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Bad levees part of big infrastructure problem

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Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008 - 12:35:44 am CDT

The June floods once again delivered the message: America’s infrastructure is antiquated and inadequate.

As floodwaters moved from rain-drenched Iowa down through the Mississippi basin, occasionally replenished by another downpour, levee after levee was overpowered, despite desperate efforts to shore them up.

Lincoln was lucky this time.

As a story in last week’s Journal Star reported, levees along Salt Creek are high enough only to protect against a 50-year flood. And they might not even offer that protection because they were formed of soil containing a high level of calcium, which dissolves in water.

The inadequacy of the levees is just one in a long list of problems with the nation’s infrastructure, symbolized by events like the collapse of a bridge last summer in Minneapolis and an underground steam pipe explosion that blew a crater in a New York City street last summer and burned two people.

In 2005, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s infrastructure a grade of D, and said it would take $1.6 trillion to put it in good repair.

America invests only 2.4 percent of its gross national product in infrastructure, according to the Economist magazine. In comparison, Europe invests about 5 percent and China about 9 percent.

Locally the problems are serious.

* Lincoln has a backlog of more than $135 million in road and street projects.

* In Nebraska, numerous communities dump untreated sewage into rivers and streams.

Plattsmouth and Omaha, which have combined storm water and sewage systems, are repeat offenders. When their systems are overwhelmed by heavy rain, the cities dump untreated sewage, loaded with fecal matter and various pathogens, right into the Missouri River.

Last summer the city of Beatrice dumped 1.5 million gallons of untreated sewage a day into the Big Blue River when its treatment plant was inundated by floodwater.

Various proposals have been made to address the problem. At the federal level, Sen. Chuck Hagel and Sen. Chris Dodd , D-Conn., last year proposed one of the few fresh ideas for funding infrastructure – creation of a National Infrastructure Bank to leverage private investment for big projects. Presidential candidate Barack Obama has endorsed a variation of this concept.

In reality, however, the level of public apathy remains high. And every year more communities experience infrastructure failure. Floods and other tragedies are harsh and sometimes a heart-breaking way to win converts for the idea that America needs to invest more in the basics.


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whatever wrote on July 2, 2008 4:52 am:
" It certainly makes a person appreciate the wisdom, hard work and foresight of those that grew up 50+ years ago. They saw ways to make the world a "little better" and didn't take things for granted. They got off their butt and did something. As this piece says, the level of apathy out there is high. As is the ignorance to the cost of "civilization". "

 russell wrote on July 2, 2008 8:31 am:
" There was a time when the Salt Creel levees were supposed to contain all stormwater run-off not just the 50 year event. Developments were allowed without requiring them to contain the increased run-off that progress was causing. The consequence is that many Lincoln homes and business have to buy expensive flood insurance because of someone actions upstream. A few years ago the City passed ordinances requiring new developments on the City fringes to contain their increased run-off but now there is an effort to have those repealed. "

 Could have been done wrote on July 2, 2008 9:18 am:
" 1.6 trillion to get our infrastructure in good shape huh? Well... that could easily have been done, except we're spending that money on repairing Iraq's infrastructure so that it can provide oil to "the highest bidder" in recent reports by the AP. "

 Trillion wrote on July 2, 2008 10:52 am:
" It would have cost a third of that if we'd made the commitment to do it before 9/11 and Iraq, since which energy prices have doubled twice.

Why can't politicians and bureaucrats show some vision and act unilaterally when the problems are domestic? "

 KLM wrote on July 2, 2008 2:27 pm:
" I'm sure this infrastucture problem will be blamed on the Bush Administration eventually. "

 dewboy wrote on July 2, 2008 2:43 pm:
" Supposedly, new regulation concerning Levees is coming down from the Army Corps of Engineers (remember Katrina) However, it is being kept very hush hush. I figure the City of Lincoln and its so-called floodplain experts will stall long enough to fill as much of the floodplain as they dare to and then out of the clear blue sky comes the following statement, GOSH WE CANT FILL IN THE FLOODPLAIN ANYMORE. Anybody want to bet on it? "

