the blame on the government for that.

 

[Dragonlady]

California failed to use the money handed to them ust so they could " fix" the dams ---------- so assume assume when you fail to up keep it's going to happen and ppl do NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR LOCAL GOV. ASSHOLES!! Lazy ass American wentn to sleep a long time ago.

Hey stupid. There hasn’t been any money given to states for infrastructure. And this happened in Michigan. Not California.

Stupid, ignorant and conservative is no way to go through life.

"Any" money?

I am working on a project right now funded partially by federal funds, managed by a State Agency.

So where did that money come from?

Part of the State's infrastructure program. There are three levels of government, each responsible for various levels of infrastructure. States can apply for federal matching/assistance dollars on some types of state infrastructure, so if it's "partially funded by federal $$", that means that this isn't a "federal project".

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IF10592.pdf