GREEN BELTS

In most cities and countries all over the world, people build flood walls to protect the citizens from surge of raging water (thought.co.) As unusual as it sounds, the most flooded country in the world decided to try something new. The country is the Netherlands, and the most flooded country has not had a flood in years.

On a sabbatical from teaching, I worked with water hydrologists (engineers) at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they tried to stop floods. This federal agency wanted Dr. R. Gary Dean of Creighton University and me to indicate what direction(s) the city would grow. We were to look at key social and economic indicators along with the political.

That was 50 years ago. Today, the city that we were analyzing has grown mostly in the way we projected. What most of us did not take into account is what the Netherlands did. Simply, dams that are huge still attempt to protect the country. Further, that which is now no longer magic is green belts.

Some indicate that the weather in the future should be more severe (weather.gov.)  Further, there really is another back-up strategy to protect citizens. Cedar Rapids has done some of it and perhaps may do more. That is the creation of dunes or greenbelts. The Dutch outlined where the country would continue to rebuild, flood, and rebuild again. Then they changed their strategy. A green belt may be worth a lot of money   when the belt or dunes has houses on it (FEMA) So, it is not an easy task.

In Holland they created greenbelts all through the cities along with some canals. However, the greenbelt is usually the most interesting strategy and less expensive. Since my wife and I have been married we have lived in 15 different houses and apartments. Our second home in the city was located in the Northwest and was one of the lowest spots in the municipal area.

We lived on Alma Drive and at the bottom of the street. The city had a flood in the 90’s and nothing flooded there. There was Vinton Creek and no flooding has occurred in the 21^st century. In back was a large long greenbelt that surrounded the houses. It then crossed a street and into another wonderful park with walking trails, park benches.  Perhaps they could create gardens, forests some day. Our children back then loved to play in the creek in back and in the green belt.

Today, as the standard of living has moderated for folks in our old neighborhood. It is now prettier than ever. Rather than move up, they improved their homes.  Surely, this could be part of the future plans for Cedar Rapids. HOWEVER, there is a problem. It is called eminent domain. As an example, you may have lived in house for many years and a stranger comes to the door and says that your home is in the flood plain. Of course, that has been done already here in the city. When “Time Czech” flooded, Mr. Sandy Pumphrey, Assistant  Development Service Manager of the Development Services of Cedar Rapids  indicated in an interview with me, said the city offered 100 per cent of market value plus 7 percent increase. Moving was on a volunteer basis. On Alma Drive, perhaps 2 more houses could have been built, but heavily flooded. In 1982, new maps were drawn that showed where green belts could be viable (FEMA.)  What I am trying to say is that there is a Dutch flood ambassador who spoke with CBS on “60 minutes”(8/28/2018)  indicated that the right thing was done, but it took his house. Yes, he received proper compensation, but he sure missed his old home. Here in the USA, if you are notified that your home could flood and you don’t want to move if flooding occurs, then the public is not responsible for replacing it if you don’t have insurance.  The Netherlands no longer has flood insurance. It does not need it.

The Dutch have done even more, but will save that for another time. They rebuilt and leveled the city for a 1 in 10,000 year flood. Of course, Cedar Rapids is in better shape than the Dutch. However, the green belts are a really good back up. We are getting there.

 As indicated before, after talking with Mr. Sandy Humphrey, there have been flood plain green belts outlined on maps since 1982. Further some visionary placed our home out of reach from the flood in the 70’s. We can do it.

 We have Mount Trash more don’t we? That took some vision and effort.

Prof. Joel Snell

Kirkwood College

joelsnell@hotmail.com