Lava Flow - What's really happening in Pahoa?

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by leilaniguy

"If" the lava crosses Village road, CD director Olivera has said they MAY allow viewing from the 130 bypass. that would be another nightmare for us on the far side of the flow.

It looks like a lot more homes on the other side of 130. Hopefully it stops before doing anymore damage.

Anyhow, I realize this is lava, not much you can do to stop it but with that said, is there anyway they can deflect the flow to a more vacant path? Like a levee system and a ditch system?

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

It looks like a lot more homes on the other side of 130. Hopefully it stops before doing anymore damage.

Anyhow, I realize this is lava, not much you can do to stop it but with that said, is there anyway they can deflect the flow to a more vacant path? Like a levee system and a ditch system?

It's not considered effective, and government entities refuse to attempt such, but you can see photos of one person's attempt to do that on the other thread.

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by OpenD

It's not considered effective, and government entities refuse to attempt such, but you can see photos of one person's attempt to do that on the other thread.

This is a tough situation, I've read that they can divert lava but this could put other suburbs/communities in the crosshairs. Hopefully this comes to a stop soon and before it does much more damage.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

This is a tough situation, I've read that they can divert lava but this could put other suburbs/communities in the crosshairs. Hopefully this comes to a stop soon and before it does much more damage.

The official Civil Defense and county government policy has been stated that they will not try to divert the direction of the flow. They are considering cutting a ditch through the paving on Highway 130 if it gets that far to try to make recovery of the roadway faster and easier after it is all over.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

........., is there anyway they can deflect the flow to a more vacant path? Like a levee system and a ditch system?

It's a lot more difficult to direct lava. Right now it is far from the early projected route. The early projected route followed the lowest elevation, like you would project the flow of water. But the lava went into cracks and tunnels and went where the lava chose, not where humans thought it should.

Lava will also climb, unlike water, so it is capable of piling up at a levee until it is tall enough to flow over. It can do that instead of turning.

Directing to a more vacant path could be tricky. While there are areas with fewer houses, all of it belongs to someone and the fellow who bought 5 acres for his retirement dream is not going to be happy if the government diverts a lava flow onto it, not if the lava would have missed it by a long distance without government help.

[1freespirit]

The only positive thing about this flow - if anything is, that it is over 1/3 less strong as the flow that went through Kalapana. This is a very weak flow as far as the amount of lava being fed through the tube system. Kalapanas flow was 350,000 this flow has not really gone over 100,000. So what this means - not really sure maybe just a more slow advance over all such as it has been doing. Maybe eventually will make to ocean but it may take a lot longer then a few months.

[EddieLo]

Originally Posted by 1freespirit

The only positive thing about this flow - if anything is, that it is over 1/3 less strong as the flow that went through Kalapana. This is a very weak flow as far as the amount of lava being fed through the tube system. Kalapanas flow was 350,000 this flow has not really gone over 100,000. So what this means - not really sure maybe just a more slow advance over all such as it has been doing. Maybe eventually will make to ocean but it may take a lot longer then a few months.

Projections I saw and read were two years to reach the ocean. That was just around June or July last.