Just yesterday there was a dam in Eastern Iowa that failed following a rain storm that dropped 10 inches of rain. CNN reported that the dam, located in a fairly unpopulated area failed on Saturday and the good news is that authorities must have been monitoring the dam and were able to evacuate many people who were in the flood zone before the failure occurred.
Interestingly the Governor said, "Such a failure had never happened before." Never before for that dam maybe. Which is what I'd like to comment on. It was maybe 1-2 years ago that I wrote something about the fragile nature of our critical infrastructure across the United States. How we don't keep up with the repair and replacement of the infrastructure and then it is in danger of failing. I don't recall who told me then, "Eric there is infrastructure failing every day here in the United States." It is one bridge, one dam, one water system at a time. Unless there are deaths associated with the failures they don't make the national news.
One other local "failure to act" is highlighted by the South Park Bridge in Seattle. It was closed the end of June because of its rickety condition. While money is being raised to replace it, that will take a good two-three years before residents in that neck of the woods see a new bridge. Another piece of infrastructure that was not replaced in a timely manner.
Back to the dam failure. Have you noticed all the talk of "record rainfall" this year? Could climate change be part of that? On a personal note, my brother-in-law and sister are vacationing in Northern Illinois and visiting people living on a lake. They had two back to back rain storms that dropped five and nine inches of water. The lake they were on rose 5-6 feet and boats were floating away from their lifts.
Here in Washington people are still worried about the Howard Hanson Dam. Washington State Senator Patty Murray was successful in getting funding from the senate to make more permanent repairs to that facility. Will the record rains hold off and allow the repairs to be accomplished before it fails too-that's the question of the day.
Top
Interestingly the Governor said, "Such a failure had never happened before." Never before for that dam maybe. Which is what I'd like to comment on. It was maybe 1-2 years ago that I wrote something about the fragile nature of our critical infrastructure across the United States. How we don't keep up with the repair and replacement of the infrastructure and then it is in danger of failing. I don't recall who told me then, "Eric there is infrastructure failing every day here in the United States." It is one bridge, one dam, one water system at a time. Unless there are deaths associated with the failures they don't make the national news.
One other local "failure to act" is highlighted by the South Park Bridge in Seattle. It was closed the end of June because of its rickety condition. While money is being raised to replace it, that will take a good two-three years before residents in that neck of the woods see a new bridge. Another piece of infrastructure that was not replaced in a timely manner.
Back to the dam failure. Have you noticed all the talk of "record rainfall" this year? Could climate change be part of that? On a personal note, my brother-in-law and sister are vacationing in Northern Illinois and visiting people living on a lake. They had two back to back rain storms that dropped five and nine inches of water. The lake they were on rose 5-6 feet and boats were floating away from their lifts.
Here in Washington people are still worried about the Howard Hanson Dam. Washington State Senator Patty Murray was successful in getting funding from the senate to make more permanent repairs to that facility. Will the record rains hold off and allow the repairs to be accomplished before it fails too-that's the question of the day.