 Zoomie wrote on July 2, 2008 2:56 pm:
" Another difference between Americans today and 50 years ago...50yrs ago they knew nothing was free, and if you wanted bridges that didn't collapese, cities that didn't flood, and levees that didn't break, you had to pay the taxes necessary to cover the cost! Sadly, today we have one political party (who've been in near total control of the purse strings for 14yrs) who make a pledge to NEVER raise taxes a prerequisite to even getting elected! And then they work on getting elected by promising to cut even the taxes we are paying, even as we run up $700 billion in new debt every year! And you'd think an outgoing President, concerned about how history will remember his least approved of Presidency might try something when visiting a flood zone, like suggesting a national effort to rebuild our infrastructure! You know, those grand and glorious goals the American people supported under FDR, JFK, LBJ, even Teddy Roosevelt! But somehow GOP Presidents can't seem to think that way, can they? "

 Get over it already wrote on July 2, 2008 5:02 pm:
" Whatever happens upstream effects those downstream, it has been a fact of life for millions of years. It continues to be a key to war today.

Face the facts, if you live more downstream and close to a river the floodplain level will continue to rise. It's something you just have to deal with or else do what comes natural: "Move to higher ground"

I'm tired of the whining. "

 Don wrote on July 2, 2008 10:53 pm:
" Zoomie, I guess you want higher taxes on gas, property, etc. You need to understand economics. Lower taxes bring in more taxes. Why? When taxes are lowered for businesses, they have more money to expand, hire more workers. When more workers are in the workplace, they pay taxes. In the long run, more taxes are collected than before. In the upcoming elections, vote for the one who will not raise taxes. "

 Alan wrote on July 3, 2008 1:19 pm:
" So, if our levees along Salt Creek are the problem why are we spending all the money on the Antelope Valley project? Maybe because the land along Salt Creek isn't as attractive a "grab" as the land downtown? "

 dewboy wrote on July 3, 2008 10:25 pm:
" Alan: All the floodplain land along and adjacent to Salt Creek was bought up (cheap) by speculators and developers years ago before Antelope Valley was even a thought. What even made it a better deal was the fact that the City of Lincoln did not monitor the amount of fill being placed in aforementioned floodplains for SEVERAL years. Keep in mind, Antelope Valley project removed 55 to 57 acres of UNL property out of the floodplain. "

 no more denial wrote on July 4, 2008 8:03 am:
" When we built the area was not in the floodplain. The City Council actions and deliberate inactions put us in the floodplain. Only Council actions can keep the floodwater from rising higher or even remove us entirely (pay attention to what is happening in Deadmans Run the next several weeks). I view this denial of stormwater run-off as a form of 'white collar crime' and the victims pay annually with flood insurance premiums "

 Mercy wrote on July 4, 2008 10:31 pm:
" Plain as the nose on your face. You either grow business & industry
which lowers taxes or you refuse to grow, run out what is here and make
whats left, citizens foot higher and higher and higher taxes. And I don't
mean toys like an arena for fun fun fun and low paying jobs. How is that
so hard to see. Amazing how all these educated Lincoln leaders can't see
or are too lazy and selfish. Been that way for 50 yrs which has forced
thousands of the young to other states that grow and are not taxed to
death, including myself. Ya play with this flood plane stuff like its
a bunch of toys and have no clue, and should have been taken care of
50 years ago!! Everyday I ask myself, college educated? What is wrong
with you people?? Fortunately I lived where this kind of nonsense
didn't exsist and more than half less in taxes!!!!! Isn't a day goes by
that I don't just shake my head in utter disgust!! "

 Doug wrote on July 8, 2008 6:35 pm:
" Oh my gosh. We built our cities in a swamp that has potential to be flooded and now us citizens on high ground should bail out he infrastructure too? Weather extremes are a fact of life and so is risk. If you want a risk free enviroment bury your head in the sand and wait five minutes for the oxygen to give out. Don't tax me, tax that man behind that tree! "

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