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• Barry Colbaugh
• Oakwood, GA
• United States

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Using water transmission in the US to move flood waters from flood ravaged areas & transmit water where needed

I work in the power industry where we transmit electricity to a grid and are able to generate power in Georgia and through the transmission grid send that energy to California with some losses over the distance and capacity of the wire. The United States has a water transmission system of rivers and streams that could be enhanced through pumps and sluices to connect smaller tributaries to larger rivers. Through the use of SCADA we could monitor flood levels and as water crests, pumps would push water to another tributary and to a larger river. Strategically placed level sensors would then activate pumps moving water to where it could be held or needed. A safe method preventing aquatic life from being displaced would be needed like a filter of sorts. Areas that deal with floods would fund and maintain the pumps, SCADA and monitoring by the Corps of Engineers and drought stricken areas would pay for the surplus water to fund such a project not to mention the billions saved in reducing flood impact.