Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-11-29
MAY CHANGE ROUTE
Engineer Has Plan to Stop Floods
on Mississippi River.
Would Provide Shorter Outlet to Sea
~ Using AtchafaIaya TO Carry
slIt-searlng Water.


The Ievee 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-
ten has resulted In building up the bed
Of The river from year to year BY rea-
son Of the fact that ali Of the triDu-
tarS Streams running into the Mlssls-
slppi river have greater velocity. and
eNn aHently sediment brought Hlio the
maid river, whose currenf II slower. Il
deposited IN the river between Cairo
and the Gulf. This Is the main
cause Of the flood line going higher
each year with a given rainfall.
Now. the most practical and cheapest
remedy for this IL to make shorter
outlet 10 the era for this vast volume
Of sili.bearing water. and this outlet
Is via the Atehafaiaya river. the
source Of which Is near the mouth Of
the Red river. where Il eFnpties into
the Mississippi. writes II. r. Jcfferdo
ia Popular Mechanics Magazine. The
Atchafaiaya r1ver runs straight TO The
iidewaser 81 the Gulf. distance ~
about 100 miles. whereas, via the Mis-.
sigsippi river the distance from thr
mouth Of the Red river 70 the Gulf h
200 miles. Tho fan o. the Mississippi
river from The mouth of the Rcd river
70 the Gulf IL about one.tenth Of a
foot per mile: Of the Atchafalaya
about tllEee-iputls ~ fout to the
mile.
The fncrense Ia velocity from tho
mouth u she Red river 70 the Gulf via
the Atchafniaya would probably lower
the grade line ~ high water 70 two.
,enths If a foot per mile. witch would
reduce The hlrh.wafer line for Tint
point fmomih II Red riYerl. 20 feat or
more. THIS reduction II hish.watcr
mark souid probably eStend as far
north a. Memphis of even Cairo; thus
Il can BE- seen that the ievcr - uo5
huilt from Memphis 10 the Gull would
b. Of ample height md strength 70
give snfefs 70 the adjacent country for
probably no years - more.
Would this Improvement leave New
Orleans ga inland cifyf No. For the
slowing down IL the velocity ~ the
water IA thc Mississippi from the
month II tha RED liver % the Gulf via
the old channels would result IL OK
the sediment being carried 70 sea yin
sHe hfehnfainya, leaving the old chan.
neie clearwater channel which corld
BE- ipningainea 81 ca times ~ llfte
dreesing snfh IS Is neeess8gy ngw n
tlm ieglies 'Fhs railroads catering
ii aesAK FrNid fhnu trsdge ne
80 ppi Ftggs there mud would pfpat
80 IT, lens runsbY 0vlatsng ne flood
lng ~ their tracks
Tie sefiice al The mouth % the Min
sl@iepi could 81 dreslesd 70 a depth ~
40 10 % feet una remain 20, for no zefii.
sneus would BE- getting out shat wuy g
IN them No. The hiRh watcr llne at
New Orleans aalid hardly gteesd sen
feet above i0sg water.
The low.watef line AZ New Orleans
being oniy nne faat ahoge sen ieYel,
with 4 depth ~ - 10 % fect ~ water,
IL can be seen tiiat not only would
New Orleans be secure from floods IN
me future. but TIM, The largest vessels
ln the world could enter ils harber.
The Mississippi river. from The iei.
usa 70 tiis mouth ~ the Red river,
would BE- canai, nayieahie NJ AL
times. with little dredging perhaps,
between Baton Rouge and the Red
river. and ~ thar rich country On
either side u the river from the lnpgih
~ The grd river 70 The Gulf would b.
absolutely secure FROM fipuas.