Subj : peeves was: Eagle Cam To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Sat Aug 24 2019 11:51:00 Hi Nancy! BM>> Getting to the solution is the interesting part. One of the primary BM>> issues is a permanent flood wall would block the view of the River at BM>> the parks, etc. Elevating the land would be an option - until they BM>> see how expensive that and collateral would be! I'm thinking the BM>> temporary floodwalls with permanant posts and insert the panels would BM>> be one of the better options. NB>> It does sound like it would be... Both recognizes the value of being NB>> able to see the River and the necessity of being prepared for the NB>> next inevitable flooding.... :) Elevating the land sounds promising, NB>> but even beyond the effort and cost, the likelihood of it being NB>> eroded away would tend to make it a less viable option... BM> While I was in Vienna did receive some e-mails stating there have been BM> and are meetings scheduled to do something in the way of a floodwall. NB> Good they are working on it now while things are still relatively NB> fresh... :) Yes: probably like everything else the need fades with time. The problem won't go away, but will become less urgent especially if the River doesn't flood for several years. And then another flood.... BM> If they do create (and I think they should) it will more than likely be BM> several types of floodwalls, which makes sense as 9+ miles needed and BM> one solution for one area will not work in another. At this point I BM> haven't seen any updates, though presume planning is on-going. NB> That does make sense... any updates in the meantime...? No, or none of which I am aware. There was a brief announcement on the news a while ago of a meeting but I didn't hear any follow-ups. (Not saying there were not -- I don't catch every newscast and some times start late.) BM>>> One side effect from the flooding will be the removal of BM>>> decorative planters which are in the median. I'm not sure what they BM>>> were initially installed to do -- they look OK, but not great. Not to BM>>> keep on-coming headlights out of the eyes. Anyway, with the flooding BM>>> they found it bit more challenging to install the HESCO barriers BM>>> because the barriers were in the way. Haven't heard if the planters BM>>> will be moved elsewhere or what will become of them. NB>>> They were a nice idea on paper, maybe they needed more attention NB>>> than they were able to be given... They were probably just someone's NB>>> idea of beautification... :) Maybe they'll be moved somewhere more NB>>> practical... BM>> I think it was part of a beautification project - and probably looked BM>> nice on paper/screen but in real life looked so-so. Maybe end up BM>> inside a section of permanent floodwall!! NB>> You mean, as fill...? ;) Planters need to have some care to look NB>> nice... maybe on corners, or in parks....? Someplace easy enough to NB>> access in order to keep up the care.... :) BM> Well sort of had thought as fill: could either break them down or move BM> them to a site where would be useful as decoration. To me they never BM> looked all that nice-looking so I'd lean towards fill/rubble but I BM> would look into the possibility of landscaping at a park, etc., before BM> destroying. NB> Maybe in a different setting they'd look more attractive.... :) They'd beautify the dump! Actually they might look much better at a park. They didn't look bad in the street medium, juts didn't look right. BM>> Did half-find out some more information, though doesn't make sense. BM>> There are laws which allow the railroads to elevate the tracks to BM>> allow the trains to continue to operate during flooding. Apparently BM>> when the flooding is done they have thirty days to bring the tracks BM>> back down to the original grade. So that would sound like it's just a BM>> temporary problem. NB>> That does make it sound like a temporary solution, not the permanent NB>> one that would cause additional problems... BM> Yes, though again I haven't seen any updates, though I am behind some. BM> Will be interesting to see what happens with combinating all/most of BM> the flood issues: elevate some of the train tracks and roadways BM> (meaning streets) to accomodate, the various floodwalls, etc. NB> It will indeed be interesting how things get settled out... :) And I haven't heard any updates on the railroad tracks and no need for me to wander to where they were elevated. BM>> The article continued on about the railroad and City of Davenport BM>> negotiating re: various railroad crossings in the downtown area to BM>> essential close them -- whatever proposed would have also blocked BM>> pedestrian crossing, not just vehicular. I'll admit at this point I BM>> was too confused. NB>> They'd have to make some provision to get pedestrians across, but NB>> it might just not be as convenient as one would like... :) BM> Right. The Vienna transit system had lots of escalators and BM> elevators; concept would work for Davenport but I'm sure the BM> implementation was very expensive and done over decades. NB> Quite likely expensive and also likely not done all at once... :) NB> Unless it was part of an original project for building the NB> transit system in the first place... I'm fairly certain the elevators and escalators were not part of the original concept but added decades later as part of updating and modernizing. While I was there part of the system was blocked off for renovation -- I didn't think to ask for details and probably unless familiar with the system probably would not have made sense. NB>>> Sounds plausible.... I'll agree that it's a shame to lose the NB>>> view of the River... but one does need to control things somewhat NB>>> when the River is endangering.... BM>> Pretty much right. The section I'm more familiar with is from BM>> Bettendorf to the eastern boarder of downtown Davenport. Decades ago, BM>> maybe part of the WPA, the road was moved in from the River, and so BM>> elevated. The stone wall barrier which appears to be built to keep BM>> drivers from going off the road is really part of the flood wall. BM>> Between the road and the River are railroad tracks, a levee to protect BM>> the tracks from lower-level flooding, and a public area with a walking BM>> and bicycle trail, a few picnic areas, some shade-tree fishign areas, BM>> etc. Downtown and the downriver side is where all the flood issues are. NB>> That sounds like it was a very sound idea and implementation... but it NB>> obviously was also a rather large project... and undoubtedly a much NB>> larger and more expensive deal now, decades later, should similar be NB>> undertaken for the still unprotected areas.... BM> Yes: I'm fairly certain a lot of the original flood protection and BM> run-off sewer projects were done as part of the WPA during the BM> Depression. No such funding source now. There are others, of course. NB> True. There would be funding sources directly related to flood NB> management now... True. Army Corps of Engineers comes to mind. Doubt if they're going to make it too pretty, that part probably funded by the City itself. Another interesting project to watch! NB> ... A piano stool? I thought pianos were housebroken! Just wait until you go to the furniture store and see all the stool samples! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... Too Much Coffee: Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position. --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .