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The Nation's Pulse
Me Oh My, On the Bayou
They’ve opened up the floodgates.
So, they’ve opened the floodgates and some 25,000 Cajuns must now bear the brunt of what the Mississippi had in store for Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The Morganza spillway is now throwing the pent-up waters of Ol’ Man River into the little-known Atchafalaya River Basin — a waterway that parallels the Mississippi on the big river’s west and finally spews into the Gulf.
The decision sacrifices some of the little-known of Cajun country in favor of the big city dwellers and may mean the end of houses for thousands living in the basin and thousands more animals suddenly faced with flooding where life had been relatively dry. Several folks hurriedly spent their life savings trying to protect their properties with hastily thrown-up dams and levies before they headed for higher ground. Several towns are in the way, chief of them Morgan City, which has a 20-foot floodwall but no assurance that will keep the place dry when the walls of water reach there at mid-week.
Years ago, the U.S. Corps of Engineers ran a stern-wheeler down the basin, hewing to the river where possible, affording passengers aboard the Newton a view of some of the wildest country in America, soon to become some of the wettest. Morgan City was the objective of the ride and loomed like a metropolis when it finally appeared.
Nobody knows for certain how many the Atchafalaya diversion will affect but the area is estimated at 3,000 square miles. Chances are the Cajuns there don’t vote like the big city folk in Baton Rouge and New Orleans — but that, like the water coming, may change things.
About the Author
Reid Collins is a former CBS and CNN news correspondent.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (26) | Leave a comment
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Kitty| 5.16.11 @ 6:20AM
It's heartbreaking to see the affected people ask why they must be the ones sacrificed.
Harry the Horrible| 5.16.11 @ 10:25AM
Initially I felt the same way you until I found out that these "victims" knew this could happen and had been compensated when the levees were built. They also receive yearly letters reminding them that lived in a spillway and that this could happen.
No tears are necessary.
JohnB| 5.16.11 @ 7:22AM
I agree that it is heartbreaking that anyone should suffer the brunt of these record floodwaters. But it is also true that the Morganza Spillway is there for a good reason -- not using it would result in a greater disaster. Actually, the Mississippi River has changed course through lower Louisiana about 7 times in the last 1000 years, and was about to do so again in the mid-20th century -- it was about to change course into what is now the Atchafalaya Basin, except that the Corps of Engineers intervened and built the Morganza control structure upriver from Baton Rouge. Even now, one-third of the water of the Mississippi goes through the Atchafalaya River to the Gulf. Arguably, New Orleans should have built a ship channel like Houston's and the Mississippi been allowed to go its way -- that way, there would have been far less erosion of coastal wetlands. As things are now, much of South Louisiana's wetlands have been vanishing into the Gulf for lack of annual silt deposition that is prevented by the levees. The silt that does come down the mouth of the River now goes over the edge of the Continental Shelf and does nothing to prevent further erosion of the wetlands. Louisiana has a huge percentage of America's wetlands, which are eroding, rather rapidly, in part due to the Morganza. Eventually, I believe, the Mississippi River will go around or under the Morganza control structure -- it's just a matter of time with "Ol Man River."
JimH| 5.16.11 @ 8:26AM
Lost among other subjects discussed yesterday on FNS, Dr. Paul made a cogent comment related to the Mississippi floods that was similar to what Sam Kinison pointed out a few years ago. Sam was talking about people starving in the desert and made that point that they ought not to live there as food is hard to come by in a desert. The same principle applies to people who live in flood prone locations. Wisdom would dictate don’t live there and if you insist on doing so you should not look to Uncle Sugar to either prevent the flood or rebuild your home after the flood occurs.
Ryan| 5.16.11 @ 8:52AM
South LA ain't a desert. It's incredibly fertile farmland.
JimH| 5.16.11 @ 9:44AM
I know. The point I was trying to make was that the farmland and small towns are being flooded because people put cities and riverfront homes where nature does not want them to be.
Big Shawn| 5.16.11 @ 9:45AM
It's also fertile because it has been flooded thousands of times. Now that it's about to get flooded again people are whinging? Don't live in a flood plain if you don't want to get flooded out. Simple.
That's the beauty of liberty. Yes, you can live where you want. But I'm building my house on stone high above the oceans. Don't come crying to me because you lost everything with no back up plan when the earth decides to remove your property from you.
Fredrick Ward| 5.16.11 @ 3:26PM
The same could be said of New Orleans. It is under sea level as well. Therefore, why don't we just let them drown again too? I say the crops we are losing are far more valuable than that city anyway.
Butch | 5.16.11 @ 5:58PM
Liberty has nothing to do with it. They were safe from the current flood. This is a political decision by government authorities to put a more important group of people--numerically and economically--above a less important group. The smaller group is being sacrificed to benefit the larger group. It is poignant--especially if you were raised in Louisiana as I was--and I think that is Mr. Collins' point.
