Posted on 06/22/2011 6:23:41 AM PDT by CharlyFord
SIOUX CITY -- When residents of Pierre, Dakota Dunes and other communities along the flooding Missouri River scrambled to protect their towns, many had harsh words for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for managing the river.
"The Corps of Engineers has completely and totally let us down," Gary Grittner, a Fort Pierre resident, said. "We, the people of Fort Pierre and Pierre, are paying the price for incompetence on the part of the Corps of Engineers."
Severe flooding on the upper Missouri may be a rare event, but harsh criticism of the corps isn't. For decades, stakeholders up and down the river have waged a fierce struggle over how the corps has managed water releases from the great Missouri River reservoirs -- struggles triggered equally by periods of low water as this year's high water.
Every time I've rented or purchased a home, I always considered things like flooding. Don't establish you home in harms way!! People that do need only look to themselves for blame and relief.
Someone may need to take Obama aside and explain the headline ...
A burning question about the flooding is the late release of water from the reservoirs. It is becoming more evident that release of water when the river was low was delayed 45 days to protect fish and bird habitats. Water was held back when dams were full and they knew there was 30% more snowmelt to come.
I agree that people should not build in a flood plain, but I would like to know if the corp has actually altered things in a way that makes it worse.
Of course, you could also point out that this demonstrates the folly of allowing someone else to manage something for which you or your locale will pay the consequences.
Is management of rivers one of the enumerated powers, or is this just one of many infringements on state responsibilities?
The US Army “Corps of Engineers” can best be descibed w/ the first word “Cluster”. “CharlyFord” if you don’t know what you are talking about SHUT UP!
Maybe. Has it been the Corps of Engineers to over promise what they can do or has that been politicians?
****Every time I’ve rented or purchased a home, I always considered things like flooding. Don’t establish you home in harms way!! ****
I made that mistake once. Tulsa OK, Memorial Day, Mingo Creek 1976.
Since then I live on high ground. Very high ground.
Nothing new there. They are the 'Government'. A wise person will not put themselves in a position where a COE “Cluster ****" will have a major affect on their lives. Live and put your business on high ground.
“CharlyFord” if you don’t know what you are talking about SHUT UP!
You need to attend some anger management training.
As a teenager, our home flooded in a hurricane. I learned something there. As an adult, I've lived in over 23 different homes in 9 different states. I currently live near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. None of my homes were at risk of flooding. I know what I'm talking about.
I seriously object to being taxed to compensate people that live in flood prone areas. The concept is simple. If there is a risk of flood, don't build there. If you do, assume the risk and lose yourself.
That flooding(hurricane) was a natural Disater(sp?), this flooding is COMPLETELY Man-Made!
A difficult situation, but from my non expert vantage point, the Corps made incorrect decisions . The snow pack was a known quantity a long time ago.
I suspect they still aren’t releasing enough water. I heard yesterday they are now looking to next year already, as far as release rates go now!
Lets hope they learn and make better decisions going forward.
You are right... to a point. The USACE has built a network of 6 dams on the Missouri to control floods and winter runoff. As a result, huge investments have been made in residential, commercial and agricultural properties in areas which were once prone to flooding but are now supposedly “protected” through planned releases. The two uppermost dams, Fort Peck and Garrison, are overwhelmed and the Corps has known all winter and spring that the snow pack levels in the mountains were nearly unprecedented. The Corps has been slow to react, plain and simple. Now, thousands of people are in harm’s way who should not be.
And, the Fort Peck Dam is an old hydraulic fill dam that stretches for miles. What is not being said is that it is under strain. Pray that it does not fail because if it does, we would see a disaster of unimaginable proportion all the way to St. Louis. There are some in the Corps who are very concerned. Believe it.
You’re not understanding my point. Natural or man made is irrelevant. If it’s low land, don’t build there. If you do, for whatever reason or justification,it’s your problem, not mine!
Let’s hope people have learned not to depend on the Government. Don’t put yourself in the position where a Government mistake can harm you.
Sounds like New Orleans to me. Put up some cheap dikes, sell land cheap, and build a city below sea level. Then when the place floods, the tax payers get the bill.
Low land floods. If a builder (private or government) wants to build dikes or dams to make the land marketable, all hands need to recognize the risks and plan for and be willing to accept any lose of flooding.
The government suckering people into investments and then changing the rules or not holding up the government's end of the bargain is common practice now. Don't depend on the government if you have a choice. That's the reason we need to put an end to Obamacare.
On a side note, George Bush was in Omaha for the CWS and threw out the first pitch. I wouldn't be surprised to hear about levies failing soon. Failing levies and GWB in the same area? Coincidence??? I think not. /s
They held back this water until the Mississippi River flow cleared...
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