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You're right, I was over-generalizing. I guess it's safe to say that many areas of the U.S. would have trouble handling over 4 feet of rain falling in the space of a couple of days.
Yes they would but humans are the ones who made this problem as bad as it is by building civilization in a natural flood plain. No amount of human anything will ever stop this from happening. None. Build the levees higher, they will eventually fail. Build giant sand berms, they will eventually wash away, etc. The basic point is that we really have to take a good look at where we put people and not interfere with the planet's natural ebbs and flows because all we end up doing is making things much, much worse and costing many, many lives. The planet is way bigger than us peon humans. We are just a gnat in the grand scheme of things. It's past time for us to start at least acting like we know our place in the universe.
I agree, there are certain places that shouldn't be developed.
However, I will state this, in the Bahamas, they build their homes with nothing but Concrete Block, and they actually withstand only water damage...so maybe as people re-buid, they should visit alternatives.
I saw an ocean front home make it thru one of the worst hurricanes, with nothing but water damage and roof repairs....
Have you seen the hurricane proof home?
It proved itself during a cat 4 and only the lower garage level and front steps were damaged. No water made it into the living areas. Not a bad looking home either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dbones
lmao..What a dumb thing to say. I'm 100 feet above sea level. I wouldn't get flooded like that. It would simply go to sea level or lower.
Elevation doesn't really have much to do with it. Houston average is 80 feet above sea level. It;s the hills and valleys that determine flooding. It could happen anywhere at any elevation. Some of the worst flooding in history is in Columbia 1000 feet or more up.
I'd hazard a guess that between flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, severe winter weather, droughts ---- much of the U.S. is prone to severe weather and also the risk of natural disasters.
For example, most of Florida is at sea level and at high risk of flooding, or being obliterated if sea levels continue to rise with global warming.
Also, there is no place in North America that could get over 50 inches of rain in a couple of days and not flood.
Most of the US is not prone to hurricanes and tropical storms and the massive flooding that devastates the lives and businesses of millions of people.
Most of the US is not located in conditions that caused 50" of rain over a couple of days.
You could say the same thing about living near the border then too - - relocate and don't build an impractical and ineffective wall at the border.
Actually no you can't or shouldn't.
Conflating two separate issues won't solve either one. Not only that , but you can't claim something is ineffective when you don't have it. We know walls work and there is overwhelming evidence to prove it. One thing we know for sure also is where we do have walls on the border, they do work. Nothing will ever be foolproof.
A wall as a defense against mother nature and a wall to block humans from trespassing have different requirements.
A sea wall and the walls of a house are not the same design for logical reasons. Even though they share a feature of controlling the entry or exit of water.
Or maybe businesses and people could choose to relocate to places less prone to natural disasters instead of expecting the Federal Government to make operating/ living in swampland better, till the next big one.
I have questions about the wisdom of building a major city on the remains of a swamp, but the fact is, many of our oldest cities were built in just such locales, so it's a little bit late, unless we want to relocate the entire community. I am not sure that's feasible. There will be sea ports as long as the land meets the water.
The voters via the electoral college voted for a Southern Wall between the US and Mexico by electing Donald Trump. While your suggestion is interesting, the wall you propose wasn't on the ballot in 2016.
ha, ha, ha. Is that the new line to justify claiming "the voters" support Trump despite his losing by millions of votes? Yes, he won the EC, but he doesn't have a mandate and there is zero justification to reasonably claim "the voters" or "a majority" support him, despite the vagaries of the electoral college.
Most of the US is not prone to hurricanes and tropical storms and the massive flooding that devastates the lives and businesses of millions of people.
Most of the US is not located in conditions that caused 50" of rain over a couple of days.
Yet there there are tornadoes and brush fires and other natural disasters that strike non-coastal regions. Where exactly do you propose people relocate to where they won't be susceptible to any risk?
Where we really need a wall: maybe the Federal government and the Army Corps of Engineers could provide the money and manpower to construct some protective walls and surge barriers, strengthen the bayou systems and dams, to protect Houston in the future.
That isn't the responsibility of the Federal Government. It is the responsibility of the Federal government to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws.
That's what happens when stupid humans build civilization in a natural flood plain. It's time to pay the piper for the hubris of humans thinking they can beat nature.
The Federal Government created the Federal Flood Insurance program when the private sector declined to insure the exposures. It seems to have encouraged building in flood prone areas over the last 50 years.
If I were King, I would impose a " special assessment" tax on all income to pay for whatever the Federal Government decides to award. No income? No problem. Your benefits get cut.
Think that might be the wake up call we need to rethink the role the Federal Government plays going forward as it relates to natural disasters.
Last edited by middle-aged mom; 08-30-2017 at 11:39 AM..
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