If the Grand River flooded

[zenstyle]

how far east would neighborhoods be affected? It would break my heart to leave my house. But I don't know how far "up" or "down" we are relative to river level. (We live near Brandywine Restaurant.)

All guesses and speculations welcome.

[zenstyle]

My apologies; I meant to post this under "Watering Hole."

[allbusiness]

It happened in 1904:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikent/images/flood1904/index.html

[mpchicago]

It

[mpchicago]

It happened in 1904:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikent/images/flood1904/index.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1904.......Good Job, Thanks allbusiness!

[GRDadof3]

I think if you drew a line along Madison/Burton area going North though Heritage Hill and linking up with Plainfield all the way up to I-96, that range of hills is almost 80 - 100' above the river (varies in different areas). In other words, you would only be able to see the tops of the highest buildings downtown before it got to you Our geography is so much different from New Orleans.

[torgo]

I think if you drew a line along Madison/Burton area going North though Heritage Hill and linking up with Plainfield all the way up to I-96, that range of hills is almost 80 - 100' above the river (varies in different areas).  In other words, you would only be able to see the tops of the highest buildings downtown before it got to you    Our geography is so much different from New Orleans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I actually mapped it out in a college class a couple of years ago. Along the east side, the water would probably get to Division, and on the west side the water could go all the way to around the 196/Lake Mich Dr interchange. Anything outside of the "river valley" would remain dry unless there is a creek nearby. However, I believe our floodwalls can contain a 100 year flood, which means that every year there is a 1 in 100 chance of a flood that severe. A 100 year flood does not mean that it happens only every 100 years. It could happen three years in a row. The odds of downtown and the west side flooding are extremely small.

If I can find the map I drew I'll scan it and post it.

[joeDowntown]

And you have to remember that the banks of the Grand are Glacial riverbanks. It would take one hell of a flood to match melting glaciers.

I read somewhere that the Grand River was the widest, deepest river in the world at the end of the ice age...

Joe