# flood waters held back by good planning



## billc (May 22, 2011)

This family planned ahead and kept their home from flooding during the recent swelling of the mississipi river.  Wow.  How does he get his netflix?


----------



## Carol (May 22, 2011)

Whoa...that's seriously impressive!  

Where was this?  Is there an article to go with it?  Love to read it


----------



## billc (May 22, 2011)

here is the story, with some great photos.  I should have put this thread in the locker room, which I thought I was doing, hope noone minds too much.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sidents-build-homemade-dams-saves-houses.html


----------



## Big Don (May 22, 2011)

It's good to have friends with heavy equipment. I'm sure a backhoe would come in handy for disposing of bodies also... hahaha


----------



## Aikikitty (May 22, 2011)

I went to an Aikido seminar yesterday and one of the guest instructors was from Vicksburg.  I didn't realize that it flooded that bad there otherwise I would have asked him about it.  Thanks for the photos.


----------



## LuckyKBoxer (May 22, 2011)

I would think that living on a flood plain more peopel would have built their houses on mounds... or hills.. I realize this is the worst flooding in what 80 years? or even possibly ever there, but some of those houses look well under what would ahve been a historically recorded flood level..
I don't really understand why those houses are not built up higher.... I can not imagine it would cost that much to do either /shrug


----------



## WC_lun (May 22, 2011)

LuckyKBoxer said:


> I would think that living on a flood plain more peopel would have built their houses on mounds... or hills.. I realize this is the worst flooding in what 80 years? or even possibly ever there, but some of those houses look well under what would ahve been a historically recorded flood level..
> I don't really understand why those houses are not built up higher.... I can not imagine it would cost that much to do either /shrug


 

It seems some homehowners and home builders do not think of such things,  Obviously, some do think ahead though.  Kudos to the person who saved his home.


----------



## Big Don (May 22, 2011)

LuckyKBoxer said:


> I would think that living on a flood plain more peopel would have built their houses on mounds... or hills.. I realize this is the worst flooding in what 80 years? or even possibly ever there, but some of those houses look well under what would ahve been a historically recorded flood level..
> I don't really understand why those houses are not built up higher.... I can not imagine it would cost that much to do either /shrug


Or stilts!


----------



## Aikikitty (May 22, 2011)

Big Don said:


> Or stilts!



After Hurricane Katrina, a LOT of houses in New Orleans were rebuilt raised and some on stilts. I think some insurances required the people who live in the areas where it flooded the most to rebuild their house raised up. Other people who have 2 story houses have divided up their house so they live on the top floor and they rent out the bottom as an apartment.  That way they have income coming in as they're still rebuilding.  My husband and I are currently renting the bottom apartment of one of those houses.  Many people have rebuilt their houses the same and haven't raised them at all.

Robyn


----------



## Mark Jordan (May 23, 2011)

To add:

If you build on stilts you need to have a survey carried out to discover just how far down you will have to drive piles because they need to be at a secure level.


----------

