Taunton under threat of dam bursting

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:07 am

Currently the city of Taunton, where Lizzie was incarcerated, is under threat of flooding:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/wcvb/20051018/lo_wcvb/3003080

The prison which held Lizzie is long since gone.

theebmonique · Post by **theebmonique** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:36 am

I just heard this on the news. Thanks for the link to the additional details, Harry.

Tracy...

Kashesan · Post by **Kashesan** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:57 am

It broke this morning-folks are being evacuated

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:07 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051018/ap_ ... e_flooding

Here's the latest as of two hours ago.

Caesar · Post by **Caesar** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:17 am

The dam hasn't givin up yet and its starting to look much better but Taunton is still under watch.

Kashesan · Post by **Kashesan** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:26 am

whoops, I thought I'd heard it broke, glad I was wrong. My best to everyone in Taunton, I hope everything turns out for the best.

kash

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:54 pm

From what I heard there was a slight break, Kash, and that's why they evacuated. That was early on. There's supposedly not been more damage and it might hold up because the water levels are going down.
Now- the bad news about evacuating, which maybe people don't know if they've never been asked to- is that it's hard to get back in after! I think people kind of sense this, but you never know for sure if it's new to you. But that man they showed on the news, who was like the last man to leave Taunton and only decided to leave when the Sheriff said he himself was leaving- that guy probably knew deep down he'd be paying hotel prices, and restaurant prices for several days while officials play it safe keeping people out once they're out.

I'm not saying, if you're ordered to evacuate, not to do it- all I'm saying is that keep in mind it's never an overnight thing- it can disrupt lives for days and days, and cost a bundle. It helps to live near family!

.
Around here they lower all the hotel prices to a flat $49. That includes the resort hotels.
It still sounds expensive- over and above the danger which threatenns Taunton from the dam.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:40 pm

TAUNTON - Police and firefighters downtown and in the Whittenton neighborhoods have spent the last 48 hours playing what Interim Fire Chief Joseph Rose called "the waiting game."

Full story at:
http://www.tauntongazette.com/site/news ... 4232&rfi=6

Kashesan · Post by **Kashesan** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:10 am

True Kat, and its more complicated if you have pets to consider...

kash

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:23 pm

Yes absolutely.
Hopefully Katrina will have taught the officials in charge of these things, and the hoteliers etc. that people simply have to consider their pets when ordered to leave.
I think restrictions on pets will be eased in the very near future, if not already, at shelters and hotels, etc.
Hopefully.

SuFiDC18 · Post by **SuFiDC18** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:13 pm

My father works at the Taunton District Courthouse. Taunton is just about twenty minutes to my north, and he hasn't been able to go back to work for a few days now. Water is being pumped out of the dam slowly, but everyone is still being very cautious about letting people back into the city.

More rain is expected this weekend from what I hear, which doesn't augur well for the situation. But the city is definitely in my thoughts and prayers and I hope everything turns out all right.

Caesar · Post by **Caesar** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:02 am

It looks like were gonna get lots of rain 4 or 5 days in a row.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:25 pm

:nemo:

Tell me about it!

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:08 pm

Well, it looks like they've called the beavers into Taunton. Ye olde Whittenton Pond Dam will soon be no more.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051022/ap_ ... e_flooding

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:57 pm

Is that possible to replace, "overnight," a dam which has lasted 173 years?

And then when do they let the people back?
They've probably already spent their whole vacation allowance if they were even able to save up this year so far.

Thanks for the link.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:31 pm

Well, there is a bright side: No one has had to discover the answer to that question reputedly asked of Noah by the Lord: How long can you tread water??

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:17 am

Whatever happened in this story?

Gramma · Post by **Gramma** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 2:44 pm

The new dam held apparently and Taunton still exists.

Gramma

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:18 pm

When were the residents allowed back in and what did they have to say about the experience?

Gramma · Post by **Gramma** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:31 pm

Don't knw exactly when they let people go home. They let a few back when they had the new dam in place before the next round of rain came through. I remember thinking that may not be a wise decision. But when there was no deluge and the new dam held when they demolished the old one behind it the media disappeared. No impending doom so no story.

Gramma