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Use drones to break up ice jams
The Gazette Opinion Staff
Mar. 18, 2013 12:55 pm
It appears that I am too late with any suggestion for correcting the latest Cedar River ice jam; however, that won't hold me back. Perhaps it will allow me to dwell on other subjects at bed time.
The federal government seems to be able to navigate northern icepacks using an ice breaking ship. Perhaps they have a spare Cedar Rapids could buy. No, it probably wouldn't be able to navigate on our small river. If a local company can construct machines that crush rocks, why not use such a device to crush our ice? Sorry, I don't have a clue how to position it on the river. That is why we use engineers.
Perhaps a more plausible idea might be to use one or more of those cranes and the wrecking ball. I envision these setting up on the parking spaces across from Quaker Oats.
My favorite solution involves using the drones from Uncle Sam. They seem able to pinpoint their target so well this would seem simple. Sorry, National Guard. I am not sure of your accuracy.
Unless you can guarantee the ice jams will never again be a problem, some brainstorming needs to be done.
Wayne Schilling
Cedar Rapids
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