Dutch Begin Preparing for Rising Seas

The Dutch have always been a little bit ahead of the curve, so it’s no surprise to learn that they’re not just sitting on their hands waiting for global warming to cause the seas to rise up around them. They’re being proactive to ensure that the Netherlands, which is well below sea level, survives the coming challenges.

As glaciers in Switzerland melt, the water level of the Rhine will rise, necessitating a long-term solution to keeping water out of the city. Dutch people remember all too well the great flood of 1953, which killed over 1800 people and wiped too villages off the map, and they don’t want a repeat performance.

From Reuters:

Some 70 percent of the country’s economic output is generated below sea level, protected by a complex-system of ancient dikes and modern cement barriers that hold back water from the sea and the multitude of rivers that weave through the country.

Now, with scientists’ predicting that sea levels will rise by about one meter (3.3 feet) this century, the Dutch are reversing centuries of tradition to create natural flood plains for rivers as well as rebuild mangrove swamps as buffers against the sea.

“We’ve been adapting for 1,000 years. That’s nothing new. It’s just that climate change is going faster than it was before,” said Lennart Silvis, the operational manager of the public-private Netherlands Water Partnership.

Instead of raising dikes, the Dutch want to reclaim land and build public recreation areas that can absorb storm surges.

Plans in the works include developing floating housing that rises and falls with the water level. And, even if there were to be dangerous flooding, these people are prepared – children start a five-year course of swimming lessons at the age of four, which requires a test that includes swimming 100 meters while fully dressed in heavy winter clothing.

If you’re going to live in a vulnerable area, it’s important to accept reality and not just wait until a crisis happens. Communities around the world could definitely learn a thing or two from the Dutch.

Link [Reuters]
Photo credit: Flickr user Daveness_98

Bay Area Global Warming Experts Prepare for Epic Flood

Experts in the San Francisco area are planning for a flood “of Noah’s Ark proportions” which they believe could be a possible consequence of global warming. To anyone who lives in the area, that may seem unlikely, especially given that much of California has spent the last few years clenched by a severe drought.

But that doesn’t mean that rain isn’t coming – and when it does, the parched, crusty earth won’t be able to absorb much water.

From The Daily Bulletin:

Last year, a USGS-led team of 300 scientists created a detailed scenario for a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Southern California, followed by a “ShakeOut” drill of 5.4 million residents, a disaster preparedness record.

Many of the same scientists are now fashioning a hypothetical ARk Storm scenario similar to the mother of all known California floods – the Great Flood of 1861-62.

That flood, occurring during 45 days of rain, turned California into an inland sea. It also forced Gov. Leland Stanford to take a rowboat to his inauguration, wiped out a third of taxable land and virtually bankrupted the state.

Despite more than a century of flood channels, debris dams and levees built since, such a flood could wreak $25 billion in damage to the state capital alone, according to the Geological Survey.

And because of global warming, scientists forecast such a colossal gully-washer born by the “pineapple express” jet stream to happen sooner rather than later.

Winter rainfall is expected to increase dramatically on the West Coast with climate change, but summers will still be incredibly hot and dry. Add wildfires into the mix – which cause erosion – and you’ve got prime conditions for floods that, according to NASA scientist Bill Patzert, “will make Katrina look minor league.”

10 teams of experts are currently working on ways to prepare. They’ll be revealing their recommendations in the summer of 2010.

Link [The Daily Bulletin]
Photo credit: Science Daily/FEMA

Crikey! Australians Battling Crocodiles Along with Major Floods

Australians living in the tropical state of Queensland were already dealing with an unhappy situation when they got even more bad news. More than 62% of Queensland has been declared a natural disaster due to flooding, with some towns entirely underwater – and now, sightings of crocodiles have residents even more unnerved.

The flooding started last December and has continued, fed by a series of rain depressions and cyclones. Huge crocodiles in the center of some Gulf towns have hampered rescue efforts, with large numbers seen swimming toward the mouth of the flooded Norman River.

Even worse, the stranded townspeople are about to run out of beer.

From Reuters:

“We can put up with a lot of drama, no fruit and veggies, but nobody wants a pub with no beer,” Smith told Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper.

Smith said a four-meter (12 feet) crocodile had been seen stalking residents and dogs in the flooded main street.

Ingham resident David Harkin said he would evacuate after watching water run through the ground floor of his two-level home and sighting several snakes near his home.

“I keep the broom here (at the front door) to chase the snakes away,” Harkin told local media.

You know, sitting on the rooftop of your flooded house waiting to be rescued – and simultaneously watching crocodiles swim down your street – is bad enough when you’ve got a big cooler full of brewskies sitting next to you. But without beer – well, now, that’s just a travesty. Nobody should be expected to deal with that.

