New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-03-04
USE FOR THE FLOOD WAT
ERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.
New Iberia, Feb. H. 1911.


When opened my plantation
on Bayou lcmhcrras found a
very low place running parallel
with the bayou. and some SIN eou-
lees running from the BAYOU into
a low place. Back of tins the
lands were high and had to lcvcr
these coulecS to keep the water
ont. and ms this low place was the
drainage for the lands in the rear.
had also to build n back lrvcc
and have drainage machine 10
give drainage to The plantation
Having years back been forced
TO abandon the cultivation of my
plantation on account OF the great
flood waters that come down the
Atchntalaya from the Mississippi
river. It happened that in 1905,
when was on the place, | con
rhlded would cut these levecs
Ia see If they would not fill up
the basin by the deposit from the
hayou. After the flood of last
year again visited the place to
see the effect, and ! found that
the basin was filled up with a
splendid riparian deposit OF two
TO three feet in depth.
This has suggested to me the
ida of using considerable OF the
great floods for the purposes stat
ed. This can be easily and cheap
" done by the use Of syphons over
thc lcvccs and having canals to
carry the muddy waters into tn.
low swamps in the rear. by tins
means vast areas Of low swamps
could soon be reclaimed, and
planters could be constantly add
ing to their cultivable lands, and
have the water ready for irrlgat-
ing and fertilizing their crops. 1t
is we'll known that the muddy
waters of the Mississippi possess
great fcrtilizing qualities, and II
Is also recognized that sugar cane
REQUIRES great deal of moisture,
and that it often suffers from the
drouths in the spring and sum
mer to such an extent as to ma
te,ially shorten the crops.
Nv observation has been that we
always make good crops when
we have plenty of rain. and short
.rops when we do not. The
same applies to all other crops.
but not ta an equal extent. BY
use of the floods scientifically, in
this way. a large part Of the floods
can be put to profitable advant-
age without endangerlng any per-
son; the quantity of water can al
ways be controlled and prevented
from flooding the country like
outlets do. especially such an out
let as Old River and the Atehal-
alaya have grown to b., Flooding
the whole Of that basin. and ever
flowing millions Of acres; this
overflowal has caused the aban-
donment of a vast area Of what
was once great sugar reg'' ~,
which was never known to over
flow before the Civil War, and
is further now jeopardizing the
highlands of the Teche. and the
rich sugar plantations of Terre-
bonnie parish and all west OF the
Bayou Lafourehe.
In addition to this. it dams up
the waters of the Red and causes
the overflowal of millions Of acres
in the Tensas Basin and Fifth
Levee District. The only remedT
for this is the complete divorce
ment of the Mississippi from the
Red and the Atchafalaya. BY do
ng this, from my knowledge OF
he country. you will protect one
million of acres from overflow |
hat will not need any levees, and
IN additional amount that can be
by small expense OF
'evee building, and no doubt
a still further and large
,rea to the north of the Red. BY
Icing this you entirely relieve the
Mississippi of the floods Of thu
Red, as the Atchafalaya is dot' to
AXE all the floods of the RED with
nut OVERLOOKING Or enhangerlng
is basin; then it will furthec give
0 the people of the Red add th-
)uachita a nearer and better navi-
,ation through the locks at Plaq
lemine. which the Government
las built at cost Of 81 100000.
Notwithstanding the great ad-
antages Of this measure as have
hown. still when the Mississippi.
River Commission asked of the
'eople of New Orleans last spring
they wanted it done, its promi-
ent commercial organizations. its
favor. Council and politicians
old them "No." they did not want
done. and got bill through be K
legislature telling them the SANE.
ask of them to tell me how we
re ever to reclaim the million Of
cres of our rich alluvial soil I'M
,ss the divorc ement is made. For {
~ part, as long as the floods o!
re Mississippi are allowed to
aise the waters of Old River and |
le Atchafalaya over so feet, | dol
OF see how it can be done.
CAPT. f. T. KIM.