Hurricane Irene UPDATE: Gowanus Canal Ready To Overflow In Some Spots

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From the Carroll Street Bridge. Gowanus Canal rising over its banks

View of Union Street bridge and Gowanus Housing in the background

Union Street bridge with rising water

Carroll Street Bridge and view of the site were Toll Brothers wanted to build luxury housing

Luxury housing anyone? Where Toll Brothers envisioned condo buildings

And human waste floating on the water's surface, overflow from NY City's sewer pipes.

8AM this Sunday morning at high tide on the Gowanus Canal during Hurricane Irene.

As I mentioned on Friday, the waterway overflows its banks on a regular basis during heavy storms, but of course, during the heavy rainfall which accompanies a hurricane like Irene, the area is even more susceptible.

The Gowanus area lies in an A flood zone and has been evacuated. (Strangely, it has been reported that residents of the Gowanus Housing Towers had not been informed that they should leave)

Of course, the major problem with the waters of the Gowanus overflowing their banks is that the combined sewer overflow (CSO) is dumped into the Gowanus Canal every time New York City's sewer system is overloaded after a flash flood. Secondly, the waters of the canal are heavily polluted with rather dangerous contaminants from decades of industrial use.

And this is the area where Mayor Bloomberg, City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden and developers like Toll Brothers envision luxury high rises....in a flood zone.

If you live in the Gowanus area and have experienced flooding, please feel free to send me your photos. I will gladly post them to illustrate the problem.

***These photos were taken by my crazy, wonderful husband Glenn, who ventured out in the storm. Thanks, Glenn