Louis Jenkins| 5.16.11 @ 8:28AM
How high's the water Papa, say its six foot high and risin'.
We can make to the road in a homemade boat, cause its the only thing we've got left that will float...
Those folks are in for it. Another segment of our society that will be dependant.
Burt| 5.16.11 @ 8:40AM
A Good old lefty formerly of Left Wing CNN and CBS is allowed to peddle his lies on this website ?
Comrade Reid, the combined 2,500 farmers and homeowners along the basin are notified annually by a statement warning them they are on a flood plain. The farmers have to sign the statement so they are well aware they are borrowed time and get very cheap land in return for a gamble . Your 25,000 people figure is a way off the charts estimate since Morgan City levees are high enough for the expected water level but then again why do facts ever bother an ex CNN / CBS leftist.
By the way, lefty the Baton Rouge and New Orleans suburbs are reliable GOP strong holds and the basin area voters still fall for your left wing ( Soros )party's lies.
So in your clueless leftist mind, do you think its better to flood Baton Rouge and its massive oil and plastic industries and potentially allow the Big Muddy to cut a new channel having a combined impact of wiping out thousands of jobs in LA than opening up the spillway ?
Do us a favor in LA and spare us your ignorant and clueless DC left wing beltway banter.
Stormzeye| 5.16.11 @ 8:42AM
The Cajuns are a resilient and self sufficient people. They will thrive in their new watery home. Their homes will be rebuilt on stilts and hopefully their culture will remain intact.
JFGalt| 5.16.11 @ 12:42PM
I have to agree here. These people know where they live and the threat that they are always under. If anything most will probably thrive after a setback. If you haven't met these folks you've missed out on something. These are the original survivors.
LarryK| 5.16.11 @ 8:48AM
"Besides Fred, you knew the job was dangerous when you took it." (Super Chicken)
These people knew that when they decided to live there, that those floodgates could be opened one day. Just like the people that move to the Florida Beaches and complain when the hurricanes come. I feel for them but I can't reach them.
Jeremiah| 5.16.11 @ 10:26AM
I am currently hiking across the country on an extended walking pilgrimage. Just left Baton Rouge a week and a half ago, ahead of the flood waters. Now they are diverting it to the Atchafalaya Basin which I just passed completely through. I think they are following me. Ah well, I'll be out of the way of the waters in a few weeks, when I cross into the fiery regions of Texas. I'm thinking maybe I should have chosen a northern route.
Ramage| 5.16.11 @ 3:36PM
Happy Trails to you Jeremiah. My, you must have some good walking boots. And a big, wide brim hat to keep that sun off.
More power to you. I hope you are meeting the many good people along the way. That is the beauty of such a journey.
Please keep your diary up to date. That will be a treasure for you in years to come. Again, happy trails.
Quartermaster| 5.16.11 @ 6:06PM
LA might want to put you in a cell, but I'm sure Texas will welcome any water you bring :-)
C Smith| 5.16.11 @ 11:30AM
I once had respect for the Army Corps of Engineers, but now they have taken justice into their own hands. It would have been better to allow an "Act of God" to render judgment without respect of person than to choose to annihilate the livelihood of the most diligent and afflicted among us:
"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour" (Leviticus 19:15 ).
There will be consequences of blowing up dams and levees, and irreparably damaging some three million acres of the best farmland in America. Farming was the only part of our economy still producing something! And yes, I once followed the plow.
Bill| 5.16.11 @ 11:32AM
Levees, not "levies." One is a governmental charge on the populace, the other is an artificially raised bank on a body of water to hold rising water back.
Isn't there some disconnect going on over the "human triumph" of people rebuilding the towns and cities in the lowlands along the Mississippi and the attitude toward people who continue building buildings in places that are subject to natural disasters?
Didn't John McPhee, in his book The Control Of Nature, opine that the Mississippi River has been kept from joining the Atchafayala River for a long time by the government? Maybe it's time to recognize that Nature wants things a certain way down there in Louisiana.
Oldefarte| 5.16.11 @ 12:54PM
Mostly all of south Louisiana [at least south of the I-10 corridor] is BELOW SEA LEVEL [including New Orleans]. Past Katrina, there was substatial debate concerning the expense-need to rebuild New Orleans due to same. With all below sea-level and coastal area inhabitation, the question becomes who is financially responsible for the cost/expense of rebuilding/insuring etc such areas after disaster strikes. My answer to same is THOSE WHO CHOSE TO LIVE/INHABIT those areas!!!!!!!!!!!!
