In fact, Helen's teaching is the opposite of what is being promoted.
In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority was mandated to control flooding in the Tennessee River Valley and its tributaries. Over the next 40 years, they built 49 dams, the most… https://t.co/ReG402Ye86
In fact, Helen's teaching is the opposite of what is being promoted.
In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority was mandated to control flooding in the Tennessee River Valley and its tributaries. Over the next 40 years, they built 49 dams, most achieving their goals. Although the Tennessee floods were catastrophic, young people were largely ignorant of them.
The French Broad River (Asheville) is an upstream tributary that did not have a flood control dam built due to local opposition.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville does not illustrate the impact of climate change; the success of flood control dams in other parts of the Tennessee Valley illustrates the success of the Tennessee Valley Flood Control Plan.
Hurricane Helen showed not the effects of climate change but what would happen to settlements on the Tennessee Valley tributaries under “natural” flooding (i.e. where flood control dams are denied).
I would add that in its first 40 years, TVA built 49 flood control dams, 29 of which were power generation dams. Over the next 50 years, TVA built 0 flood control dams, However, in the 1980s they established the Carbon Dioxide Information Center (CDIAC) under their nuclear division, which sponsored a number of influential climate studies, including the CRU temperature data (Phil Jones) and Mann et al. 1998 from which out of the Michael Mann Fellowship.
In 1990, Crowdstrike's Dmitri Alperovich's parents moved from Russia to Chattanooga, Tenn., where his father was a TVA nuclear engineer. A few years later Dmitry moved to Tennessee.
One can't help but wonder whether TVA's original flood control responsibilities were lost in the executive offices, absorbed by more compelling concerns like climate change research. If so, we can reasonably say that one factor why TVA appears to have given up on completing its original flood control missions (such as the French Broad River that flooded Asheville) is partly due to TVA shifting its interest to climate change research rather than it The task is to prevent floods.
Another thought. Once this is stated, it is obvious that flood control dams reduce flooding. And not just in Appalachia. I looked at long-term data on water levels in the Great Lakes and found that the amount of surge (flooding) was greatly reduced after the dams were installed.
However, my memory of public climate reporting is that extreme weather, including flooding, is getting more severe. But in areas with flood control dams, the situation is apparently no worse than before. Much better. Note to self: Check out the IPCC report for specific findings on flooding.
Here's a schematic of the dam and reservoir system proposed to provide flood protection for Asheville – at the center of the image (h/t reader Jack Brown). The project was abandoned due to some local opposition. To be fair, from what I understand, Wild Rivers is beautiful, but the flood risk in the basin is well known from the 1916 flood and seems to be ignored by state and local governments.
@Revkin also cited a New York Times article on development in North Carolina areas known to be at risk
Andy Revkin reports on 1960 https://x.com/Revkin/status/1841936334891385070 Titled “Flooding in French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers around Asheville,
Andy reports that the report states that developments around Asheville “will cause past major floods to become even more severe if they occur again. Burrows and buildings in the floodplain and many bridges over streams severely reduce flooding.” capacity. “On the French Broad River, floodwaters at the same level as the 1916 flood will reach 3 to 4 feet today; heights between Pearson Bridge and the West Asheville Viaduct will be higher than actual flood heights.” On the Wananoa River, if a repeat of the 1916 flood occurred, the water level at Biltmore would be 2.5 feet higher today and the water level upstream of the Recreation Park Dam would be 15 feet higher.
A corollary is that the contribution of site development to any modern “record” flood levels must be considered before comparisons are made with past record levels.
To understand the baseline risk of flooding around Asheville, Buncombe County, and the steep and rapidly developing areas surrounding WNC, I recommend this incredible 1960(!) @TVA News Report — “Flooding on the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers around Asheville,… pic.twitter.com/MtOkTYr63w
