Saturday, June 29, 2024

The Saturday Morning Post: You Can't Fool Mother Nature

Iceland is trying to save the Blue Lagoon, I think the bigger concern is the geothermal power plant next to it, that feeds the mineral rich hot water to the Blue Lagoon, and supplies a significant portion of the island's electricity and hot water for heating to thousands of homes.  They have built a berm, a pile of rocks and dirt to try to divert the lava from the ongoing volcanic eruption away from the area. As that has failed they are spraying water on the advancing lava (I am writing this a week before this posts, this may have changed or failed by the time this posts.) Ultimately there are limits on what we can do to control mother nature.  The forces at work in a volcano are stronger than man. 

What is Iceland's back up plan? They are drilling new geothermal wells 20 miles away, with plans for a new power plant moving forward at record speed.  The Lagoon will be harder to replace.  I am glad we took a soak there when we did.  

I was talking with a National Park Ranger who was repairing a boardwalk along the Potomac River the other day.  He said a replacement is planned in two years, and it will be taller and longer to accommodate rising water levels in the River.  He said, in the last 12 months, the average water level in the River has risen by 5 inches.  At that rate it will rise over 4 feet in the next 10 years, most of the Dyke Marsh trail is less than 4 feet above the water level. Massive reconstruction projects are underway to rebuild the marsh, but there is only so much you can do to push back against nature.  The dykes that have been built to rebuild the marsh, will be underwater in five or six years.  

We live on top of the ridge, about half a mile from the River and about 100 feet higher than the river.  The hill is a pain when you are walking up it, but as sea levels rise, we will end up with water view property in a 100 years or less.  

16 comments:

  1. I always told people I'd buy land and build a house along the border of Arizonia or Nevada. That way when California break off and sinks in the ocean, I 'll finally have ocean front property!!!

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    1. And until then they will live in the toasty zone.

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  2. That top picture could be used as the background to a film poster: "The Monster from The Blue Lagoon". Nice to know you will be living on a seaside island before very long.

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    1. I have been to the spring in Florida where the Creature from the Black Lagoon was filmed. The water was to cool for me, and the alligators are numerous and rather large.

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  3. You’ll end up with water-view propery AND no hil to climb. I love this picture of you!

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    1. The condo will need to work on the access road (we have a back gate out onto the plateau.)

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  4. That is a great photo of you! I have been to the Blue Lagoon in 2016 and I loved it!

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    1. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

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  5. Yes, I heard the Blue Lagoon was under threat from lava. I hope they can save it but, as you say, hard to stop lava from doing whatever it wants.

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    1. At this time, they appear to be winning the battle, but mother nature can fierce

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  6. As I view these maps of rising sea levels, it looks like our town may become a beach community so maybe we bought good???

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    1. Walking distance to the beach would increase property values.

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  7. I'm glad you got to experience the Blue Lagoon too. Iceland is seeing a lot of change very quickly.

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    1. Part of the magic of Iceland is the volcanic landscape. We had lunch in Grindavik in April of 2023, today you can't get there on the roads we did.

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  8. I love this photo! What a splendid handsome bear pose! Bravo !

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    1. I was so glad I had an underwater camera with me on that trip.

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