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Posted by: 914_7T3 May 22 2020, 11:30 AM

https://jalopnik.com/rare-pontiac-fieros-are-underwater-after-500-year-flood-1843570283?utm_source=jalopnik_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-05-22

Posted by: Superhawk996 May 22 2020, 11:54 AM

Governor dim Whitmer’s mini-Katrina.

While busy shutting down the state, Govt neglects to take care of infrastructure and protection of public safety

It’s a shame. Have friends in that area and I’ve driven by Fiero’s Forever a time or two.

There will be some local Fiero bargains hitting the market. Slightly damp.

Posted by: StarBear May 22 2020, 12:01 PM

Kinda ironic - Fieros well known for being too hot (e.g. fires), like 914s. Neighbor had one burst into flames in his driveway. In this case, though, too wet.

Posted by: rhodyguy May 22 2020, 12:49 PM

95 y.o., over a mile long, earthen dams. Unprecedented rainfall. nothing there when contructed. Looking at the Army Cors of Eng map, looks like every dam in the state is substandard. So, what else is new? Good to see you can still find some humor in all this misery.

Posted by: Superhawk996 May 22 2020, 01:27 PM

Good thing the state is mostly flat. Imagine if we had a big dam like the Hoover.

Posted by: 914e May 22 2020, 01:52 PM

QUOTE(Superhawk996 @ May 22 2020, 12:27 PM)

Good thing the state is mostly flat. Imagine if we had a big dam like the Hoover.

Posted by: Superhawk996 May 22 2020, 01:54 PM

Before I get accused of political bias in this whole dam episode, let me post for the record that this is screwed up every which way.

Private owner not able or willing to make appropriate repairs, and at various times inhibited by lake residents.

FedGov knows the dam was distressed but turn it over to the state to regulate.

State fights dam owner on repairs in favor of protecting freshwater mussel populations. I swear you can't make this up.

Finally everyone gets screwed. People are flooded, mussels will be left high and dry. Hopefully all the fishies find safe new homes.

But you can be assured that neither FedGov, StateGov will ever be held responsible for thier contribution to this dam mess.

This has been going on for decades though both Republican and Democtatic adminstrations both in FedGov and StateGov.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigan-regulators-moved-fast-dangerous-dam-protect-mussels.

If you don't like the spin on this link you can go find others that blame it all squaredly on the dam owner if you'd prefer that take on the story.

Posted by: Tdskip May 22 2020, 05:44 PM

QUOTE(Superhawk996 @ May 22 2020, 12:54 PM)

Governor dim Whitmer’s mini-Katrina
While busy shutting down the state, Govt neglects to take care of infrastructure and protection of public safety

Posted by: 914_7T3 May 22 2020, 08:16 PM

Feel bad for the guy. He is like the Dr914 of Fieros. These too were underpowered and then received a lot of upgrades before the model was discontinued. Sold about 3x as many as the 914.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/5234159002

Posted by: bbrock May 23 2020, 11:56 AM

Saw an early Fierro in the wild last weekend that reminded me of the only time I drove one. I got really excited when they came out and thought they were cool. A cousin in-law was a car dealer at the time and would always bring me the coolest thing he had on the lot to family gatherings for me to drive. One day he tossed me the keys to a nice, almost new early model and I eagerly hopped in for the drive. HUGE dissapointment. I was used to under powered since I was driving a 1.7L 914 at the time but the Fierro felt under powered AND heavy. Worst was that it was physically painful to drive. After only a few miles, my legs started cramping up. Never had a chance to drive a later model to see how much they had improved, but that first impression was not good. I still think they are cool little cars though.

Posted by: rhodyguy May 23 2020, 02:13 PM

The part about lake front property owners bitching to the powers that be about a lake draw down. Well, they have one now. More than 4-6 ft for sure. A permanent draw down now. Completely.

Posted by: bbrock May 23 2020, 03:08 PM

My read is this is another cheap attempt to blame environmental regs for something they didn't cause. According to the article, the draw down permit was to prevent ice damage to the gates, NOT to repair or upgrade an inadequate spillway. The permit was denied because it could harm mussels AND there are alternative ways to protect ice damage to the gates. Seems like Phil is right that this was a perfect storm of deferred maintenance and regulatory failure, but from this article, I'm not seeing that the mussels are anything more than a convenient scapegoat.

Posted by: Superhawk996 May 23 2020, 03:41 PM

The last thing I'm going to say on the topic is that my intent wasn't to make this a political dicussion but was simply expressing my frustration at the situation. It's been a game of kick the can and Whitmer is the one left holding the bag. It is ironic that she campained on infrastructure issues though (mostly the roads).

There is so much blame here for all parties involved that it is ridicilous. And, Brent is correct. It's not the mussels fault.

I've lived in mid-Michigan for more of my life than I wish I had. The reality is that I remember battles going on over this dam since the 70's. I'm pretty sure they were going on before then but I was just too young to care or remember.

Once article link doesn't do the situation justice but I felt it did speak to the guilt of all parties to one degree or another.

It's just sad that this is what we have come to. A once mighty state known as a manufacturing powerhouse reduced to this. It's just sad. I have friends that lost lake front property and I have friends that now have lake front property though they wish otherwise.

On the bright side, I'm betting there will be some really nice former lake front houses going up for sale real cheap in the next couple years. Former lake bed might be good for mud boggin' and a great snowmobile drag strip in the winters.

The only lesson I've learned is that it's never a good idea to buy a house in a flood plain down stream of a dam or even a lake house that depends on a dam to create the lake