Forum Discussion

campigloo's avatar
campigloo
Explorer
Feb 27, 2019

Flood gates

If any of you are near the west side of New Orleans the corps of engineers will be opening 38 bays of the Bonnet Carre Spillway flood control structure tomorrow (Wednesday). If you’ve never seen it it really is pretty interesting. If you’re riding along I 10 and look over toward the railroad tracks as you’re nearing the banks of Lake Ponchatrain and you see rushing water that’s relief water from the Mississippi.
Surfs up!!
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  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Feb 27, 2019
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?
  • profdant139's avatar
    profdant139
    Explorer II
    Feb 28, 2019
    If you get a chance, check out The Control of Nature by John McPhee -- part of the book is about the control structures on the Mississippi. Excellent book, brilliant writer.

    Other parts of the book are about debris flows in California and lava flows in Iceland.
  • jkwilson's avatar
    jkwilson
    Explorer II
    Feb 28, 2019
    memtb wrote:
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?


    Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are running wide open into the Ohio. No capacity left to hold anything back.
  • TBammer's avatar
    TBammer
    Explorer
    Feb 28, 2019
    I've read about the close call they had years ago at the Old River Control Structure. What a catastrophe it would be if they lost the Mississippi to the Atchefalaya valley.
  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Feb 28, 2019
    TBammer wrote:
    I've read about the close call they had years ago at the Old River Control Structure. What a catastrophe it would be if they lost the Mississippi to the Atchefalaya valley.


    Once they relocated the city....Morgan City, would be the “new” New Orleans! ;)
  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Feb 28, 2019
    profdant139 wrote:
    If you get a chance, check out The Control of Nature by John McPhee -- part of the book is about the control structures on the Mississippi. Excellent book, brilliant writer.

    Other parts of the book are about debris flows in California and lava flows in Iceland.


    I think that I have a couple of his books, but not that one....may have to check it out! Thanks! :)
  • campigloo's avatar
    campigloo
    Explorer
    Mar 04, 2019
    memtb wrote:
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?


    I haven’t heard anything about Morganza, yet, but Is pretty early to open the Bonnet Carre. They’ve upped the opening to over 200 gates.
  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2019
    campigloo wrote:
    memtb wrote:
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?


    I haven’t heard anything about Morganza, yet, but Is pretty early to open the Bonnet Carre. They’ve upped the opening to over 200 gates.


    Just read this morning, that she’ s (Mississippi River) was supposed to peak about a foot below the levee top.....I just remember exactly where! I’ve got that CRS pretty bad on occasions. :B
  • campigloo's avatar
    campigloo
    Explorer
    Mar 08, 2019
    memtb wrote:
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?

    Quick update. The corps has started to talk about the possibility. This is usually giving the farmers ranchers and sportsmen notice ahead of the official warning to get ready. It’s not looking good.
  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Mar 08, 2019
    campigloo wrote:
    memtb wrote:
    Pretty early to be opening the gates! Do you think they will be opening the gates at Morganza soon?

    Quick update. The corps has started to talk about the possibility. This is usually giving the farmers ranchers and sportsmen notice ahead of the official warning to get ready. It’s not looking good.


    I suspected that it may happen. My cousin has a camp, way down in the basin. He lost it the last time they opened up at Morganza. He’s rebuilt, bigger, higher, stronger....I sure hope he doesn’t lose this one. Age and health, won’t allow him to rebuild again!

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