2019 Mississippi River

[HelmutVII]

For those not familiar with this area:

The Henderson Control Structure is located in the borrow canal along the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee, south of the pontoon bridge. I believe the top of the structure gates is somewhere around elevation 9.0. Water stage in Henderson will rise any time the river stage at Butte LaRose is 9.0 and rising. Water enters the WABPL borrow canal through the Butte LaRose Canal and backs up into Henderson Lake. The juncture of the Atchafalaya R and the Butte LaRose Canal is just south of the Butte LaRose public boat landing. The canal runs south from there and then west to the WABPL borrow canal and then into the lake.

I suspect the pontoon bridge is still closed. Is that correct?

[mahtoo]

I haven't been there to look around but I would guess you are correct.

[mahtoo]

____. Is this dude wrong about this? Helmut? matoo?

BWK's description of allowing excess water to drain from the Butte LaRose area is confusing, at least to me. If he referring to the Atchafalaya River area at Butte LaRose, then I say he is wrong. If he is really referring to the Henderson Lake area that is a different story. That area can only be drained when the river level is lower than the top of the Henderson Control Structure gates, which I said in a previous post is around elevation 9.0. If the river level is higher than the structure elevation, water will flow into the lake no matter if gates are open or not.

Opening of the gates when river levels are low is coordinated amongst many.....St. Martin Parish, Henderson Town officials, LDWF, USACE, etc. Locals whose business interests depend on sufficient water levels to remain open would certainly have had objections to draining the lake area months in advance of a possible high river situation. Besides, IMO the Henderson watershed area is not sufficient to provide enough capacity to affect Atchafalaya River levels. Again , IMO.

I am trying to get river stage info for Butte LaRose for the last 6 months. Since we have been in a high water situation for so long, it would surprise me if river stages were at or lower than elevation 9.0 for a sufficient length of time to allow for much drainage of Henderson Lake. If/when I get that info I will share it. Maybe someone else will have better luck finding info for more than the last 2 months.

Others asked earlier today about water levels in Henderson Lake and about the pontoon bridge. I took a ride out there today.

Pontoon bridge is closed and will apparently remain so for a while. There is hardly any current at all at the pontoon bridge. Could not read the gage that is located in the borrow canal. Hidden from view. The bottom of the gage just north of the bridge is at elevation 20.0 Water elevation is approximately 2 feet below that, maybe 2.5 feet, which puts the water elevation at approx 17.5 to 18.0

There is a slight current at the Henderson Control Structure 2 miles to the south of the bridge. The entire structure is under water. Didn't look around much. I believe I would have disturbed a couple that were there for a rendezvous.

Several of the private boat landings are still open for business but parking is at a premium.

Water is at or near the flood side toe in many areas along the levee.

[Bandwagon King]

My question is was the river ever below 9 foot of elevation any time from January thru March. If so, why was the upper Atchafalaya not drained then in preparation fro the coming floods which were obvious to me as a casual observer? I knew then when I saw the level int he lake we were going to have this problem & I thought to start a thread then. But I knew I would be met with at least as much, or more criticism for daring to speak up against fearless leader. So I figured, why bother. In time he would have enough rope to hang himself. Now the stage is set. I have a house on the Amite as well as Lafayette. I know river levels were way down in January. That's the only reason my house didn't get water in it during the last rain. But I was concerned having to fight the water coming in from the Bonne Carrie to take out the water fast enough. The bottom line is IF the water level had been allowed to evacuate the upper Atchafalaya basing EARLIER. there would be a place for the water which is coming down now to go & thereby alleviate a large part of the coming water which is still due to hit which can't be released now because it has nowhere to go. Do you get that?

[Bandwagon King]

BWK's description of allowing excess water to drain from the Butte LaRose area is confusing, at least to me. If he referring to the Atchafalaya River area at Butte LaRose, then I say he is wrong. If he is really referring to the Henderson Lake area that is a different story. That area can only be drained when the river level is lower than the top of the Henderson Control Structure gates, which I said in a previous post is around elevation 9.0. If the river level is higher than the structure elevation, water will flow into the lake no matter if gates are open or not.

Opening of the gates when river levels are low is coordinated amongst many.....St. Martin Parish, Henderson Town officials, LDWF, USACE, etc. Locals whose business interests depend on sufficient water levels to remain open would certainly have had objections to draining the lake area months in advance of a possible high river situation. Besides, IMO the Henderson watershed area is not sufficient to provide enough capacity to affect Atchafalaya River levels. Again , IMO.

I am trying to get river stage info for Butte LaRose for the last 6 months. Since we have been in a high water situation for so long, it would surprise me if river stages were at or lower than elevation 9.0 for a sufficient length of time to allow for much drainage of Henderson Lake. If/when I get that info I will share it. Maybe someone else will have better luck finding info for more than the last 2 months.

