Comments on: Building in a Flood Plain, and a Map of the Flood of 1927 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/?src=elegantfigures-rss On data visualization and information design on the Earth Observatory. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:40:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Robert Simmon http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-59470 Robert Simmon Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:38:41 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-59470 Siem:

Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about forecasting flooding in Thailand, so I can’t give you a meaningful answer.

]]> By: I love my king http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-59209 I love my king Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:15:17 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-59209 I want to know more about Thailand . I am living in Bangkok . I’ve heard about prediction that Bangkok will be sink again from flood in 2012 .

Should live in Bangkok or move to the north of Thailand in 2012 ?

Thanks anyone who will answer my question .

Siem

]]> By: Heather Ernst http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18427 Heather Ernst Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:08:17 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18427 RS: I couldn’t agree more. Technology, though it has some benefit, has pretty much made us fat, lazy, and stupid. We dont have to think because a computer does it for it. Pretty disappointing. We believe we are so advanced, but in reality we have forgotten the skills that brought us here. This is generally speaking of course, not everyone is a “compuke” (my grandfather’s term for those who only put out information that has been put in). Harsh, but true.

]]> By: Heather Ernst http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18423 Heather Ernst Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:49:57 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18423 …I cannot understand how the government believed that enclosing the Mississippi River in levees would protect the inhabitants in the flood plains. In the 1927 flood levees broke in 145 places, causing widespread destruction. Anne Jefferson is completely right that levees create an illusion of safety, and I think it is really sad that people do not understand that it is an illusion. Going back to the dangers of living on a flood plain, many people do not even know what a flood plain is, let alone if they live in one. If they did, surely they would have sense enough to NOT live there or at least have flood insurance. The truth is that people are led to believe that they are safe where the government allows development, but this is not the case. We cannot control nature, no matter how we try. If people are going to live in floodplains, which they will continue to do, then they should at least know what they are getting themselves into. I’m not saying that the information isn’t out there, because it certainly is, but this information should be provided by the realtors or some government body.

]]> By: Robert Simmon http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18420 Robert Simmon Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:21:21 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18420 Heather: I have a pet theory that information technology has led to poorer maps and graphs. The majority of people making visualizations (and those writing the software) have little or no training in design or graphics. Before computers, the only people who could make visualizations were experts. There’s no real way to prove it, of course, but I’ll have to dig up some of the superb diagrams I’ve seen from NASA’s Apollo days.

]]> By: Heather Ernst http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18419 Heather Ernst Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:04:24 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18419 This map is very detailed and clear for having been done 80 years ago without the help of modern technology. It details the path of the river, what levees broke in what direction, and more. I can only imagine the devastation by seeing how many red cross camps there were along the river. Absolutely phenomenal map. It must have taken a massive human effort to create this map and they did a great job.

]]> By: Robert Simmon http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18269 Robert Simmon Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:45:50 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18269 Folks: U.S. flood control policy is a complex and contentious subject that’s well outside my area of my expertise, and beyond the purview of this blog. Please keep the discussion focused on design and visualization, like marveling at the skill of the cartographers who drafted the flood map above 80 years ago, without the aid of computers, satellites, or GPS.

]]> By: Eliza http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-18266 Eliza Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:37:04 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-18266 D- Yes, most farmers do have crop insurance. They pay in every year, just like you do for your car or your house. THe ones who don’t have crop insurance are facing a loss this year.

Jay- I’m not sure if you are being sarcastic, but I suggest you calculate the amount of acreage that is in the floodplains of the Ohio-Mississippi-Missouri river system and propose a replacement for the timber, grain, and produce that comes off of those acres. I think you will find that federal flood insurance programs are much cheaper than the increased cost of living the United States would incur.

]]> By: Jay Sims http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-14118 Jay Sims Mon, 30 May 2011 18:01:28 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-14118 Yes we must use the floodplain and guarantee folks whose livelihoods come under fire that they can rebuild because that production we depend on!

]]> By: D Sellers http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/2011/05/20/building-in-a-flood-plain-and-a-map-of-the-flood-of-1927/comment-page-1/#comment-12916 D Sellers Wed, 25 May 2011 23:40:37 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/?p=411#comment-12916 I have no problems with people living in dangerous areas, since they get building permits from politicians who have no conscience.
I do, however, have a real problem if they can tap federal funds to rebuild. Do they have insurance? If not, why not? Because it is too expensive? How much more of a clue do they need?

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