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#Post#: 879--------------------------------------------------
Four Little Words - No Trees on Dams
DIR By: Doug K
Date: December 30, 2019, 3:02 pm
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Sharing some final thoughts on the Erie Canal’s unsafe
embankment tree issues we have been watching unfold for the past
few years. In the end it comes down to facts & the simple truth,
and what REAL experts have to say about trees, dams, & public
safety.
There are those in the community that want to say the Erie Canal
is fine, there is no safety issue with the banks, the trees
along the banks are not hurting the embankment structure, and
the NY Canal Corporation is just “fear-mongering”, just trying
to spend tax-payer dollars taking trees away that provide shade
& “oxygen”. These people are NOT Dam Engineers or Experts in the
science of Hydrology, they are just people with strong opinions
but no supporting evidence to substantiate their claims.
Some in our community say that the words Unsafe Canal
Embankments matter, that is what the NY Canal Corporation
Leadership has told many of the Canal Neighbors who live along
the 335 mile waterway. Though we may not like some of the
changes, safety of our property, our lives & our neighbors is
paramount. We will work with the Canal Corporation to restore
privacy some have lost using their suggested natural barrier
screening, others may eventually need fences.
The New York State government’s reply was to create a NY Canal
Corporation Earthen Embankment Integrity Program to address the
Erie Canal safety. Those issues were first uncovered back in
2014 and are just getting fixed today. Quite a bit of time &
money has gone into this embankment effort, an effort that is
dedicated to the safety of the Public by repairing the current
issues with the overgrown raised earthen dams that line the Erie
Canal for some 125 miles. The biggest issue is still the
inability to get proper Dam Safety Inspections performed due to
the thick woody overgrowth on many raised earthen dams it owns.
Each mile of these uncleared earthen canal dams are a threat to
the local community & the safety of the residents.
In addition the integrity of the waterway is also at risk… there
is NO question about these two statement. It is at the heart of
all discussion past, present & future with the Canal Corporation
& it’s parent…the New York Power Authority.
The Final Word…
The NY Canal Corporation, Rizzo Engineering (company who
conducted the last thorough canal inspection), The NY State
Comptroller’s Office, and the Governor of the State of NY have
ALL agreed that there is a definite safety issue on the Canal,
and that the best way to fix the issue, and restore public
safety, is to remove the large vegetation growing on these
earthen dams, all 125 miles of them, eventually.
It will take so long to fix the embankment issues that the work
can’t be defined as a single project anymore.. it has become a
new PROGRAM being managed by the NY Canal Corp.+
In the end it comes down to four words folks… Earthen Dam Tree
Failure.
[attachimg=1]
WHY THESE FOUR WORDS?
If there are no negative issues related to these four words
together, the internet search should come up empty. If there is
a list of websites that relates trees and dam failures then
those pages or publications should be read to see if trees help
or hurt on embankment dams.
If there are no facts supporting Earthen Dam failures being
caused or created by trees then the search should come back with
little to say about safety, or that trees are a problem on
EARTHEN dams. Note the word safety is NOT in the original search
so anything related to safety-trees-dams should be read as well.
If trees roots actually help to “strengthen” the earthen dams
(as some have falsely stated) then there should be plenty to
read on that subject as well. Many have made this claim as it
relates to trees on a normal hillside, and tried to apply here,
but trees on EARTHEN DAMS are a special case scenario as the
four word search will reveal.
Now if TREES on earthen dams DO cause dam failures or safety
issues then one would expect to find an endless list of
articles, publications, and expert testimony supporting the
statement that Trees on earth built dams are a SAFETY concern &
create the potential for a flood. This is EXACTLY what you will
find... many many articles stating over * over that trees are a
safety issue on Earthen Dams, and how to best manage that
problem.
Search those words yourself to find the truth, the results will
make you reconsider who you listen to about Erie Canal
Embankment Safety in the future. Some have it completely wrong,
like the Facebook group Stop the Canal Clear Cut. Some like the
NYCC & ECNA are on target.
There are a quite few Publications & Documents that get
highlighted with this simple FOUR WORD SEARCH…try it.
