For most of New York City, the flash flooding on the morning of Aug. 8 was brief, if breath- taking. But try telling that to Kathleen Conway of Woodside, Queens, whose son-in-law is busy ripping out the mold-grimed walls of her live-in basement before they crumble.Flood-Soaked Queens Blames Development, Lagging Sewers and Climate Change
Emily Lloyd, commissioner of the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, said that she expected intense storms to occur more frequently over the coming years, and that her agency was investing in preparations.
Commissioner Lloyd said Queens received one-fourth to one-third of the city’s sewer repair dollars, largely because sections of the borough’s drainage system lagged behind development and, as she put it, “we’re playing catch-up there.” The borough will receive $650 million for sewer repairs over the next 10 years, she said.
[Congressman Joseph Crowley] said his constituents overwhelmingly blamed overdevelopment, which is diminishing the amount of porous ground available for drainage.
“I don’t think it takes rocket science to say that water needs a place to go,” he said.
And we don't need a rocket scientist to tell us who promoted overdevelopment over the past 25 years. We'll be observing which of our local politicians attend ribbon cuttings on new development projects after announcing that overdevelopment is a problem - and which vote in favor of massive upzonings, such as the one planned for Jamaica, especially after this:
...she said mitigating flooding from intense storms would require more than “traditional city-owned pipes and pumps.” In southeast Queens, she said, the water table has risen 30 feet in 20 years, and now sits “just below the surface.” Builders, she said, have eliminated drainage areas and built below grade.
THANK YOU QUEENS MACHINE!
Photo from junipercivic.com
7 comments:
Regarding the water table, the main reason it's risen so much in southeastern Queens is the demise of the Jamaica Water Company. The city took over JWC in 1996 and has been gradually phasing out the company's old system of wells and bringing regular city water into the neighborhood instead. That's good for drinking water quality but it's bad for flooding because almost all the old groundwater pumps have been shut down. Without the regular pumping the groundwater table will rise, which is exactly what's happened.
Repetition is the branding iron of knowledge.
"THIN THE HERD" ALREADY JOE CROWLEY!
Let's have a MORATORIUM on development until we straighten out this GOD [ahem]- DAMN MESS!
As they say.....water seeks its own level.
In this case..... glad to see that another machine politico, Joseph Crowley (who supported over development for years) got to experience this first hand with two feet of water in his basement !
I guess that the "effluents" floating about
were seeking out the head of the family....
"Crappy Crowley".....himself !
Welcome to the new age of Aquarius !
"[Crawley] said his constituents overwhelmingly blamed overdevelopment, which is diminishing the amount of porous ground available for drainage.
“I don’t think it takes rocket science to say that water needs a place to go,” he said."
Yes, and what do YOU say, sir? Outside of misleading your constitituents on the landmarks law (as Crappie pointed out) what have you done for community preservation?
"Mr. Crowley said his neighbors — “hard-working, decent people who never asked for anything” — felt abandoned.
“They’ve watched other parts of the state and other parts of the country” get aid in natural disasters, he said. “When something happens to poor little old Queens, one of the outer boroughs, the focus is on the tornadoes. Their response is, ‘Who’s helping us?’ ” "
Well, as a product and creation of the machine, perhaps you are the best to answer that, sir. Afterall, it was your politicies that harmed all those hard working people.
and like a hack, you want to tweed them ... with their own tax dollars you should have not taken in the first place!
DO YOU HAVE A SEWER PROBLEM? Why not call Joe Cimino. The bloated boy will come over your house and suck out all of the water from your cellar.
I wonder if the rains flooded Tom Manton's grave?
Nah......it's waterproof.
That's where all Tom's graft money is hidden.
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