Walker Mayor: Louisiana Flooding event was man-made (Youtube Video)

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[OneVike]

"WALKER, LA - The frustrated mayor of Walker, Louisiana said Tuesday that the flooding event in his city was "man-made" and announced plans to file suit against the state of Louisiana and federal government.

Walker Mayor Rick Ramsey said a six-foot tall concrete barrier that was put along I-12 when the interstate was expanded last year essentially put the city of Walker "into a bowl" because he said the barrier prevents water from draining out of Walker.

"When the Amite River went up, it hit that wall," Ramsey said. "We have video evidence that shows the concrete barrier and water lapping over the north shore of the interstate and bone dry on the south of the interstate. They basically built a dam for Walker.

The mayor added when the Amite River went up, the floodwater hit that wall and some of the water went toward the Millerville Road area and some went into Walker.

Ramsey said he imagines many insurance companies will want to join the potential lawsuit because they now face having to pay billions of dollars in claims for what he believes is negligence on the part of the state and federal government.

"I've been begging them for three-and-a-half years to give us more drainage under the interstate," the mayor said.

[OneVike]

For what it's worth, I believe the mayor is basically talking about his town, not the whole of South Louisiana that has flooded. It does seem like the more the government engineers mess with things the more things get screwed up though.

[Magnum44]

Another example of gross incompetence on the part of govt planners and engineers. They can do this and get away with it and yet go after homeowners with the EPA Nazis for digging drainage ditches to protect their homes from damage.

What has happened to the institutions that build this nation? We could never build a Hoover dam today without fear of it collapsing from a heavy rain.

I cited this simple example about a year ago. A local airport was given 10 million dollars in govt funds to re-grade the field for drainage. Did they think to ask a single pilot or aviation professional their opinion of the plan? Well, short story is, like many airports, the field used to be relatively flat, such that if you needed to make an emergency landing you could do so from almost any direction, and crossing runways or taxiways would probably not seriously damage the aircraft. Now, with drainage taking priority over aircraft safety and minimizing landing hazards, if you roll off a runway you will very quickly either drop off a 3 foot bank or run smack into one, depending on which direction you are coming from. And visually you can’t even see this from the cockpit as its all grass covered and “looks flat” and continuous when its not.

10 million dollars of tax money and the airport is less safe than before they blew this money. This kind of waste and incompetence is happening all over.

[jsanders2001]

It's always the white man's faullt. Yes, guilty as charged because we have nothing better to do than make black people's homes flood since we know they can't swim and will drown../s

I get so tired of the self-pity and self-entitlement, its not my fault bullcrap

[lizma2]

Katrina 2.0.

At the time the morning after the hurricane everything was ok, but then the dams broke and hell was unleashed. Later it came out that the money sent to Louisiana to fix the dams was spent on other things.

Remember the guy who “borrowed” the school bus and drove people out! The state couldn’t do it, but this guy could!!

[MrBambaLaMamba]

The Mayor should have sent his public works people to take care of the wall.

[AnthonySoprano]

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Maybe they got Bush’s WEATHER MACHINE.

This won’t make if off YouTube because the Media has no interest.

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[OneVike]

Probably illegal since they would be digging under an interstate freeway.

[Fiddlstix]

Click the Pic

[RetiredTexasVet]

I’m sure the Corps of Engineers and EPA will straighten the whole mess out to everyone’s satisfaction.

[gbunch]

I live in Walker, having moved here after losing my house outside New Orleans to Katrina.

What happened here is mind-boggling. The nearby Amite River crested at 41.5' in 1983, when much of this area flooded. Until last week, the 1983 flood was "the big one". Last week, the Amite crested at an incredible 46.2', over 5' higher than 1983. Areas which are solidly in flood zone X ("no-flood" zones) far from the river, which have never flooded, got deep water. My house was spared, but clients and friends all around us were hit very hard.

The headline for this story is misleading. This was a natural event. Basically, an overland, nameless tropical storm dumped 3 TO 4 TIMES THE RAINFALL OF KATRINA on us in about 2 days. Some local gauges had over 30 INCHES of rain! However, the man-made center wall on I-12 almost certainly played a part. It is a 6' tall solid concrete barrier that stretches for miles. It has only small seams between segments, and those building it definitely did NOT consider that they were making, in effect, a gigantic dam.

Below are links to 2 local news articles containing pictures of the flooded interstate. The flooded lanes are on the north side of the interstate, where most of Walker is located. Note that the water is almost up to the top of the wall, which is 6' in height, and extends as far as the eye can see. On the south are the eastbound lanes, which are practically free of water, and easily driveable. Only a little water is leaking through the small cracks between wall sections.

There is absolutely no way that this miles-long dam did not play a part in keeping the floodwaters from draining southward. I can see why the mayor feels as he does, and agree with him. With all the millions spent on this wall, not ONE designer or engineer stopped to consider that they were making it watertight! Another fine example of governmental stupidity.

Article 1

Article 2

[OneVike]

Thanks for the personal update brother. Your in my prayers. Are you anywhere near where Trump came to?

[gbunch]

Thanks for the personal update brother. Your in my prayers. Are you anywhere near where Trump came to?

You're welcome!
Prayers are appreciated, but we were truly blessed this time. Our house wasn't threatened at all. However, keep them coming for those around us. The scope of this flood is incredible!
I am only a few miles from where Trump was, though I didn't go see him. Traffic is bad. By the way, Hannity was here today as well.

[Plummz]

There were no “dams.” What flooded New Orleans were broken canal walls. The money wasn’t “sent to Louisiana,” or “spent on other things.” It was totally controlled and run by the federal government’s US Army Corps of Engineers, which had just refurbished the canal walls a few years before.

[lizma2]

I’m not arguing but I read several accounts here at FR that discussed mishandling of money and it was mishandled by LA and the “chocolate mayor”.

I just wish I could get the truth from everyone, both sides. (I know it’s just a fantasy! Rats live in the fantasy that if I say I care, I’m a fabulous human. Mine is someday truth and freedom will reign. ....And my kids will stop eating me out of house and home every time they visit!!!! I spawned locust!! LOL!)