HTML https://www.carolinafirejournal.com/Articles/Article-Detail/ArticleId/6402/Earthen-Dams
HTML https://damfailures.org/lessons-learned/uncontrolled-vegetation-on-and-around-dams-can-hinder-inspection-and-lead-to-serious-structural-damage-significant-maintenance-costs-and-possible-failure/
HTML https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/67062.html
HTML https://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/may15/052615.htm
What REAL Dam Experts & Engineers are saying:
Here’s a nice white paper by a past leading expert in Dam
Safety, Bruce Tschantz, search his name as well to verify
credentials as an expert.
HTML https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RWdyoNHNeSuXFI3Nq5uCmWn9t4Q-xjbG
I have taken the highlights of his work to a single picture so
you can understand what just about EVERY expert on Dam
Engineering & Safety knows: Trees have no place on Earthen Dams.
[attachimg=2]
I also found Summary of Dam Safety policies from many states,
they all seem to be summed up with this picture of what causes
most Earthen Embankment Dam Failures. By the way, ALL THREE of
these issues have already been inspected and found along the NYS
Canalway in our area.
[attachimg=3]
As you can by this simple internet search on dams failures &
trees there is overwhelming evidence that large trees & brush
on earthen dams not only inhibit proper dam inspections but also
create an environment where animals can burrow and tree roots
can cause seeping which both lead to breaches & floods. Most of
the search results lead to FEMA, The Army Engineer Corp, or some
other National or State Dam Safety group that all seem to agree
that Trees & Dams do not make “good neighbors”.
Here’s a list that covers just about all aspects of the perils
of woody vegetation covering earthen dams. This was from a New
Hampshire publication but just about every other publication
I’ve read has a similar list.
[attachimg=4]
The only safe vegetative covering for Earthen Embankment Dams is
plain old grass.
It is that simple…yet many “non-experts” just don’t want to
believe it or accept this truth. Earthen Dams are ONLY safe if
they are covered with green grass. I for one can’t understand
why it’s so hard to understand this… you only need to search for
“earthen dam tree failure”.
Here’s a few other Documents that cover the topic of Earthen
Dams & Proper Vegetation…many have pictures showing unsafe
earthen dams. Worth a look if you are interested in finding the
truth about canal embankments, danger trees or even the truth
about a group calling themselves Stop the Canal Clear Cut. Go
search these words yourself and let others know the truth once
you see it for yourself.
FEMA
HTML https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RchsL5HWh7XD5DqMzv1n3_Py4c8m-8eK
US Army Corps of Engineers
HTML https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ksMs8ehnTu0fCJpZMIf8HWdtG9WIfWGU
US Bureau of Reclamation
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/links-to-documents/three-documents-explain-the-entire-canal-embankment-program/
Enough said about Trees on Earthen Dams being a safety issue, if
you can't understand it by now then you probably never will.
#Post#: 1861--------------------------------------------------
Four Little Words - No Trees on Dams
DIR By: Doug K
Date: November 17, 2021, 11:47 am
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It's only 4 words.. No Trees On Dams.
And those words are supported by EVERY Federal agency that has
to deal with Emergencies & Floods that are the result of failing
dams that inundate US communities.
From FEMA, the the US Army Corps of Engineers, even to the US
Congress that has passed Dam Safety Legislation to insure
citizens are safe from devastating floods in a country with 10s
of thousands of aging dam systems. And all but one State in the
United States of America has some sort of Dam Safety Guidelines,
Rules or Regulations, that directs Dam Owners to insure their
water impounding structures are inspected on a regular basis and
maintained according to approved standards for the type of dam
it is, earthen, cement, rock-filled... the list goes on.
And if you look at those state regulations you will see a
theme... that is centered on Four Little Words:
No Trees on Dams
So lets take a look at what some of those other states,
including New York State, say about how dams should be
maintained, and what if any role, "trees" should play.
Here's maybe one of the best we found that sums up almost all
others in our Country...from Virginia
[attachimg=1]
HTML https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/dsveget
And of course the leading authority on Dam Safety is the ASDSO,
Association of State Dam Safety Officials. Here's a great
article by one of their lead contributors on the subject. The
ECNA has had discussions with this author and he agrees with
those four little words... "No Trees on Dams"
[attachimg=2]
HTML https://damfailures.org/lessons-learned/uncontrolled-vegetation-on-and-around-dams-can-hinder-inspection-and-lead-to-serious-structural-damage-significant-maintenance-costs-and-possible-failure/
And here's more from the ASDSO and the State of New York, who's
very specific on Trees near Dams.
