The Donaldsonville chief., 1878-08-03
LIST OF NEW LEvEEs Now REQUmHD.

In some cases where ieyees were in bad
condition, b1t the construction of Eew ones
would entail great loss olt, the proprietors,
by the destruction of valuable improve
ments, the maintenance Of the present line,
by reyetment, backing or other proper pre-.
cautious, has been entrusted to the owners.
If the assurances given by them are not
made good i'll due time. this work must also
be provided for in your budget.
1t is not th0uglIt that the Necessity of any
of the foregoing works require explanation,
excepting, perhaps, those at Morganza, and
iii Avoyelles parish. 4asa
The closing of Morgapza crevasse will
probably tend te raise the food level, al
though to a much less extent than seems to
be generally apprehended. The reconnois-
sarce recently made there shows that the
work of sclfclosing is progressing rapidly.
1t is recommended instead of a levee, that
such brush mattPass construction as will
expedite this natural tendency, be placed ip
the crevasse. Thus, willie the outflow
through the creyasse is gradually checked,
the capacity of the river to discharge will,
pdri passu, be restored. The estimate made
for the leyee, as above, is 10000 cubic
yards, or, probably $4,000 or As, 600 dollars.
As much of the work above recommended
as it is expedient to build in one year, could
be done for ten thousand dollars. fax
The lines of levees running down the
flgnC OF SOubH DtuhOI TIE 1JCS tTlflZeS, ana
the right or west bank of the Atchafalaya
afford proteetiDn TO the cultivable allltvial
lands of the parishes of Ayoyelles, and st.
Landry, and decreases the back water on
Bayous Rouge, Basnf. Cpurtableau Teche
and the Atchafalaya river.
Tho levees on the Des Glaizes now aver
age probably about six inches below the
high water mark of 1874, for distance OF
from eight to ten miles. They can be held
nj, min fpn iofo
one foot lower than that of 1874, which
stage can never be attained as long as the
levees above Red river are kept ND. The
completion of this interior line of projection
is important as making tlfis region indepen-
dent of disasterr from without the distric t.
The leyees on the Atchafalaya are of more
| immediate Importance as they include MANY
| sloushs which run freely at every flood,
filling up the swamp basins, and backing
up ON the rich plantations bordering ON the
surrounding streams, viz: Des Glaizes
| Rouge, BRut, Teclie, CourtabIeau, and
| Atehafalaya. The principal injury results
| from the sloughs as most of the bank is
above ordinary overflow, but they can not be
securely closed without "a continuous line OF
levees up to maXimnm Ii. w. NJ. to protect
| their TANKS.
The condition in which the foregoing
work would place the leyeas of the third
district should be eaaddlY stated and
clearly understood. They now stand at q
grade equal to the highest known Hoods,
Jess the loss in height resulting from the
wear of the crown by travel thereon, and
other causes. This may be estimated rs moi
exceeding one foot. The work proposed by
the Board of State Engineers is to give a
safe and continuous line of this existing
grade.
The task of raising to the grades, judi
eiously recommended by the u. S. Engin,
GERS, is too vast to be undertaken at pres
eRt, aud may have TO be left to the general
government. Such floods as 1867 or 1874
would be irresistible under the present cir.
GumstaRees. The existing erevasses would
probably have some influence in ayerting
such disasters.
There are few data to gni,le us as to the
cost of the work. The leyeesa of 1877 were
built at an average cost of about 224 cents
per cubic yard, for State warrants payable
or receivable in 1873. This cost, under cash
payments, as contemplated By the present
levee law. shaIild certainly be reduced to
twenty t20l eeats Or less pRs cubic yard.
IN conelasioll, the Beard of State EQgin.
GERS wonlN strongly urge upoP this Board
of I,eyee CgmlGissioness the adoption of a
lletnoyf.ll TO the Legislature TO provide
gseasnres protecting the levees from the
abuses to which they are subjected by the
cutting of ricc-fumes, the depredatiops pi