Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-03-11
Bayou PlaQuemine.

In our last we gave an extract from the State
Engineers Report, relative to the works he rec
mmends to be established at the mouth Of Bayou
Plaquemine. We make below another extract
this week, promising it will be of interest to
some of our readers, upon which we make no
comment:
The mouth of the bayou is situated at the
end of a large bend in the river where the main
current passing near the outside, carrying the
drift wood. brings most of it, especially when
the wind is from the East, within the influence
of the draft of water taken off by the bayou.
The mouth of the bayou, is at present, six
hundred and fifty feet wide, while a short dis
lance below it is only two hundred and fifty feet.
This great enlargement of the mouth was, no
doubt, caused by the opening of the canal on
the side of the town, by the navigation COM
pany, and it now produces the effect of admit.
| ting much more water TO enter the bayou than
can be discharged below; in consequence Of
which, a considerable portion of it is obliged to
turn and run back into the river again, on the
lower side of the bayou. The amount of drift
wood entering the bayou is nearly in proper
ton to the amount of water entering its mouth,
and not in proportion to its capacity OF dis.
charge, for, us the mouth receives a vast volume
Of water, the timber and all heavy floating SUBJ
stances going in with great momentum on its
surface. continue down the bayou with the
force already acquired, while much of the water
turns and runs back again. The increase of
the mouth must continue, unless prevented by
substantial works, for the hank on the upper
side will contiue to wear off by the water en-
tering, and that on the lower, by its discharge
of the surplus.
The bed of the bayou for at least 1900 fl. from
its mouth down, is composed of good clay, the
entire depth of which, we have not positively
ascertainted, but by five borings at different
points, 81 feet deep, we find always the same
material, and by soundings in the river from
the mouth out, we continually brought up clay
to the depth of from 10 to 80 feet. The hole
of water opposite the church, which was re-
ported an unfathomable abyss, through into
the lower regions Of quick sand, is found by
soundings. in low water, to be seventeen feet
below the bottom Of the bayou, with a clay bed.
1t is not my business to speculate upon the
causes of its existence, but ! presume it must
have been filled with a deposit Of sand which
was washed out by the water. Our examina-
tons did not extend beyond 1900 feet below
the mouth of the bayou, but the same strata OF
clay appears to continue much futher down.
The great depth and tenacity Of this clay, toge-
.her with the fact that lakes which receive the
waters Of the bayou, have but very shallow
depth, must forever put at rest the fears here
tofore entertained by some, that the Bayou
would ultimately carry off the
vast waters of the Mississippi through the At
chafalaya.
The whole question about this bayou is
this; should we permit it to stop itself
up! or shall we erect works at its mouth, that
by their effect will prevent the entrance of
drift and leave it open.
Without the former course is soon adopted,
t will not only close itself, but it will also close
many of the important channels which act as
Trains for the land of the interior parishes.--
ow, while l am writing, great destruc.
ion of property is hourly expected in conse.
luence of overflows caused by the raft in Grand
liver, Bayou Sorrell and the Plaquemini itself.
TO prevent this great evil, | have been asked
o temporarily close the stream at its mouth,
nd pull the drift out below; but this cannot be
one without great risk, for an accumulation of
rift at the mouth would prevent the free dis
barge of water by the bayou, and in case of
Ugh water, might cause destruction on the
below, for which the State would be
allied upon to pay damages. I