Detroit Area Flooding - 08/11/2014

**Lowell** · August-12-14, 07:41 AM

Time to dig out some paintings I created in the eighties when expressway flooding was more frequent.

**Bigb23** · August-12-14, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Time to dig out some paintings I created in the eighties when expressway flooding was more frequent.

Thanks for the new wallpaper Lowell, and sorry Garwoodians.

**Dbest** · August-13-14, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Time to dig out some paintings I created in the eighties when expressway flooding was more frequent.

Lowell, This is so awesome! I love the sky and clouds...

**Scottathew** · August-12-14, 07:13 AM

The Warren Tech Center is closed today.

**hybridy** · August-13-14, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

The Warren Tech Center is closed today.

family that works there has been told closed through monday

**Hypestyles** · August-12-14, 07:15 AM

... hope everyone makes it out safely. So what are flood insurance rates like in Michigan?

**Lowell** · August-12-14, 07:15 AM

Just heard that the State Police have divers at the 75-696 interchange checking for victims. Water appears to be over ten feet deep.

Portrait of Detroit today:
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Name: Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 8.17.20 AM.jpg
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Size: 21.4 KB

**Hermod** · August-12-14, 07:18 AM

The area from six mile to fourteen mile was once an impassible swamp with a few areas of higher ground like Royal Oak. It was so bad that early settlers [[from New York) in Oakland and Macomb bypassed the area and went up the Clinton River valley to found the settlements like Utica, Rochester, and Troy. The hills Oakland County [[like in Rochester) were the foot of the glacier in the last Ice Age and formed all of the gravel which was quarried out of the area and hauled down to Warren to fill in the swamp.

**UMich06** · August-12-14, 08:05 AM

Is there something about I-96 that just prevents it from getting flooded? There was not a drop of water on the road today, and the only flooding I saw yesterday was right near the Telegraph exit ramp [[where it closes). It could be that the western suburbs didn't get nearly as much rain. I live in Northville and haven't heard of any flooded basements [[yet).

**Danny** · August-12-14, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by UMich06

Is there something about I-96 that just prevents it from getting flooded? There was not a drop of water on the road today, and the only flooding I saw yesterday was right near the Telegraph exit ramp [[where it closes). It could be that the western suburbs didn't get nearly as much rain. I live in Northville and haven't heard of any flooded basements [[yet).

Yes, all Metro-Detroit freeways have pumping stations to pump excess water out before its flooded. However some of the pumping stations are poorly maintained and can't handle more torrential downpours. The pumping stations begin to fail and water begins to fill up the freeways starting the bypasses to the lanes.

**eno** · August-13-14, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by UMich06

Is there something about I-96 that just prevents it from getting flooded? There was not a drop of water on the road today, and the only flooding I saw yesterday was right near the Telegraph exit ramp [[where it closes). It could be that the western suburbs didn't get nearly as much rain. I live in Northville and haven't heard of any flooded basements [[yet).

I live in Northville, around Seven Mile/Northville Road. A friend and I went to the Livonia AMC and came out around 6Pish to see a deluge flooding the front of the theater. The entrance off Haggerty is graded down to the theater where the storm sewers were unable to keep up with the flooding water. We went to the north of the theater and water was coming into the theater thru the bottom of the door. We exited on the northeast exits at the back of the theater only to find an ankle high flow of water coming off the front. I got to the car OK and picked up my friend from the back exits. I saw no flooding on the ride home from 7 Mile/Haggerty going west. Our townhouse was without power until yesterday afternoon. No flooded basements in our complex, King's Mill.

**Pam** · August-12-14, 08:12 AM

Video of some rescues in this link.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/weathe...troit/27418928

**Johnnny5** · August-12-14, 08:20 AM

Yikes! I worked late last evening and didn't know any of this was happening. Out here in Milford it rained all day, but nothing really unusual.

