The Netherlands flood gates worked

[malaise]

A massive fall storm over Europe's North Sea generated winds near hurricane force last night that pushed a dangerous storm surge near 1.5 meters (4.65 feet) in height to the southeastern English coast this morning. The storm surge was much lower than originally feared, due in part to the fact it did not hit at high tide. The surge did breach sea defenses and caused some minor coastal flooding in England. It was feared that the storm might rival the great North Sea Flood of 1953 that breached the dikes in the Netherlands. Over 2,000 people died in northern Europe in that storm, mostly in the Netherlands.

While today's storm did not approach the 1953 storm in severity, it did bring the highest storm surge seen in the past 20 years to the North Sea. The massive flood gates that protect the Dutch port of Rotterdam were closed for the first time since they were constructed in the 1990s. From early media accounts, the gates did their job admirably, protecting the Netherlands from inundation. Water levels reached 3.16 meters above mean sea level in the southern Netherlands, and 3.40 meters above sea level in the northern Netherlands, with no flooding reported.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html
Sp.

[MrScorpio]

1. I've been to Rotterdam

It's the most advanced looking city I've ever seen in my life.

Congrats to Dutch engineering

[malaise]

2. They understand the notion of the

public good.

[trof]

3. I've seen the Delta Project.

Truly amazing work of civil/hydraulic engineering.
http://www.thehollandring.com/1953-ramp.shtml

[MannyGoldstein]

4. The Dutch Are Serious About Engineering

My wife's late uncle was Dutch. When we'd visit, he'd take us to see the latest feat of public works engineering, a damn or floodgate or whatnot. When he came here and i picked him up at the airport, first thing he wanted to do was see th Big Dig - he knew that it was the largest public works project in the US at the time.

[elehhhhna]

8. Arnhem has an indoor soccer staduim with a hydraulic thingy that

moves this "tray" of grass--the entire playing field--OUTDOORS (like a drawer) so it can get enough sun.

Amazing.

My cousin there helped raise the funds for it. First thing he showed us when we visited.

[MagickMuffin]

5. I saw a documentary on the engineering of the floodgates

Very interesting project. IIRC, they hired some Japanese engineers to help with the planning. I'm so glad they worked. I can't remember what program I saw this on but perhaps they will re-air since they were successful.

Now if only we could get our government to use this technology in our country. Oh say like New Orleans:think:

[malaise]

6. NOLA was my first thought

when I saw this.

[MagickMuffin]

7. Yep, of course paying Blackwater USA $73,000,000 to guard the city

kinda took some of the money away from something that would be put to better use, say like a floodgate:eyes:

Blackwater USA sucked a lot of the resources that should have been used for infrastructure instead they apparently needed to protect the streets from the relocated citizens.

Blackwater USA was hired by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Not sure why they had the authority to hire them, but hey it's a job, right. Erik Prince of Darkness saw a chance to take of a perfect opportunity, and exert authority in a devastated city.