Levee Building

jeffreaux2

Drove out to the Morganza Spillway this morning. It's open for the first time since 1973. This is the south levee that funnells water to the gates. Mississippi River on left. Flooded low areas on right. I am actaully ON the Mississippi River levee.

Doug Solis

Very interesting shot.

schmoo

Cool shot of something most of us don't see! A friend who specializes in disaster planning recently traveled to NOLA for work and took some shots of a levee that didn't seem too secure. I'm not that familiar with the landscape in the south but the water seems (deceptively?) calm. Is this particular area related to the recent flooding in MS?

jeffreaux2

schmoo wrote: »

Cool shot of something most of us don't see! A friend who specializes in disaster planning recently traveled to NOLA for work and took some shots of a levee that didn't seem too secure. I'm not that familiar with the landscape in the south but the water seems (deceptively?) calm. Is this particular area related to the recent flooding in MS?

Thanks Steph.....and yes this shot has a lot to do with the flooding.

The Mississippi River has 4 controls in our state to help with floods. The "Old River Control Structure" which consist of two structures (Lower Sill and Auxillary) operates 24/7 365 to allow 30% of the Mississippi's water to flow into the Atchafalaya River. The Bonnet Carre Spillway is near New Orleans and allows Mississippi River water to enter Lake Ponchartrain. This control structure is only operated during high water levels. The Morganza Spillway (the pic in the OP is from it's southern levee) has only been used once before in 1973 when the Old River Control Structure was nearly destroyed by floodwater. At that time many believed that if the ORCS was lost then the Miss. R would permenantly have changed course to the path of the shorter...and straighter shot to the gulf via the Atchafalaya River. The Morganza Spillway diverts Miss R waters into the Atchafalaya Swamp (the Atchafalaya River's floodplain). The fourth control measure is a sacraficial levvee on the west bank of the Atchafalaya River. That levee is lower than the east levee and is designed to tear apart if it is topped. It can also be blown with dynamite. An extreme measure that allows Atchafalaye waters into its western flood plain.:D

Baton Rouge and NewOrleans remain safe. We are crested here!