The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-28
TO SHORTEN THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Plan Proposed BY Engineer Would
Relieve Twelve Million Acres
Of Swamp Land.

Eminent engineers have been work
ing for years On the control of the
waters Of the Mississippi river, and
have done well with the limited means
at their command, writes NJ. r. JEFF
ferds, C. E.
The levee system, as constructed
and maintained, has been OF great
value and bears witness OF persist
emit and heroic service. all OF which,
could be greatly strengthened by some
comprehensive plan that would aid
their efforts rather than SEE, them neg
tected at some future day when some
greater flood than has yet been known
may occur.
It IS not generally known that men
have devoted years to this work, and
no one thinks of them until flood
occurs. because they have been work
ing in the dark, in the main at their
own expense. with no encouragement
from the public.
IL the Panama canal can be built
under circumstances and difficulties
with which no other nation could
cope. why could not this comparatively
easy internal improvement be made
without much hesitation?
Some fantastic propositions have
been made by foreign engineers who
are not at ali familiar with this prob
lem, and others who have simply
looked at them and guessed. But
let us come down to facts.
River Bed Steadily Raising.
The levee system on the Mississippi
river from Cairo to the Gulf OF Mexico
was intended to protect the cultivated
lands adjacent to the river. This sys-
tenn has resulted in building up the
bed Of the river from year to year by
reason OF the fact that all Of the trfb-
utary streams running into the Missis-
sippi river have greater velocity, and
consequently sediment brought into
the main river. whose current IL low
er. causes a deposit to take placs
within the perimeter OF the river be-
tween Cairo and the gulf. This is the
main cause of the flood line going
higher each year with a given rain
fall.
Now, the main, most practical and
cheapest remedy for this is to make q
shorter outlet to the sea for this vast
volume OF salt-bearing water, and this
outlet Is via the Atchafalaya river,
the source of which is near the mouth
of the Red river where 1t empties into
the Mississippi. The Atchafalaya
river runs straight to the gulf, q dis
lance OF about 100 miles, whereas, via
the Mississippi river. the distance
from the mouth OF the Red river to
the gulf is 900 miles. The fall Of the
Mississippi river from the mouth OF
the Red river to the gulf Is about one
tenth OF a foot per mile; via the
Atchafalaya It IL about three-tenths
OF foot mile.
The Increase in velocity from the
mouth OF the Red river to the gulf
via the Atchafalaya would probably
lower the grade line OF high water to
two-tenths OF foot per mile, which
would reduce the high water line for
that point (mouth of Red river) 20
feet or more. This reduction in high
water mark would probably extend as
far north as Memphis. or even Cairo;
thus it can be seen that the ievee as
now built from Memphis to the gulf
would be of ample height and strength
to- give safety to the adjacent country
for longer time than can be calculat-
ed-probably 100 years or more.
Would this improvement leave New
Orleans an inland city? No. For the
slowing down OF the velocity Of the
water in the Mississippi from the
mouth Of the Red river to the gulf
via the old channels would result in
all the sediment being carried to ses
via the Atchafalaya. leaving the old
channel a clear water canal, which
could be maintained at all times By q
little dredging such ~ IL necessary
lnow 1t the jetties. The rAalruado en-