# Where not to live/ buy land



## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

The other day we discussed why people live in flood plains. 
Here it is another kind of place to avoid
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...llapse-news-latest-mining-disaster-brumadinho

It has been the third big dam to collapse in my country in the last decade or so. This is something to consider, as this is a tragedy that one is very unlikely to escape. Many years ago, a college professor of mine told us that " nobody asks is this place is within the possible flood area of some major dam?" When buying a house. Turns out he was right, we should consider the flood risks when picking some location. 
What other places would you avoid at all costs?


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## ekim (Dec 28, 2012)

Well to start your country, then go from there.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Damn @Yavanna

That sucks to be one of them.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Goes to show you how well the gubbamint really 'takes care' of you.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

ekim said:


> Well to start your country, then go from there.


I am from Brazil, sorry, I thougth everyone knew it &#128542;


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Looks like Texas has some problem dams too.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/...ms-two-in-houston-deemed-extremely-high-risk/


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

@Yavanna I finally moved out of the Willamette Valley here in Oregon. The danger here was so very great that the History Channel did a "Mega-Disasters" segment on my former town Eugene. We basically live in a bowl surrounded by 40+ dams... dams which were built long ago by the Army Core of Engineers BEFORE we really developed earthquake resistant techniques. Now toss in the fact that we are maybe 500 years overdue for a crazy big earthquake due to the Cascadia fault line. They estimated we would all be under 25 feet of water.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

The city I live is on a higher level, so the water would not get here, but many cities nearby are very close to a major river with big dams that generate electricity, and if one breaks open, it could cause a chain reaction that would break all the others downstream. The last two dams that burst in Brazil were not of water, but os minning rejects, wich is basically mud. 
You were right in moving out, @StratMaster, that place sounds very dangerous.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

Now just imagine if for some reason all those dams were left without any maintenance for some time?


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Nuclear facilities, down wind of nuclear facilities fall out. Major under ground gas lines. They blow up spectacuarly


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## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

Paying attention to elevation is an important thing. I first learned this when living in CA and seeing first hand what a "wash" was. I had never heard the term until then and saw first hand once how they fill up with rain water quick and become a river within minutes. Ever since then, I've looked at how water would flow and what dangers I may or may not be in. 

I'd like to get a small jon boat, in the 4x12 -5x14 size range, but the budget hasn't found a way to do it yet.

But, we all have life jackets and even dog life jackets for the Greyhounds. Found one at an estate sale for $4 and wife made the other one from 2 youth jackets we got on clearance at Wal-Mart for $4 each. We got 2 adult life jackets on clearance for $8 each.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

bigwheel said:


> Looks like Texas has some problem dams too.
> https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/...ms-two-in-houston-deemed-extremely-high-risk/


The two dams, Addicks and Barker where built in the 1940's to relieve flooding in downtown Houston and are what they call pool dams. They don't always have water in them, just during rain events. Back when they where built it was nothing but rice fields, but now it is surrounded by suburbia. behind the dams they built parks and built houses all around the dams. Normally, during a normal rain they aren't a problem but when we get a Harvey type storm the dams will pool outside normal bounds and a lot of people got flooded. Most people didn't realize they were buying a house in a area that is meant to flood because technically they weren't considered dams, they were considered pool dams so the home owners didn't have to be told. A little research and a drive around would have saved a lot of heartache for the home owners.

When I bought the house I currently live in 15 years ago my realtor kept showing me houses in this area. She kept saying how beautiful the parks are and how nice an area it is. I kept telling her no, this area floods. She kept telling me it wasn't in the flood plain. No, it was in a pool damn. Most of those homes around those dams and downstream of them flooded during Harvey. Of course, it's Houston and it floods here. So far I have had no issues but they keep pouring cement. There is nowhere for the water to go during a large rain event.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Yavanna said:


> The other day we discussed why people live in flood plains.
> Here it is another kind of place to avoid
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...llapse-news-latest-mining-disaster-brumadinho
> 
> ...


Prayers said,
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...er-brazil-dam-burst-250-missing-idUSKCN1PL0DN


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

So far 58 confirmed dead and over 300 people missing. 
And some people still say there is no reason to prep and a SHTF situation nevet happen 😐 , and while one cannot escape such disasters, we can avoid being there by choosing better our locations.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

Prepared One said:


> bigwheel said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like Texas has some problem dams too.
> ...


but why would people be so eager to sell their houses if that area did not flood at all? Too many houses for sale in one place, something must be wrong, even if the realtor denies it.


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## GoneSouth61 (Jan 24, 2019)

I know next to nothing about Brazil, but I'm not sure if there's any area in the US devoid of threats from at least 1 type of natural disaster.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

GoneSouth61 said:


> I know next to nothing about Brazil, but I'm not sure if there's any area in the US devoid of threats from at least 1 type of natural disaster.


well, that gives you a hard choice &#128528;
Here, at least we have no hurricanes, no earthquakes and no severe winter, wich makes it somewhat easier to pick a place. Most of our disasters are caused by people being stupid.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Yavanna said:


> well, that gives you a hard choice &#55357;&#56848;
> Here, at least we have no hurricanes, no earthquakes and no severe winter, wich makes it somewhat easier to pick a place. Most of our disasters are caused by people being stupid.


I don't fear Hurricanes, I have those covered. Stupid people on the other hand, are another matter.


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

bigwheel said:


> Looks like Texas has some problem dams too.
> https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/...ms-two-in-houston-deemed-extremely-high-risk/


A friend lives just south of Medina Lake. A few times he and his wife were worried about the dam.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> Looks like Texas has some problem dams too.
> https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/...ms-two-in-houston-deemed-extremely-high-risk/


That article states that the list is secret. I know of one that is not secret, Lake Lewisville. Occasionally it is plastered all over the news here. There is serious erosion and cracks in the dam and if it goes, a good part of Dallas will go with it. Yet they haven't fixed it.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Yavanna said:


> The other day we discussed why people live in flood plains.
> Here it is another kind of place to avoid
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...llapse-news-latest-mining-disaster-brumadinho
> 
> ...


Hey, GF, the dams by me are close to opening up the gates, and flood watch until noon 15 Saturday.

We had 2.5" of rain which melted 1.5' of snow. All heck is about to break loose, I'm, a hundred feet above flood plain though


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

We have our land paid for and we are not buying anymore nor are we leaving.
If FEMA had it's way everyone would be classified as in a flood plain. Of course they exempt many cities but that is another topic. You need water, water is both a friend and an enemy. Embrace your friend, defeat the enemy. Funny how this last week many that do not have a clue were screaming, end of the world Global warming flooding like we have never seen ect. It was no where near that. Had a county worker tell me the Creek on my land has never been that high. He is full of it. In 2008 it went over the road, no where near that now. Both house high and dry, it is a sight to see the creek over it's banks buy 10 to 20 feet in some areas. That is area not depth. It will also go away fast once the Ice dams melt. Bet when I go out to check this morning it will be a lot lower.
All of this snow melted in 1 and a half days along with rain . With frost in the ground you bet water was flowing down hill and filling every low spot.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Fortunately I live in Utopia where bad things only happen to other people

:vs_laugh: :vs_laugh::vs_laugh:

In this day and age I don't really think there is any place safe to live, not even in rural America, just higher or lower threat levels. My little city (next door to Seattle) of 65k people isn't safe, but it's safer than Seattle and a hell of a lot safer than Detroit or Chicago.


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