Others asked earlier today about water levels in Henderson Lake and about the pontoon bridge. I took a ride out there today.

Pontoon bridge is closed and will apparently remain so for a while. There is hardly any current at all at the pontoon bridge. Could not read the gage that is located in the borrow canal. Hidden from view. The bottom of the gage just north of the bridge is at elevation 20.0 Water elevation is approximately 2 feet below that, maybe 2.5 feet, which puts the water elevation at approx 17.5 to 18.0

There is a slight current at the Henderson Control Structure 2 miles to the south of the bridge. The entire structure is under water. Didn't look around much. I believe I would have disturbed a couple that were there for a rendezvous.

Several of the private boat landings are still open for business but parking is at a premium.

Water is at or near the flood side toe in many areas along the levee.

SO what you're saying is we risk the worst flooding in decades, maybe even historically because the poor crawfishermen needed to get an extra couple of thousand dollars each this winter? What about the years they drained the lake completely so it would kill the hydrilla grass? My God people! When is someone in public office going to use some God given common sense to protect the rights of many over the special interests of so few?

[jumboragncajun]

My question is was the river ever below 9 foot of elevation any time from January thru March. If so, why was the upper Atchafalaya not drained then in preparation fro the coming floods which were obvious to me as a casual observer? I knew then when I saw the level int he lake we were going to have this problem & I thought to start a thread then. But I knew I would be met with at least as much, or more criticism for daring to speak up against fearless leader. So I figured, why bother. In time he would have enough rope to hang himself. Now the stage is set. I have a house on the Amite as well as Lafayette. I know river levels were way down in January. That's the only reason my house didn't get water in it during the last rain. But I was concerned having to fight the water coming in from the Bonne Carrie to take out the water fast enough. The bottom line is IF the water level had been allowed to evacuate the upper Atchafalaya basing EARLIER. there would be a place for the water which is coming down now to go & thereby alleviate a large part of the coming water which is still due to hit which can't be released now because it has nowhere to go. Do you get that?

The Atchafalaya at Butte LaRose has not been below 9' since sometime around the end of September. As someone else correctly stated, there is no way to remove water from Henderson Lake with water levels above 9'. The control structure can only HOLD water at 9' when downstream elevations are low.
https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/...ate=2019-06-04

[Boomer]

..........OK guys....we got the water up North, the levees being topped and destroyed on rivers up North, not sure about the snow melt and its bearing on the situation, more rain coming, possible tropical situation in East Texas and Louisiana, the 2 spillways and their effect

what is the latest guess as to what will happen? Thanks!

[jumboragncajun]

..........OK guys....we got the water up North, the levees being topped and destroyed on rivers up North, not sure about the snow melt and its bearing on the situation, more rain coming, possible tropical situation in East Texas and Louisiana, the 2 spillways and their effect

what is the latest guess as to what will happen? Thanks!

My prediction is secondary sexual characteristics in Latin while playing the piano and speaking in half, and simultaneously run-on sentences ??...!!!!!!!

[CharlieK]

The Atchafalaya at Butte LaRose has not been below 9’ since sometime around the end of September. As someone else correctly stated, there is no way to remove water from Henderson Lake with water levels above 9’. The control structure can only HOLD water at 9’ when downstream elevations are low.
https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/...ate=2019-06-04

Whoops.

[Bandwagon King]

The Atchafalaya at Butte LaRose has not been below 9’ since sometime around the end of September. As someone else correctly stated, there is no way to remove water from Henderson Lake with water levels above 9’. The control structure can only HOLD water at 9’ when downstream elevations are low.
https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/...ate=2019-06-04

Thank you sir for your correction. I appreciate someone who understands fact based logic to correct my misgivings. Having said that, is there anything which could be done such as lower river dredging of all of our rivers to help alleviate these conditions & if so, why do our politicians treat flood control like a parriah until so many citizens are placed in harms way by the forces of nature?

[mahtoo]

The Atchafalaya at Butte LaRose has not been below 9’ since sometime around the end of September. As someone else correctly stated, there is no way to remove water from Henderson Lake with water levels above 9’. The control structure can only HOLD water at 9’ when downstream elevations are low.
https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/...ate=2019-06-04

Thanks for the link. I tried similar links before but couldn't get the info this one provides.

[Bandwagon King]

..........OK guys....we got the water up North, the levees being topped and destroyed on rivers up North, not sure about the snow melt and its bearing on the situation, more rain coming, possible tropical situation in East Texas and Louisiana, the 2 spillways and their effect--------what is the latest guess as to what will happen? Thanks!

Let's just pray for some dry weather for a couple of months. Nice to hear from you Boomer. Hope your still kicking & singing to beat the band.