Link [Reuters]
Photo credit: AboutAustralia.com

‘Walking House’ Designed to Beat Floods

The world’s first ‘walking house’ has debuted in Copenhagen, Denmark, hailed by its creators as “the ultimate property” that will help people escape the ravages of floods. The structure, which stands on six hydraulic legs, was designed by art collective N55 in Copenhagen along with engineers in Massachusetts.

From The Daily Mail:

The 10ft high home is solar and wind powered and can stroll at walking pace across all terrains.

Designers say it provides a solution to the problem of rising water levels as the house can simply walk away from floods.

Like normal homes, it comes equipped with a living room, kitchen, toilet, bed and wood stove.

However, the house can walk thanks to a mainframe computer which controls the legs.

Helen Robinson of the Wysing Arts Centre said; ‘This is far more than a caravan. It’s all about sustainable living – it can sustain a life for many years.

This is a cool idea, but come on – it’s hardly a practical solution for low-income people. The prototype cost £30,000 ($47,556) to build, and that’s not counting the land it sits on. Though designers claim it can be constructed for less, it still wouldn’t likely be inexpensive enough to be realistic for most of the people who would benefit most from a flood-proof home. Plus, it’s so small.

Good thinking, though – it’s incredibly innovative.  We’d like to see the designers build on this idea and find a way to make it more applicable to the communities that have the most to lose in a flood, like the New Orleans area, the west coast of Africa and Bihar, India.

Link [The Daily Mail]

After Hurricane Ike, Receding Floodwaters Leave Toxic Mix

Hurricane Ike may be long gone from Galveston, Texas, but for the residents who live there, the storm’s effects are far from over. One of the worst side effects of hurricanes is the toxic sludge left behind as floodwaters recede.  The mix is full of human waste, asbestos, lead, gasoline, bacteria and other substances and organisms that pose serious health and environmental risks.  Mosquitoes breed in the stagnant water, and as the water dries the sludge turns to dust that can cause respiratory issues.

The New York Times reported some of the issues Galveston and other areas affected by Hurricane Ike are currently facing:

Homes must be inspected for structural damage and for leaks before natural gas service can be restored.  And before debris can be hauled away, hazardous material has to be separated from what can be sent to recycling centers, burned or chipped into mulch.

“At 60,000-feet altitude, the damage just looks like a lot of debris,” said Steve LeBlanc, the city manager. “Just clean it up. Flip a switch. And we can be back online. It’s a whole lot more complicated than that.”

Total damages to the island are estimated to be more than $10 billion, city officials said.

Officials said that they did not expect electricity and natural gas to be restored on the entire island for at least a month and that it might take more than a year to remove all the debris. Water should be running within the next couple of weeks, they said.

A hurricane and its aftermath is, of course, an environmental disaster.  Animals are killed and displaced and plants are ripped from the ground.  Debris from ruined structures ends up in landfills.  Large swaths of land are sprayed with pesticide to kill mosquito larvae, and toxic substances in the floodwater make their way into the drinking water supply.  The desire to get things back in order as quickly as possible can lead to the improper disposal of toxic chemicals.

The Environmental Protection Agency will be taking samples of the sludge and floodwaters this week, and testing them for contaminants.  The EPA generally sends out HazMat teams to areas affected by flooding to properly clean up toxic waste.  It’s scary to think of what might be lurking in that water, and whether the methods the EPA uses are actually good enough.  Seems like residents would be better off waiting a while before returning to their homes.

Link [The New York Times]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Iowans Left Swimming in Toxic Floodwaters

As the Mississippi River continues to flood towns along its banks, residents of Iowa are trying to put their lives back together. The water level in many Iowa towns reached the roofs of homes. As the water has receded, it’s left broken gas lines, sink holes, structural problems, and untold amounts of chemicals from nearby farms and factories in its wake. Residents watch as propane tanks, 55-gallon drums labeled ‘corrosive’, wooden fences, railroad ties and dead animals float by.

From CBS News:

Where floodwaters remained, they were a noxious brew of sewage, farm chemicals and fuel. Bob Lanz used a 22-foot aluminum flatboat to navigate through downtown Oakville, where the water reeked of pig feces and diesel fuel.

“You can hardly stand it,” Lanz said as he surveyed what remained of his family’s hog farm. “It’s strong.”

LeRoy Lippert, chairman of emergency management and homeland security in nearby Des Moines County, warned people to avoid the floodwaters: “If you drink this water and live, tell me about it. You have no idea. It is very, very wise to stay out of it. It’s as dangerous as anything.”

All areas of the midwest that were affected by flooding are now facing a major clean-up effort. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the city has reopened a once-closed landfill to handle flood-damaged goods. The EPA is coordinating a hazardous materials response to retrieve hazardous containers and drums, respond to oil and chemical leaks, collect flood-damaged hazardous household waste and sample the air and water.

Link [Boston.com] + [CBS News]
Photo credit: David Greedy/Getty Images
Note: No AP photos have been used in this post, because we think the AP sucks.