[AT] Farm flooding update California - new info

Sat Feb 4 15:14:29 PST 2017

All of the flooding here in eastern NC since 1999 was if not
completely caused by the state and federal government at least
made much worse by their actions.  What happened here is
that over the years the state built new highways and instead of
bridging over the natural flood plains of the rivers and creeks
they dammed them up with fill dirt only bridging the actual bodies
of water.  In many places along all the major rivers in the eastern
half of this state there are dams in the form of highways that are sometimes
as much as several miles long and 20 feet or more high.
Weather runs in cycles.  Starting about 1999 we went back to a cycle of
storms and rains similar to what we had in the early 1950's.  Back then 
there
were floods along the water sheds but when those conditions returned (first 
in
late 1999) the flooding was twice as bad (deep) as ever before in history. 
Since
that 99 - 2000 flood we have had several others that were not as bad but far 
exceeded
the floods of the 50's.  The government knows full well they are 
responsible.
They don't admit it BUT now the new roads are built by bridging the entire 
width of
the body of water and it's watershed (swamp).  Also, in the environmental 
impact study
of a planned highway near our farm, the construction of a new bridge 
requires the old
bridge and it's road bed across the flood plain to be removed.  If that 
isn't an admission i
don't know what is.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Mike M
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2017 3:40 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Farm flooding update California - new info

Probably not in Grants situation Dave, but local governments can
definitely cause flooding problems through lack of proper planning and
poorly engineered drainage systems. Approving a Walmart with a giant
impermeable asphalt parking lot on what used to be farm land is an
example. Where the water flows and how it's routed is the job of
engineers with the county drain commission.  If that water runs into the
drains, and because of a poorly designed system, floods my house, that
is the counties fault.  When I was about 15 a had a friend who's dad
built a new house on a lot they owned. Behind our house and theirs was
an old gravel pit and woods. A developer bought the land and added on to
our subdivision. Obviously the plan had to be approved by the local
government and it was, and the road was built and completed along with
drains. They didn't change the grade of the land at all, just cleared
the trees, smoothed the gravel and installed the road. During the first
heavy rain we received after the road was installed the new road created
a giant river. The drains couldn't catch the water fast enough, and a
river of water filled my friends basement with about 3' of sand. The
county had to pick up the tab for cleanup, repair and had to install
additional drains so that wouldn't happen again. Engineering failure,
human error, it happens.

Mike M

On 2/4/2017 2:43 PM, Dave wrote:
> I'm a bit confused here. Can someone please explain how the flood happened 
> “because of neglect on the part of the state.” Thanks!
> Dave
>
>> On Feb 4, 2017, at 2:22 PM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>
>> That's a good idea Steve, wonder if there is a way for Grant to "find"
>> his dirt and put it back.  Many times talking to the crews doing the
>> work is much more effective than asking city hall.
>>
>> Mike M
>>
>>
>> On 2/4/2017 2:08 PM, Steve W. wrote:
>>> Grant Brians wrote:
>>>> Well, here is the updated info on our flooding here. I don't usually
>>>> post when I am sad, but this morning I am. Yesterday I was able to
>>>> finally look at just how bad the flood damage was to our farm from the
>>>> Pacheco Creek flooding. We have a 6 foot deep gully that is up to 30
>>>> feet wide through two of our most productive fields! In addition the
>>>> remainder of one of those two is covered with a layer of rocks from the
>>>> flood. I am just trying to figure out whether there is some way to fix
>>>> this economically. We shall see. Over 40 acres of land damaged there in
>>>> those two fields. I was taking video last night and can't post that, 
>>>> but
>>>> I am attaching a picture that shows where they are on the edge of the
>>>> open water where one creek heads into the lake. Every part of this
>>>> picture with water except for the creek beds is normally fields,
>>>> pastures and homes....
>>>>                 Grant Brians - Hollister,California farmer of 
>>>> vegetables
>>>> (and floods?)
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> AT mailing list
>>>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>>>
>>> Sounds like the damage that happened to the neighbors field when it
>>> flooded because of neglect on the part of the state. You may want to
>>> talk to any of the crews that are doing repairs to things like roads,
>>> bridges and such. The farm up the road had his fields all restored as
>>> part of the repair process. They even added some "extra" land when they
>>> moved the creek back into the original channel from the 60's.
>>>
>>> Didn't cost him directly at the time out of pocket as the repairs came
>>> out of the state funding. So he got a lot of his own money back.
>>>
>>>
>>
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