[attachimg=3]
HTML https://damsafety.org/
HTML https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4991.html
So you see the theme here?
These states (and the ASDSO) all agree that universally having
trees on dams, especially EARTHEN dams, will cause more issues,
weaken the dam, and promote a seeps & breaches. Trees will cause
more impoundment harm and obscure critical earthen dam
structural issues, than providing benefits that could come from
having trees grow where they shouldn't be... on a Dam.
Let's take a look at what a couple more States say aboutNo Trees
on Dams, Nebraska & Massachusetts.
[attachimg=4]
HTML https://dnr.nebraska.gov/dam-safety/trees
HTML https://www.mass.gov/service-details/policy-on-trees-on-dams
Many states actually send out Dam Safety Newsletters, to insure
that LOCAL dam owners, including municipalities, understand the
State directives on Dam Safety in their State. Many times these
come from the DEC for that state, other times it's from a
dedicated State Dam Safety resource or group.
Here's a couple from Wisconsin & New Jersey, that say the same
thing... No Trees on Dams.
[attachimg=5]
HTML https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Dams/documents/FSVegetation.pdf
HTML https://www.state.nj.us/dep/damsafety/docs/newsletter-spring-2018.pdf
So... why do I bring this all up you ask?
The New York State Canal Corporation has made the SAME
statement... No Trees on Dams.
They have created an entire Embankment Integrity PROGRAM to deal
with the issue of public safety, in and around the NYS Canal
System. They have cleared many miles of unsafe dams on the
western and eastern ends of the Canal System already, still more
than 100 miles left to rehabilitate. You can read about that
here:
HTML https://www.nyscanalintegrity.org/
The NYS Canal Corporation is the OWNER of over 125 miles of
earthen embankment dams, that line the edges of the Erie Canal
system. These are water impounding embankments that the owners
say are unsafe, because trees were allowed to grow where MOST
STATES would not allow them to... on Earthen Dams.
They, the NYS Canal Corporation, have a sound & reasonable plan
to fix their dam safety issues, but some local "grassroots"
group has built a campaign of misinformation & deception to stop
this public safety effort along the Erie. Sadly, those statement
about the danger of trees on dams are not being accepted by even
more people in New York State as a result. In fact, this group
is on Facebook (of course) and are in complete "denial" about
the safety issues cause by trees growing on dams... they think
shade is more important than safety.
Specifically this is a small contingent of people who believe
that "Erie Canal Dams don't need to follow NYS Dam Safety
Rules"... just because they "say so", no experts, no supporting
data. They don't believe it will "look good" after the danger
trees are removed. And most do not even believe that these
embankments are actually earthen dams at all.
Worse yet, this Facebook group is located in an Erie Canal town,
in perhaps one of the most dangerous areas of any canal
community... Perinton NY.
There are 8 square miles of Perinton, mostly on the westside,
that is at an elevation of 415-420' above sea level.
The Erie Canal, which is almost entirely built on raised earthen
embankment dams in Perinton, meanders through this Town at 463'
above sea level.
You do the math... it's a recipe for a catastrophe.
And when that disaster happens, because the dam owners have said
it is a real possibility, we can all blame Facebook... for not
policing their problems with rampant misinformation.
AND Erie Canal Neighbors caught in the mudslide & flood, well
they can also blame the Citizens of Perinton, for allowing
Facebook and a few "idealistic" residents to decide the fate of
those who drowned in an Erie Canal Flood.... cause by an
embankment that broke... because someone didn't heed the those
four little words...
No Trees on Dams!!!
Go read more about this Facebook group here:
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/big-misconception-of-clear-cutting-by-the-public-stcc/
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/facebook-group-founder-does-not-like-the-new-canal-integrity-website/
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/stop-the-canal-clear-cut-just-another-facebook-group-with-a-questionable-message/
#Post#: 1862--------------------------------------------------
Re: Four Little Words - No Trees on Dams
DIR By: Michael Caswell
Date: November 19, 2021, 10:54 am
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Here are a few more who say NO Trees On A Dam!
HTML https://eriecanalfacts.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/who-else-thinks-trees-should-not-be-allowed-on-earthen-embankment-dams/
They can't ALL be wrong, can they!
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