The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1881-09-10
Y
Its Remedies.

bS IA ~ AL ~ ~
Lafourche, Assumption aud Ter.
rebonne.
la the present condition of
Bayou Latourclle, Crevasses are
Just az certain to occur as that
the Bayou becomes full. There
is no room to doubt Dr. question
this fact 1t may be considered
as much Of an axiom as the asser
ton that Il two inch stream of
water poured into Il funnel with
au incl, outlet. will ill and over
flow. Experience has proven this
fact over and over in the history
Of Bayou Latourche.
When the water at Donaldson
vile fills the inlet OF the Bayou
near the level Of the land surface,
the contracted portions OF the
stream below Lockport become in
capable Of carrying OFT the water,
ana operating as a DAM, holds
back the current until it either
runs over the levees or burst
them in sunder.
In 1880 the stream, in front of
Harang's plantation Vas full,
and burst the Levee opposite.
when the water lacked about e
inches OF high water mark at
Lockport, two feet at Ihibodaux,
and at Donaldsonville, was not
near the surface level.
Relief then can only be secured
by increasing the size OF the out
let where distractions are found
of sufficient size to interfere with
the natural flow of the water.
Below Lockpu,t these islands
begin, and occupy one h"lf ofeefe
naturaI capacity Of the cayou for
some fifteen miies.~~nen they be
come less prey.kif, bat still are
found III pafnner requisite to III
,erters with the outlet OF water,
and still farther down the bat
lures on the sides ct the stream
are covered with cottonwood
trees, the channel being narrowed
10 considerable extent.
AS has been already Stated in
previous articles On this subject,
a snag boat, working under the
United States Government Enyi-
ncer Department is removing all
sEags, logs, &c. that are visible,
botl. III the channel ard Oh the
banks.
But those that are imhedded in
the islands cannot be removed
until the islands themselves are
scattered. And 1t Is by logs,
snags, roots &c. that these islands
are formed, aud by them are held
against all efforts of the water tt
remove them.
How can these islands be re
moved? They are simply bat
tnres Of sand deposited from the
Mississippi river. There is 1T
clay nor pitchy mud in them
Once ioosened in ii full Bayou
they would probably crnmhlc t,
pieces aDd be carried down to tls
Gulf.
II a tiial were made with two
OF three islands in high water the
effect would readily be seen. 4
practical experiment is woltt
pages Of theories.
Let 4 few OF these obstruction!
be shattered in Il high water, b,
torpodeoS and it will ba seen how
quickly they will tumble to pee
aud wash away.
Such an experiment should 1T
made near Lockport where III.
channel is first decreased 3etov
the capacity Of inlet ;tl Donald.
:. sonviIle.
The evidence is plain that
starting from Donalisonville Their
is bat little, if any, deposit 0
sand found in the bottom of tn
stream until IL point is leacllet
where the Bayou widens ami il,
creases in transporting ability
aud that that deposit is found al
along until the point is reachet
below LockporJ where the capac
ty Of outlet Is contracted, wher
deposits Oh the bottom diminish
and cease entirely. The nite,enc
appears reasonable. therefore,
the same capacity of transport
tien that is found in the inlet a
DunaldSpnvilie was maintaine,
al. the way to the Gulf Of Mexic
there would be neither deposit
nor overflow, but that the water
would pass away smoothly an
ctfectually.
:. Hence the proper point for COZ
mencing wark work would be a
the first one that is found 10 b
less than the capacity of inlet
working down towards the Gul
Any distractions removed b
low would at once refill with de
post because the space thus mad
would not be required at tha
point, it being more that thel
would he at points above.
: That these islands, if burste
asu' der by. .torpedoeS, in hig