[Newsbot]

Title: One way to battle future flooding: stop building on flood plains, say experts
Category: Weather
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2017-05-10 08:11:41
Canadian

[Freakinoldguy]

WTF someone with a little common sense. The sad part is that this bit of wisdom won't be followed. Flood plains are ususally the most fertile land due to river deposits and should only be used for farming but, given that they're normally flat and easily built on nothing will change and we'll see ALR's continue to shrink as these builders buy up the land and move thousands of their "family" onto what was once a working farm.

But if anyone with authority is listening I'd like to suggest that in the interest of safety they move Delta to Rogers Pass so we can get a restaurant gas station and motel up there again.

[BeaverFever]

We have at least on member who will tell you that all land-use planning is just part of the worldwide downtown elitist Jane Jacobs socialist conspiracy....

[Public_Domain]

as a comedian i enjoy (think her name is nikki) once said when talking about why she lived in a tailer park when it's in tornado valley: "WE LIVE THERE CAUSE WE'RE POOR"

"land is cheap when there's a 60% chance you're going to die on it!"

paraphrasing, can't remember the exact lines.

[BartSimpson]

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

"land is cheap when there's a 60% chance you're going to die on it!"

Then why are retirement homes so expensive?

[raydan]

Build on flood plain

Complain that flood insurance costs too much so you don't buy any
OR
Complain that you can't even get flood insurance

Complain when you get an evacuation order... don't evacuate
Cry bloody murder when they don't save your sorry ass stuck on the roof fast enough
Cry bloody murder and expect the government to bail you out for dammages

Expect government to build dykes and whatever so it doesn't happen again

[Freakinoldguy]

Alot of people don't think of those thing when they're buying a home. Not once have I ever heard anyone say gee, I wonder why a house this close to that nice calm river is so cheap?

People and realtors don't do due diligence.

Most people look at a house like it, buy it and then like you say complain when a disaster befalls them. Anyone living in the 9th ward in New Orleans can attest to the fact that you probably shouldn't buy a home below sea level no matter how safe the gov't tells you it is.

Unfortunately it's up to the Gov't to stop the practice of allowing developers to build homes in unsafe locations, like on the downward slope of the North Shore mountains, the mouth of the Fraser River or on an earthquake fault like Victoria. But, given municipal gov't love of tax dollars I seriously doubt that things will ever change and people will continue to lose their homes and lives to unscrupulous bureaucrats, councils, politicians and developers.

[BeaverFever]

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

as a comedian i enjoy (think her name is nikki) once said when talking about why she lived in a tailer park when it's in tornado valley: "WE LIVE THERE CAUSE WE'RE POOR"

"land is cheap when there's a 60% chance you're going to die on it!"

paraphrasing, can't remember the exact lines.

I know that bit, she's the one with a kind of speech impediment.

[DrCaleb]

I love how, as Mark Twain put it, History does rhyme.

Didn't everyone say this exact thing a few years ago when High River and then Calgary flooded - because they built houses on flood plains? And now people act like it's some sort of revelation?

[Nuggie77]

People have been living on flood plains for centuries. This isn't a new revelation.

[Freakinoldguy]

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

People have been living on flood plains for centuries. This isn't a new revelation.

Of course they have but, then again when something devastating happened in the past those people didn't start screaming bloody murder and demand gov't assistance, because they couldn't get insurance and the costs for their personal choices weren't passed onto the other people smart enough not to build or buy in an area that is a constant safety concern.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

People have been living on flood plains for centuries. This isn't a new revelation.

Of course they have but, then again when something devastating happened in the past those people didn't start screaming bloody murder and demand gov't assistance, because they couldn't get insurance and the costs for their personal choices weren't passed onto the other people smart enough not to build or buy in an area that is a constant safety concern.

Which is exactly why High River forbade redevelopment in the river valley that flooded, and why the Government of Alberta only allowed those people who were flooded out to rebuild in the same place if they signed a waiver acknowledging they would not receive government assistance the next time.

[Freakinoldguy]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

People have been living on flood plains for centuries. This isn't a new revelation.

Of course they have but, then again when something devastating happened in the past those people didn't start screaming bloody murder and demand gov't assistance, because they couldn't get insurance and the costs for their personal choices weren't passed onto the other people smart enough not to build or buy in an area that is a constant safety concern.

Which is exactly why High River forbade redevelopment in the river valley that flooded, and why the Government of Alberta only allowed those people who were flooded out to rebuild in the same place if they signed a waiver acknowledging they would not receive government assistance the next time.

A little common sense, unfortunately it's after the horse bolted the barn. But then again it's a start and.............. if they'd only done that before issuing the original building permits there'd have been alot less misery for everyone involved.

[BartSimpson]

The actor Timothy Busfield built a home in the California delta region and he wisely put it up on piles so the house itself is well above the maximum potential flood level. It looks a little odd but if there's ever a flood it'll be untouched.

Smart guy.

[raydan]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

... maximum potential flood level.

Well there's my laugh for the day.