FROM: Terry Lynch@aol.com; POB 241035; Montgomery, AL 36124-1035
Phone: (334) 272-4217 voice 

DATE:  March 12, 1998 

TO:  Letter to the Editor      WORD COUNT: 200

REF: How to end floods in Elba

How many more Alabamians must die because our governor will not
do whatever is necessary to inspect and maintain the state's
infrastructure?  Governor Fob James, who is an engineer, is 
ultimately responsible for the breaking of the levee in Elba.  
The governor should have taken action long ago to insure that all 
roads, bridges, levees and other infrastructure was properly 
inspected, maintained and improved if needed.

When a levee breaks and people die in the flooding it is easy to
then make an inspection and place blame upon upon someone else, 
as upon city or state agencies. But ultimately the responsibility 
rests with the governor.  It takes courage to admit and accept 
that responsibility.  As an engineer the governor should admit 
his responsibility and then take whatever measures necessary to 
inspect and repair all infrastructures in the state, including 
levees.

Holding back water is no easy task.  But when a earthen levee 
built in 1929 breaks everyone from the city officials on up to 
the governor bares some portion of responsibility.  For the 
governor or anyone else to place the blame upon Elneo is a cop 
out!

A concrete steel reinforced levee or dike should have been built 
to protect Elba.  Walls of clay when saturated with water lose 
their strength.  A pyramid shaped wall of reinforced concrete 
built with multiple arches toward the Pea river and having huge 
cylindrical anchors at each foot of the arch is what Elba needs.  
Such a structure would secure Elba against any future floods.  
Anything less is a quick fix which can not guarantee the safety 
of the nearly 5,000 area residents who make Elba their home.

If our governor or the Army Corps of Engineers does not know how 
to build a reinforced concrete dike, I suggest they seek help 
from Dutch engineers.  If Dutch dikes can hold back the Northern 
Sea and reclaim land from the ocean, I'm sure they would stand 
the test of time against the measly Pea River!

Sincerely,
Terry Lynch
Montgomery, AL