cypressfarms
Well-known member
It's been on the news, but the Mississippi is higher than I've ever seen it. I drove to check on my parents at daylight, and crossed the spillway bridge. The water is only about 3 or 4 feet from topping he levee. Scary high. They corps of engineers were sandbagging. At the control locks of the spillway itself I counted 30 state troopers, at least 6 or 7 humv's with national guardsmen carrying rifles.
It boils down to this for all who live south of Morganza along the Mississippi:
If they open the spillway gates, then it will lower the mississippi, and relieve the pressure on the levees. The actual spillway locks were built back in the 30's or 40's in Morganza,LA to be available to relieve pressure for Baton Rouge if the river ever got to 1927 levels again. The last time the locks were opened was 1973. A very long time. They've closed traffic, and should be opening the gates soon. If it goes well, everything will be alright.
If they do not open the Morganza spillway, the river will top the levees south of Morganza. One of the lowest levee spots is right next to downtown Baton Rouge. There are some people who live in the actual spillway (not many), and I feel for them having to evacuate, but the spillway was built for a reason, lets open that puppy! I live roughly 3 or 4 miles from the river the way the crow flies.
The river has put so much pressure on the levees that were having boils spring up and leakes through the levees that have to be sandbagged closed.
I know the people up river from us on the Mississippi are used to floods, somewhat, but the way the levees are built here (VERY HIGH), and the way the control locks are built (to open to relieve pressure), we really dont have floods down here much. My grandmother lived through the 1927 flood. She told me stories of everyone stranded on levees living in tents. It was so bad then that people were trying to dynamite the opposing levee (If the levee on the other side of the river gives, then someone else floods, not you). Tough times. She said they had national guardsmen patrolling the levees with shoot to kill orders.
Hopefully we'll get some good news soon if the Morganza locks can work.
It boils down to this for all who live south of Morganza along the Mississippi:
If they open the spillway gates, then it will lower the mississippi, and relieve the pressure on the levees. The actual spillway locks were built back in the 30's or 40's in Morganza,LA to be available to relieve pressure for Baton Rouge if the river ever got to 1927 levels again. The last time the locks were opened was 1973. A very long time. They've closed traffic, and should be opening the gates soon. If it goes well, everything will be alright.
If they do not open the Morganza spillway, the river will top the levees south of Morganza. One of the lowest levee spots is right next to downtown Baton Rouge. There are some people who live in the actual spillway (not many), and I feel for them having to evacuate, but the spillway was built for a reason, lets open that puppy! I live roughly 3 or 4 miles from the river the way the crow flies.
The river has put so much pressure on the levees that were having boils spring up and leakes through the levees that have to be sandbagged closed.
I know the people up river from us on the Mississippi are used to floods, somewhat, but the way the levees are built here (VERY HIGH), and the way the control locks are built (to open to relieve pressure), we really dont have floods down here much. My grandmother lived through the 1927 flood. She told me stories of everyone stranded on levees living in tents. It was so bad then that people were trying to dynamite the opposing levee (If the levee on the other side of the river gives, then someone else floods, not you). Tough times. She said they had national guardsmen patrolling the levees with shoot to kill orders.
Hopefully we'll get some good news soon if the Morganza locks can work.
