Heads Up Group Blog Do you need to move a river?

Do you need to move a river?By Lisa ElderI am in Valencia, Spain. Still basking in the 'intellectual glow' of the worldwide qualitative conference.But this story is not at all about qualitative research. It's about moving a river.As the story goes, the Turia river has strategically defined the walled city of Valencia since 138 B.C. The river was a source of water, commerce and protection as it surrounded the city and worked to discourage the onslaught of both actual and anticipated conquerors. The river had its purpose, and served it well for centuries.But as the need for protection decreased, the river was causing more harm than good due to uncontrollable flooding. We've seen the devastation of flooding close-by this year - the flash storm in Toronto, a river flooding in Calgary. So imagine the destruction caused by a river that surrounds a city that rests upon its fluvial terrace. In 1957 a huge flood engulfed nearly three-quarters of Valencia and many lost their lives. Something had to be done.Hmmm. Flooding river... let's get the Officials together. Should we pile more sand bags on the river banks? Create irrigation channels for the water to run? Raise the houses?In 1958, the city of Valencia decided to move the river. The whole thing.