Storm Surge Barrier for NY Harbor?

[WeatherGuesser]

The proposed barrier would stretch from Brooklyn to Sandy Hook in New Jersey, with two 800-foot retracting gates that would close in the event of an approaching hurricane surge.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... oding.html



The article mentions one in St. Petersburg, but isn't there something in the Netherlands too?

[vbhoutex]

The proposed barrier would stretch from Brooklyn to Sandy Hook in New Jersey, with two 800-foot retracting gates that would close in the event of an approaching hurricane surge.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... oding.html



The article mentions one in St. Petersburg, but isn't there something in the Netherlands too?

Yes there is a huge one in the Netherlands. In fact I think it was the first one to be built. There is one on the Thames River in Britain also. The St. Petersburg one that is mentioned is in Russia, if you didn't realize that.
One has been proposed for the Galveston Bay area also. I don't see it happening anytime soon though unless someone comes up with billions of dollars.

[brunota2003]

This surge gate has been on the table for years and years. Probably a good 15 years, at least. Other than the money issues, you are talking about constructing something of ENORMOUS size, and hoping it all works like it is supposed to. Plus, this would make communities feel "safe" and decide not to evacuate. What happens if that gate fails, and everything floods, anyway? Now, not only were the people not evacuated, but you got a nice, giant dam to hold the flood waters in even longer.

The world has done just fine ranging from anywhere between thousands and billions of years (depending on what you believe) without flood gates or surge gates. Barrier islands are there for a reason! And that is NOT to build on them and then cry foul when you are flooded! Barrier islands are placed, by nature, to help protect main coastlines from the waters of the ocean. In my opinion, if you can't handle the risk, you shouldn't be living on the,. The foolish man built his house upon the sands of the beach, as the story goes.