Lower coast gazette., 1909-06-26
I>loClaIn in LsFSs
Maintenance.

nc Eu%t.IIl TLOLl~!"a t -
Maintenance.
The general success OF the various
y.e Boards Of this state IN man.
1a;rinr N air !evers has created such q
feeling Of confidence in the successful
maintenance Of The levees Oh the part
Of those who live behind them that
they are beginning to forget the many
disasters 81 the past and the tact that
great dangers to the levee system are
possible any time during h'gh water
season anu that We on the Lower Coast
are especially liable to disaster from
the fact tina. with Us high water comes
earlier and stays longer than It coes
further W the river and Cur arabic
lands ere 50 slightly above low water
mark that a very moderate rise IN the
river nuts its surface above the ADA
cent land.
During the last two weeks we have
had two musksat holes break through
the levees. one lust below the church
at po,nte- a-la-Hache and the other IN
the ,eyee at Orange Grove at the upper
end of the parish. The prompt actlon
of the Lake Borgne Levee inspectors
and their having a competent supply OF
materials close at hand, enabling the
quick closing Of these very troublesome
and indeed dangerous holes and the
full restoration of the strength VI the
levee.
In connection with our levee system
we have generally accused the crawtlsh
of being the source Of nearly all OF our
evils. We have come, however. now To
the conclusion that the muskrat is the
arch enemy OF the leVee system anc
that the attack Of the craWtish is ont
of the minor Incidents. 1t is a notable
fact that in any system Of leaky levees
when the water falls two or three feet
most of the leaks are at once suppress
ed, showing that the water enters mt
, tha 'ev4pc within the limits OF thes'
, two or three feet. uncovered by tn
fall of the water. Our muskrats ar
fiat tailed, in fact are miniature beVers
As thew live almost amphibian lives
Y they burrow into the sides OF the levee
above the water mark and in thes
burrows make their breeding places
Y After the river rises these holes ar
S filed and the muskrats have to see
n temporary quarters wherever they me-
IS find them. Their breeding burrows
~ the levees, however, still existing ar
the water entering them to a great
D or less extent, is placed thus at on
ia half way through the body of tt
r. ~levees. With the ordinary pressure
in the water and with but one-half OF Il
20 levee left for penetration, the wat
=, soon seeps through to the further ST.
IL and these little leaks, no matter he
ne small, at once attract the attention
IN the crawfsh, who are fishing for
animalculsp in the water and II
holes Go not blow through direct by t
= tvdrcstat:c pressure IRON the rV'
&c they are very apt to break through
is similar way by the invasion OF I
sc crawish. snakes and turtles trOn
-. land side seeking there such nutrt
a; comes with the river water.
en- ..
Now that such attention has been
III tracted to the musArats on account
the value OF their skins in the win
Sc time, it is to be hoped that the sup
of will be rapidly reduced. The beaver
~, the Western States has been pra
cally exterminated and it would st
'''o probable that if the muskret skins
main at any such value as that OF
YER cents each, which prevailed last WIN
so this price upon their heads will $
~, lead to their determination, as the
~ price upon alligator skins has ain
HA led to their determination.