California Flood Risks Are 'Disaster Waiting To Happen,' Say Engineers

[mike_c]

Source: ScienceDaily News

ScienceDaily (Jan. 22, 2008) — While flooding in California's Central Valley is "the next big disaster waiting to happen," water-related infrastructure issues confront almost every community across the country, according to engineers at the University of Maryland's Clark School of Engineering in separate reports to California officials and in the journal Science.

An independent review panel chaired by Clark School Research Professor of Civil Engineering Gerald E. Galloway said the area between the Sacramento and San Joaquin river floodplains faces significant risk of floods that could lead to extensive loss of life and billions of dollars in damages. The panel's report, "A California Challenge: Flooding in the Central Valley," was commissioned by California's Department of Water Resources.

The panel pointed out that many of the area's levees, constructed over the past 150 years to protect communities and property in the Central Valley, were poorly built or placed on inadequate foundations. Climate change may increase the likelihood of floods and their resulting destruction. The panel recommends that state and local officials take swift action to reduce the risk to people and the environment.

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Read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080117140831.htm

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This isn't a surprise to anyone familiar with water management and flood control issues in California, but it is a clear warning that the infrastructure is inadequate to prevent tremendous loss of life and property unless something is done BEFORE the levies collapse.

[XemaSab]

1. The Sacbee has turned into nothing more than disaster pron.

I really dig disaster pron. :)

[undergroundpanther]

2. Shock capitalists and media will be circling like vultures over

Central California if it happens. Do people understand the market is sick and the money class is wanting disasters and death to happen? Misery, ruin, trauma, and disaster are very profitable when the growth imperative has no place to grow unless there is a disaster to prop it up..
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050502/klein

And those circling vultures will come in suits after Central California is wiped clean ..Than the speculators dance on the bodies of the dead, the demolished homes,the sharks swarm in for the deal and all will be happy in the gated communities of the invisible and ghastly wealthy ,by the "sacrifice" of Central California. Is this how the market will get saved? Bush is gonna be doing alot of stuff.. soon..
:sarcasm:

[Sam Ervin jret]

3. Hello OHS and FEMA can we help you? Can you call Back about one week after the shit hits the fan?

Home land security and emergency my A$$!