2011 Mississippi River Spring Floods

[Zeebart21]

_ Go to the head of the class. Morgan City is low man on the totem pole. Plan B involves blowing a hole in the levee in the Port Barre - Melville area to reduce the impact on Morgan City. This would happen only in the most extreme of circumstance. Lets hope that we will not see any abnormally high tides during this period because that would cause even more impact in the Morgan City area.

We could be seeing a significant historical event in the next two to three weeks.

Morganza will be opened, it's just a matter of when and how much. The current Old River control structure was built after the 1973 event that almost resulted in the redirection of the Mississippi River to the Attachfalya. It was real close. The reason Morganza was opened only 10% in 1973 is because the downstream levees were not high enough to take any more capacity.

Anybody living anywhere near the levees will see an increase in snakes, alligators, bear, deer and other wildlife that they may not be used to seeing. So even if you are not directly affected by the flood waters life in the area will be difficult at best.

This is a very serious situation and is something everybody that lives in Louisiana needs to keep an eye on. _

I was always led to believe that if the Mississippi ever took the Atchafalaya route that you could kiss the present bridges over the Atchafalaya at Krotz Springs and I10 over the basin goodbye. Your thoughts?

Z

[Boomer]

So what about the Vermilion River and Abbeville??? Well if the Basin bridge and the 190 bridge and the Morgan City bridge go---How do you get to NO---Question----I saw in Missouri that they blew the levee up stream---When NO was suppose to flood why blow the river below in St. Bernard??? Now I can understand the type of people--but!!!!LOL

[CajunRed]

Man....this sounds a bit scary!

I remember seeing water in the Morganza Floodway in 1973. I just don't remember the impact.

Go to the head of the class. Morgan City is low man on the totem pole. Plan B involves blowing a hole in the levee in the Port Barre - Melville area to reduce the impact on Morgan City. This would happen only in the most extreme of circumstance. Lets hope that we will not see any abnormally high tides during this period because that would cause even more impact in the Morgan City area.

We could be seeing a significant historical event in the next two to three weeks.

Morganza will be opened, it's just a matter of when and how much. The current Old River control structure was built after the 1973 event that almost resulted in the redirection of the Mississippi River to the Attachfalya. It was real close. The reason Morganza was opened only 10% in 1973 is because the downstream levees were not high enough to take any more capacity.

Anybody living anywhere near the levees will see an increase in snakes, alligators, bear, deer and other wildlife that they may not be used to seeing. So even if you are not directly affected by the flood waters life in the area will be difficult at best.

This is a very serious situation and is something everybody that lives in Louisiana needs to keep an eye on.

igeaux.mobi

[HelmutVII]

_ I was always led to believe that if the Mississippi ever took the Atchafalaya route that you could kiss the present bridges over the Atchafalaya at Krotz Springs and I10 over the basin goodbye. Your thoughts?

Z _

It would depend on how much debris is picked up by the water and impacts the bridges. They could probably pass the water but not withstand the impact of the debris.

[HelmutVII]

_ So what about the Vermilion River and Abbeville??? Well if the Basin bridge and the 190 bridge and the Morgan City bridge go---How do you get to NO---Question----I saw in Missouri that they blew the levee up stream---When NO was suppose to flood why blow the river below in St. Bernard??? Now I can understand the type of people--but!!!!LOL _

They blow the levies at the location that impacts the least amount of people and gives the most relief to the levies. Better to lose a levee where and when you want it then to leave it to chance. A random levee break in New Orleans would make Katrina look like a cake walk.

[Zeebart21]

_ It would depend on how much debris is picked up by the water and impacts the bridges. They could probably pass the water but not withstand the impact of the debris. _

So basically, the 50 minute trip from BR to LFT takes 8 hrs now that you have to go by way of Vicksburg and Natchez(taking into acct all the freakin traffic, of course!!!)??

Z

ps. Not a laughing matter. I certainly hope the best for all those in the direct impact area.

[HelmutVII]

_ So basically, the 50 minute trip from BR to LFT takes 8 hrs now that you have to go by way of Vicksburg and Natchez(taking into acct all the freakin traffic, of course!!!)??

Z

ps. Not a laughing matter. I certainly hope the best for all those in the direct impact area. _

That's basically correct. It would also depend on the condition of highway 90 through Morgan City. You are correct again in that this is not a laughing matter.

[CajunMarine81]

I guess Venice will be screwed.

igeaux.mobi

[CajunMarineBBK]

I am glad I get out of Venice on Tuesday. If it gets that bad all of the guys on the rig cars will flood. The parking at Chvron dock is low.

[CrappDaddy]

I don't think the threat of flooding at Venice will be as severe as upstream. You have multiple water outlets in Venice. The river is not as bottled up per say. In regards to the 73' opening, the Old river control structure was beginning to fall apart. Morganza was opened up to relieve pressure. Even with it opened at less than full capacity, this set the record crests in the Atchafalaya. We could set some new records with a full opening. I'm afraid there will be extensive flooding in Morgan City and surrounding areas. If you have a house boat in the Basin, better make sure it can rise high.

[billbeck451]

the real losers when the spillways get opened are the fishermen. Not only will the fish move because of the volume of fresh water being pushed into the sound, but oysters and shrimp will be killed striking another blow to an industry that has been badly beat up already

[Turbine]

the real losers when the spillways get opened are the fishermen. Not only will the fish move because of the volume of fresh water being pushed into the sound, but oysters and shrimp will be killed striking another blow to an industry that has been badly beat up already

We are in the golden age for Oysters.

This used to happen every year to the Oyster area.
igeaux.mobi