**Maof** · August-12-14, 09:06 AM

was heading down mack from verheyden funeral home last night. didn't even make it to 7 mile because of the construction and a bit of flooding. headed down a side street to jefferson. flooding started at 9 mile. kept heading down jefferson and was speratic flooding until just past 12 mile rd when it started to get worse. i turned down a side street and went a few houses down until i saw several cars stranded and turned around and went back to 12 mile up to harper. flooding in that intersection and turned again down harper toward shook back to jefferson and it was free and clear. what gets me is when your driving cautiously through the water you get these nitwits flying in their trucks splashing and pushing water and quite frankly making it even more dangerous.

**hybridy** · August-12-14, 09:23 AM

my mother-in-law left her job in bloomfield hills heading east to roseville. left at 6 pm and got home at 12:30 am...normally a 30 minute commute.

**animatedmartian** · August-12-14, 09:43 AM

The poster image of this event seems to be the I-75/696 interchange. Here's a pic from MDOT posted on their facebook page. The clearance height for the 1st level overpass [[the little yellow sign) is 14 ft 8 inches.

https://www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT

Here's a wider shot from Freep:

http://www.freep.com/article/2014081...troit-flooding

**Smirnoff** · August-12-14, 09:43 AM

Hope some of you have vehicle flood insurance..........

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-12-14, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Hope some of you have vehicle flood insurance..........

Doesn't full coverage insurance cover this? Or is vehicle flood insurance separate?

**bailey** · August-12-14, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Doesn't full coverage insurance cover this? Or is vehicle flood insurance separate?

yes. as long as you have at least comp coverage. if you just have PLPD, you're eff'ed

the bigger issue is the damage from water in basements. unless you have water back up coverage or flood insurance, you're probably eff'd

**TKshreve** · August-12-14, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

yes. as long as you have at least comp coverage. if you just have PLPD, you're eff'ed

the bigger issue is the damage from water in basements. unless you have water back up coverage or flood insurance, you're probably eff'd

Didn't read the entire thread so it may have been touched upon, but it's wild to think about all of the households I know of that sought and were awarded a pass on flood insurance here on the east side. Most of the east side and the suburbs are considered part of a flood plain, but for decades we have never seen flooding of any substantial size. Maybe low lake levels kept this scenario at bay for the last 10+ years. Many people I know were fuming when automatic bills came to their homes for flood insurance. Countless hoops they jumped through to get these costs abated. Now the insurance companies are probably laughing on the beach *pun*.

I wonder if this latest spike in Great Lake levels is directly responsible for this mess?

**Zacha341** · August-12-14, 07:39 PM

I hate to purchase any of these water logged cars once they are recycled in the used car scene after being cosmetically fixed and dried out enough to start [[for a while). There was a time you could avoid an underwater lemon from avoiding certain states and cites. Now Michi is on the list... Great.

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Hope some of you have vehicle flood insurance..........

**jackie5275** · August-12-14, 10:02 AM

I didn't have too much trouble getting across down via I-94 once I entered from Wyoming going east, but westbound looked like the remnants of a war zone. I have no idea how I'll get home today.

**Honky Tonk** · August-12-14, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

I didn't have too much trouble getting across down via I-94 once I entered from Wyoming going east, but westbound looked like the remnants of a war zone. I have no idea how I'll get home today.

McGraw was clean on my the way West this morning. Ford Rd. was good except numerous traffic lights were out.

**gazhekwe** · August-12-14, 10:39 AM

Our rain gauge in Southfield registered 3.5 inches. While it rained really hard for hours and our swale was filled to the brim, nothing actually flooded. We are thankful our power stayed on, as it has gone out with every other storm this season. OTOH, taking a friend home to south Rosedale, thanks to WWJ we avoided the mudslide at Southfield and Grand River, but ran into lots of flooding and crazy drivers on the surface streets.

**motz** · August-12-14, 10:56 AM

I got semi-stranded in Ferndale last night trying to get home. 75 was impassible, Woodward was a mess and I didn't want to tempt it... So I just went to the bar and hunkered down. Made it home safe last night and into work safe today. This has been absolutely nuts, but I also LOVE this type of stuff quite heavily. The blackout, the snowpocalypse, I love how we all bond and share in the misery. Made a few new friends last night to boot!