New construction on south duff
- Thread starter DFWClone
- Start date
This is an impressively stupid post. People who think that construction on Duff makes any noticeable difference in the flood plain mitigation are morons. Duff is such a tiny area in the grand scheme that you could build the whole damn thing up 50 feet higher than everything else and the water displaced wouldn't make any difference up or down stream.
He's right, although the bigger problem in Ames is that the Highway 30 bridge over the Skunk is vastly undersized. Flooding is going to happen regardless, but the more obstacles you place in the floodplain, the slower the water moves and backs up.
Youre wrong. Its actually very simple. Find a driveway with an incline, turn on a hose and run it down the driveway. Throw clumps of dirt in the path of the water and see what happens. People will say its not that simple, but it literally is that simple.
Ames has to be the most poorly designed city in the history of mankind. Ames is busting at the seams with the increase in students. Now with more businesses going in on South Duff...the traffic is horrific. The problem is there is no good way to fix it.
Building up Duff won't make a noticeable difference. The water which would have taken up the space formerly occupied by Happy Joe's is barely going to make an ounce of difference in the long run. It might cause it to take an extra couple hours to recede at the end but this isn't going to be the difference between Hilton flooding and Hilton not flooding.
Now if you basically turned Duff into a natural levee it'd be a different story. However, as long as there's a place for the water to flow out it won't make much difference.
I agree that building up one lot will not make a huge difference. However, building up multiple acres over a long period of time will.
The City hired HDR out of Omaha a couple years ago to do a study and flood modeling that showed the impact if every parcel in the flood fringe on duff were built up, can't remember the exact number but the increase wasn't that great. Also improvements are planned along Squaw Creek that would reduce the 100 year flood level by a foot or two in the South Duff area (I believe that would include lengthening the Hwy 30 bridge over the Skunk River). I do think that in general (this goes for everywhere) we need to stop building up areas right next rivers and streams and farming practices need to be greatly improved. The impact we are having on the water supply and wetland ecosystem is very concerning.
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Mild observation - Squaw Creek does not run under Hwy 30. It joins the South Skunk north of there, and the South Skunk runs under Hwy 30.
Yep, the Hwy 30 bridge affects the Skunk River water level which in turn affects the Squaw Creek in the vicinity of South Duff.
Agreed. I just thought accuracy was a good idea...someone upthread mentioned 30 crossing Squaw Creek. I probably responded to the wrong post.
More buildings on Duff mean more water backing upstream... aka flooding Hilton. More obstacles in the floodway mean water can't get from Point A to Point B. Can't wait to see Iowa State become a national embarrassment again.
Lol... no.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Its simple in terms of water will go elsewhere. But the total displacement from that amount of land is absolutely minuscule when its spread over a large area.
Yes, but when you add in the fact that the overall flow of water is slowed down by all the displacements, it adds up. I'm not saying it's the difference in Hilton flooding or not flooding, but there is most definitely a negative effect by building up land in the floodplain.
let's build all new residential over here and all new commercial WAAAAAAY over there. now, since everyone needs a car to get from point A to point B, let's make sure none of the parking lots are connected and only spill onto one main road with no concept of traffic volume. add to that no side roads behind the main commercial area means there is no alternative to this method.
ames thinks they are progressive but it's the same ol' suburban design with worse traffic, flooding, and no concept of urban infill.
