Amphibious Homes

~ By Marye Audet

A few years ago our property and that of 100 or so of our neighbors flooded. Many of the houses that flooded were not in a flood plain but because of a rapid increase in building around us the water run-off was more than the creek could handle and at 2 in the morning I was in flood water up to my armpits in my front yard with sheep and goats in my laundry room, chickens on the front porch, and my husband and I leading horses to the higher ground by the road.

We were very lucky because our house did not flood. It is on a knoll, higher than the rest of the property. The water did come within about 2 inches of coming into the house, though, and the ductwork under the house had to be totally replaced. CNN broadcast from our front yard and it was all very exciting.

Understand, then, my fascination when I read about amphibious houses that are being built by the Dutch.

The houses are normal houses with hollow concrete bases. They are made of lightweight wood and when the floodwaters rise the houses do too! The homes are anchored to 15 ft long moorings with sliding rings, allowing it to float upwards in times of flood. The electrical cables, water and sewage flow through flexible pipes inside the mooring piles.

So I am sitting here wondering how to do this with a 1910 farmhouse. I mean, could you get the barn to do the same thing? A chicken coop? I think that there is a market for these in our neighborhood for sure!

Please visit Marye’s other blogs, Baking Delights, Kettle and Cup, and read her green-minded tips at HubPages.