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http://www.americaswetlandresources....erControl.html
Thats some more information on the system and how it almost failed.
I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the Old River Control Structure but there's a link to give you brief view:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Riv...trol_Structure
Basically, its a system of damns and river control devices meant to keep the Mississippi flowing in its current channel instead of switching over the the channel known as the Atchafalya river. If it switches over New Orleans and Baton Rogue all of a sudden become much different cities.
In any event, the entire structure came extremely close to failing in 1973 during a massive flood. They didn't realize just how lucky they were until after the flood when they discovered that the water nearly scoured out the filling underneath the structures which would have basically swept them away and ended any control we had there. Had that happened the Mississippi would have switched channels and it would not have been able to be moved back. I'm pretty sure if that happened today we'd still be screwed.
They've ha big floods since 73 but none as big as that flood until now. This is going to be a lot like that flood and yet I've seen nothing in the news about this structure. This flood has the potential to completely over shipping on the Mississippi so I'm pretty shocked there's no news on this.
http://www.americaswetlandresources....erControl.html
Thats some more information on the system and how it almost failed.
I think that New Orleans should really get the hint that God hates them.
Thanks for the interesting link Manny!
Yeah, I honestly should have made my sarcastic (but true) remark AFTER I thanked Manny. It really is interesting.
I know that they opened the Bonnet Carre spillway (mentioned in Manny's link) yesterday morning, but other than that the local news has been relatively quiet on the subject.
I have ultimate, unshakable confidence in the US Corps of Engineers.
They are probably going to open the other mentioned as well and that one has only been opened twice I believe. I'm surprised the media down there isn't saying much because this is a pretty ing huge flood and its all flowing downstream.
I hear conflicting reports on when that thing's gonna crest. Some say today @ 48 feet. Last night I was hearing maybe in another 6 days.
I heard the same thing...today @ 48.
I take it back, the Morganza spillway has only been opened one time and that was 1973.
Well it depends on where on the river you are talking about. I think the crest for Memphis will be today or has already happened. The further down you go the river the longer it will take.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/us/11river.html
But that is not likely to be enough, and corps officials have requested permission from the Mississippi River Commission, a federal advisory agency, to open the Morganza spillway in Louisiana. That spillway has been opened only once, in 1973, and even a partial opening would result in widespread flooding that would affect thousands of people in parts of southern Louisiana.
“It’s not a light decision,” said Bob Anderson, a corps spokesman, adding that certain measurements on the river would determine if and when the opening should take place. But, he said, “it’s the way the system was designed.”
Katrina part 2 in the works.
Actually, since posting that I checked the Times Picayune and confirmed that the river is getting quite a bit of attention there. Didn't think of it immediately because I haven't gotten back in the habit of reading the newspaper since the semester ended.
According to Jeff Masters the crest at Red River Landing is being forecast at 3 feet above the record. Thats a bit south of the Old River Control Structure.
Mississippi River crests at Memphis: 2nd highest flood on record
The Mississippi River has crested at Memphis, Tennessee this morning, reaching the 2nd highest level on record. The flood height of 47.79' was just below the all-time record height of 48.7' set in the great 1937 flood. Fortunately, the levees constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers are much taller and stronger than was the case 74 years ago, and the mainline Mississippi River levees are expected to hold back this record flood and prevent a multi-billion dollar flood disaster. However, flooding on tributaries feeding into the Mississippi is severe in many locations along the Mississippi, since the tremendous volume of water confined behind the levees is backing up into the tributaries.
Downstream from Memphis, flood waters pouring in from the Arkansas River, Yazoo River, and other tributaries are expected to swell the Mississippi high enough to beat the all-time record at Vicksburg, Mississippi by 1.3' on May 19, by 6' at Natchez, Mississippi on May 21, and by 3.2' at Red River Landing on May 22. The Mississippi is forecast to crest at 19.5' in New Orleans on May 23. The levees in New Orleans protect the city for a flood of 20.0 feet, so it is a good bet that the Army Corps will fully open the Bonnet Carre' Spillway 28 miles upstream from New Orleans this week. The Bonnet Carre' Spillway was partially opened yesterday, and has the capacity to take 250,000 cubic feet per second of Mississippi River water into Lake Pontchartrain. This may not be enough to keep flood heights from rising dangerously close to the top of New Orleans' levees, and the Army Corps may elect to open the final relief valve they have at their disposal--the massive Morganza Spillway, 35 miles upstream from Baton Rouge. The Morganza Spillway has been opened only once in history, back in 1973. Rainfall amounts of at most 0.75 inches are expected over the Lower Mississippi River watershed over the next five days, which should prevent flood heights from rising above the current forecast.
Surely not....Katrina part 2 in the works.
Maybe FEMA should start camping out down there now.
Not likely. The urban areas are extremely well protected. This likely won't kill many people if anyone, but its going to cause a lot of damage to crops, fisheries, and cattle (especially when they open Morganza). But if the control structure fails then you will be looking at a huge economic disaster.Katrina part 2 in the works.
Uh, yeah... fingers crossed that isn't the case.Katrina part 2 in the works.
I'm really hoping the fact it has been, so far, unusually dry down here will help to prevent that. We haven't had rain in weeks.
Oh the amount of rain you've missed on isn't going to matter a bit to be quite honest. This is water from melted snow pack in the midwest. Every drop of water that falls in the ohio river an Mississippi watersheds eventually makes its way down the river through Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico. They've also had the wettest April on record through the Midwest so while the lack of rain you've had is good its basically like having someone shoot you in the heart instead of your head.
That image is just the rainfall received in April and not the snow pack through the winter. This flood was predicted and expected months ago but its been worse because of the April rain.
It's cutting it close...the levee at New Orleans is 20' and they are predicting 19.5' rise at NO. Hope they have all the nutria holes plugged.
But... that's something, right? I'm well aware that local rainfall has all to do with the immediate concerns, hence the fact the rising levels have been working their way downriver from several states away, but heavy rains and a high water table are enough to make minor flooding a pretty regular occurrence here in the spring/summer and it's good to not also have that.
Ultimately, I'm not terribly concerned that this will actually turn into another Katrina. For one thing, that moment stands out because it doesn't happen every day. Despite an admittedly questionable geographic location (especially the newer parts of the city, which are actually below sea level) and the long history of governmental/corporate destruction of the features that act as the city's natural protection, much of New Orleans has survived in tact for a number of centuries. For another thing, as Manny said, the urban area is pretty well protected by levees, pumps, canals, and various other structures that (fingers crossed) now actually work the way they're intended. Biggest concern is how this will affect land that is currently being used for farming. After Katrina and BP, the last ing thing New Orleans needs is the deterioration of yet another form of industry.
A lot of farmland is ed in the short term. In the long term the flooding is a good thing, but not this year.
Can Texas haz sum of that water?
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