Nearly 100K told to flee new Northeast flooding

[Bosonic]

Source: AP

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — Officials in northeastern Pennsylvania are saying up to 70,000 residents have been ordered evacuated from communities along the Susquehanna River due to expected flooding.

They're revising their numbers down from an earlier estimate that 100,000 people were told to evacuate.

The mandatory evacuation has been ordered in Luzerne County in areas along the river that were affected by massive flooding from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

About 20,000 more were told to evacuate from Binghamton, N.Y. as the same river spilled its banks downtown.


Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/OHCOL/8ef5320729ce4298abefc1903704c7d5/Article_2011-09-08-Lee%20Flooding/id-2b35692119fc4a97b6a351469d197813

[Warpy]

1. At least Katia was a lady and stayed at sea

Maria's still a bit of a worry, as is Nate, whose track has been revised northward since yesterday.

Meanwhile, the west remains parched, as does the southeast.

[aquart]

2. We transport oil and gas thousands of miles.

But we can't figure out how to get water from our flood plains to our dry states? Seems kinda dumb. Of course, that would be one of those huge infrastructure projects that would employ thousands and possibly prevent a new dust bowl so why even wonder if it could be done?

[Demit]

4. I read where somebody proposed turning Kansas, as the geological center of the US, into a lake,

then constructing a network of pipelines leading into and away from it. Water could be drained from flood areas and released to drought areas when needed. Of course, Kansans might have a problem with this :)

[Downwinder]

7. That is what it used to be.

[NickB79]

12. Kansas sits 1000-3000 ft above sea level

And looking at elevation maps, the state slopes from west to east, with no obvious depression that could serve as a basin.

[glinda]

5. They could use the pipeline from Canada to TX for one.

[Warpy]

6. Yeah, you'd think that sucking water out of overflowing rivers and lakes

and sending it through pipes to dry areas so it could grow, er, FOOD, might be a priority. Perhaps as climate change worsens, it will be.

Right now they're all standing around with their thumbs up their asses playing "aint it awful!"

[ozone_man]

8. Move people away from dry states.

It seems kind of dumb that people would move to where there is no water. What were they thinking?

[aquart]

15. Yes. Move them to the flood plains where they can drown.

Dumb isn't a useful response.

[The2ndWheel]

9. Which will make our environmental predicament that much more complicated

[NickB79]

10. The amount of energy needed to do such a thing would be astounding

You'd need pumping stations scattered across the water pipelines to compensate for any increases in elevation as the pipes moved over hilly or mountainous areas. Considering how much energy would be required, only very energy-dense fuels like coal or nuclear would suffice for the massive loads on the system.

[aquart]

14. Maybe. Really time to sit down and think about it, though.

Maybe fund some research grants at Stanford and MIT. We NEED to do it. Now show me how we can.

[NickB79]

11. Study says Great Lakes don't have enough water to satisfy growing North American thirst

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/02/study_says_great_lakes_dont_ha.html

That gives you an idea of just how much water we require. Those flooded regions may look like a lot, but they're really not even close to the volume of the Great Lakes.

[aquart]

13. Where did I mention the Great Lakes?

I am talking about channeling OVERFLOW. The snows in Montana, the 28 ft. crest of the Susquehanna. We have no way of getting rid of that water except to drown towns and farms. Genius. Meantime, Texas is on fire. It's time to plan for climate change.

Actually, it's a wee bit late.

[bongbong]

3. Climate Change?

Don't think of it as manmade climate-change, think of it as Freedom Weather.

Every time another house is flooded to ruin, some billionaire can add a room onto his 18th vacation mansion!

[gauguin57]

16. I'm feeling very blessed that I don't live near a stream, creek or river.

Because, here in southcentral/southeastern PA, it is BAD out there. People dying/missing after being swept away by rushing water; covered bridge swept away (just like in Vermont); many cars underwater; crests nearing Hurricane Agnes levels; waste-treatment plants swamped (and sewage in the flood water in the streets); electricity and gas service being cut in flooded homes and businesses ... it's intense.