Padoux| 5.16.11 @ 1:19PM
I just moved to Arkansas from the River Parishes of Louisiana between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The Morganza was built just for this purpose and the people in the basis more or less accept this fact and knew the risk when they made their homes there. It's not as if the Corps is blowing up a levee where none expected it. It is a designed flood way, as is the Bonnie Carrie spillway where there are no homes. In addition to the cities aforementioned, there are a plethora of large oil and chemical plants whose damage and or destruction would greatly harm our economy. cost billions, and put thousands of well paid people out of work.
Oldefarte| 5.16.11 @ 5:00PM
I lived for twenty-five years in New Orleans and am well aware of the risks. The debate is whether the densely populated urban areas of NO or Baton Rouge or the more rural areas around Morgan City, Houma etc are exposed to the possible ravages of Mississippi River flooding. Comercial industry facilities' damages are one thing, but the human-being losses similar to Katrina are another!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramage| 5.16.11 @ 3:26PM
Where is the great entrepreneur who knows how to pipe (multiple long pipelines) this excess water out west to places habitually in drought conditions?
Nearly all states in the West fight for water rights with a ferociousness.
If we can do an Alaskan pipeline and pipelines from E. Europe running for thousands of miles westward, what's holding back the undertaking?
Also, let's humble ourselves a little and seek river water/flood water management lessons & best practices from those in Northern Europe who see this (and seem to do an overall better job of it) on rivers like the Rhein and the Elbe.
arley| 5.16.11 @ 4:01PM
JohnB has his facts correct. One thing to remember is that most of South Louisiana is all alluvial floodplain; there's virtually no rock there, and it's all mud deposited over thousands of years of periodic flooding. Those particles of mud in the swamp probably began thousands of years ago in what are now the states which drain into the Mississippi basin.
Look at a map of Louisiana. The river takes a sharp eastward turn just south of Baton Rouge, heading towards New Orleans. It would be faster and more efficient for the water to flow to the Gulf via the Atchafalaya river. And, in the early part of the twentieth century, the Atchafalaya began to capture more and more of the Mississippi's flow. All it will take (and it will happen someday, whether in our lifetimes or not) is for a spring flood to overcome the control structures in place. It very nearly did so in 1973, with scouring under the Old River Control Structure. Since then, a secondary control structure has been in place. Still, terrible events happening at once (such as the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster in Japan) CAN occur, and it's the height of human arrogance to think that our efforts will never be challenged.
Yes, it's sad about the folks having to leave and start up again. But the libertarian in me understands if you choose to live in a risky location, you accept those risks, much like people who live in any floodplain or hurricane-prone coast.
A little history: in the late 1800's, navigation on the Mississippi from the Gulf to New Orleans was hampered by the periodic flooding causing the deposition of silt. James Buchanan Eads proposed jetties to narrow the channel, thereby keeping the velocity of the water up and the deposition of silt down; ultimately, the silt was carried all the way to the continental shelf. That was a boon to shipping, but a disaster for the wetlands. No longer did the the swamps get a yearly infusion of fresh mud to compensate for the annual erosion of the shoreline. Add to that the fact that any channel cut through the swamp allows saline intrusion, killing vegetation which helps to hold the sediment in place, and you have a recipe for wetland loss.
For a masterful discussion of the dynamics of the Atchafalaya and the Mississippi, read John McPhee's essay "The Control of Nature: Atchafalaya" in the February 23, 1987 issue of the New Yorker. It's online, and also is included in his book, "The Control of Nature".
http://www.newyorker.com/archi....._000347146
Dee See| 5.17.11 @ 12:35AM
---ABout a week ago a blogger criticized Dee See
over exaggerating the Fukishima world nuclear
catastrophe ("---and we suppose in Mississippi
the sky is falling! heheheh").
Seems now 300 WERE killed in Mississippi
and the Fukishima cover-up is becoming
vastly more disturbing ---(set to continue to
spew NOT for the next 10 months, but
INDEFINTELY).
NOW its publicly stated by the Globalist/EUGENISTS that world population is
to be exterminated to the tune of 80, some say 90% by 2100.
100 MILLION Americans are to be exterminated
by 2050 (their goal).
NOW, how could they pull that off considering
even wars don't kill on that scale.
--------------THINK covertly induced MASS
sterility even beyond our contaminated food,
water and Gates injections.
THINK Fukishima.
"Never waste a crisis----" and they surely aren't.
NO, the sky isn't falling -----the fallout is falling,
along with the usual Alzheimer inducing Barium/Cadmium/Aluminum oxide CHEM-trails
---that don't exist.
HUAC meets NUREMBERG 2012.
BeadyEye| 5.17.11 @ 8:18PM
It's not just the urbanites they're protecting - it's the industrial corridor with one of the densest concentrations of petroleum and chemical plants in the world. If it goes, brother, we're all in trouble.