2019 Mississippi River

[CajunNation]

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_ro...xJWNXSHQeJm4wA

These quotes caught my eye...

In 1900, around 5 percent of the water from the Red River and the upper Mississippi was going down the Atchafalaya; by the 1950s, the Atchafalaya was collecting about 30 percent, said Tulane University professor Mead Allison, director of physical processes and sediment systems at the Water Institute in Baton Rouge.

Had the trend been allowed to continue, the Atchafalaya would have become the predominant path of the Mississippi River by the 1970s or 1980s, Allison said.

The most extreme proposal he’s heard is to allow the Mississippi River to adopt the Atchafalaya channel, but to use tools like the control structure to make sure the switch happens in a gradual, scheduled way. Barnett emphasized that he is not advocating that path, though it would put an end to the Corps’ “arms race with mother nature.”

What Barnett calls the most extreme proposal is actually the most practical. We've seen the warning signs. Will we ignore them? What will the next generation think of us when the story of how 100,000 people drowned gets told because we stuck our heads in the mud?

[HelmutVII]

These quotes caught my eye...






What Barnett calls the most extreme proposal is actually the most practical. We've seen the warning signs. Will we ignore them? What will the next generation think of us when the story of how 100,000 people drowned gets told because we stuck our heads in the mud?

I think they need to understand the significance of salt water intrusion up the Mississippi River up to Baton rouge (Possibly). This should not be underestimated as the amount of coastal erosion would be extreme. The salt water would kill all, what is now, native vegetation and result in bare soil that would easily erode. Also, the cities that rely on the Mississippi for drinking water would have to modify their water treatment plants to remove salt from the water.

[CajunNation]

I think they need to understand the significance of salt water intrusion up the Mississippi River up to Baton rouge (Possibly). This should not be underestimated as the amount of coastal erosion would be extreme. The salt water would kill all, what is now, native vegetation and result in bare soil that would easily erode. Also, the cities that rely on the Mississippi for drinking water would have to modify their water treatment plants to remove salt from the water.

No doubts about all of that Helmut, but either we start the process now so that plans can be made and decisions discussed ad nauseum about a controlled course change or we dredge the entire Mississippi River.

We are past the time of trying to tame the river. It is letting us know this every year. When will we listen?

[HelmutVII]

See the image below for an over view of the ORCS/ Morganza complex. ORCS complex is in the upper portion of the image and is located by a push pin. It consists of three structures. Starting upstream there is the hydro power plant, the low sill structure (this is where they had the failure during the 1973 event) and the Auxiliary Structure. These three structures discharge to a channel heading west. This channel forms a "tee" at the location where the Red River Ends and the Atchafalaya river begins. A little further downstream on the Mississippi River are the Old River Locks. This is where navigation between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya takes place. Further downstream on the Mississippi at the middle of the bottom of the photo is the Morganza spillway. This is where a majority of the water is diverted during a flood event.

This location is where prehistory and history took place. It is also a place where history might be written. We may live to see it, maybe not. If the ORCS fails I would think that Simmsport would be a good place not to be. Just sayin.

[HelmutVII]

This is a close up of the ORCS complex, Red River and Atchafalaya River area.

[Turbine]

Fascinating

[mahtoo]

See the image below for an over view of the ORCS/ Morganza complex. ORCS complex is in the upper portion of the image and is located by a push pin. It consists of three structures. Starting upstream there is the hydro power plant, the low sill structure (this is where they had the failure during the 1973 event) and the Auxiliary Structure. These three structures discharge to a channel heading west. This channel forms a "tee" at the location where the Red River Ends and the Atchafalaya river begins. A little further downstream on the Mississippi River are the Old River Locks. This is where navigation between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya takes place. Further downstream on the Mississippi at the middle of the bottom of the photo is the Morganza spillway. This is where a majority of the water is diverted during a flood event.

This location is where prehistory and history took place. It is also a place where history might be written. We may live to see it, maybe not. If the ORCS fails I would think that Simmsport would be a good place not to be. Just sayin.

In addition to the 3 structures you listed would be the Overbank Structure located between the Low Sill and the Hydro Plant. It's a similar structure to Bonnet Carre with a fixed sill elevation and needles to be manipulated to allow maximum flow.

In addition to Simmesport are also Melville and Krotz Springs which are protected somewhat by ring levees, however any major threat to them would happen only after a failure of the west Atchafalaya River levee as they are all outside of the Morganza Floodway. Not a good place to be anyway as you say.

[HelmutVII]

In addition to the 3 structures you listed would be the Overbank Structure located between the Low Sill and the Hydro Plant. It's a similar structure to Bonnet Carre with a fixed sill elevation and needles to be manipulated to allow maximum flow.

In addition to Simmesport are also Melville and Krotz Springs which are protected somewhat by ring levees, however any major threat to them would happen only after a failure of the west Atchafalaya River levee as they are all outside of the Morganza Floodway. Not a good place to be anyway as you say.

You are correct. I figured you would add additional information that I may have left out, thanks. Below is a closer image of the ORCS complex. It goes without saying the fifth element in the ORCS complex are the levees.

[HelmutVII]

Below is a Google Image of the area just north of the ORCS complex. It shows many Ox Bow lakes, and Ox Bow scars of previous paths of either the Red or Mississippi rivers.

[Cajun90]

Spring Outlook from NOAA

https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/s...ue-through-may