The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-12-11
may CHANGE ROUTE
Engineer Has Plan to Stop Floods
on MiSSis Sippi River.


Tho leeee system on lhe Mississippi
fytr from Cairo 10 ihe Gnlf "a Mexico
gas intended 20 project ihe cultivated
Hnd- adinceni TO The river. This sys-
cm has resulted ia building up the bed
lf the river frnm yeir 90 year hy reu-
uu of the fsrt inut ai 1T ihe frihu.
nry .lreans running into fhe Mlssls-
hpp river have greater velocity and
0nsoquently -cdilont brought iuioshc
nain river. whose current IS slower. is
deposited in the river between Cairo
ul the Gulf This is the main
.anse of lie fpol line going higher
zach yenr with q given rainfall.
Sow, the most practical and cheapest
remedy for this rs to make shorter
outlet De- fhe sen fov This vast volume
Df sili-beariag waier and ths outlet
,ia ihe Aichafalaya river the
ource of which IS nenr the mouth Of
ho Rcd river. whore Is emniles into
.hc Mississippi writes 49, + Iefferdo
d Popular Mechanics Magazine The
Atchafalaya river runs straight TO the
.idcwaier Of ihe Gulf, disiafca Of
about 1CO miles. whereas Via the Mis-
.issipp river the distance from The
uoo,h of the Red river 10 the Gulf is
zoo miles. The fail OF the Mississippi
river from the mouth of the Red river
rs the Gulf is about one-tenth Of a
root per mile; of the Atchafalaya
about three-tenths Of a foot to the
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 10 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 leyee as now
built from Memphis to the Gulf would
he Of ample height and strength TO
give safety 10 the adjacent country for
probably 100syears 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 sea Via
the Atchafalaya leaving the old chan
mel clearwater channel which could
be maintained at all times by a little
dredging such ais is necessary now ut
ihe jetties The railroads entering
New Orleans could then bridge the
Mississippi river there and would profit
IN the long run by ovlating the flood
ing Of their tracks.
The ietties at the mouth Of the Mis-
sisSlpni could be dredged TO a depth Of
40 to so feet and remain so, for no sedi-
ment would be going ont that NNly 70
nm them up The hlgh-water line at
New Orleans would hardly exceed ten
feet above low water
The low-water line at New Orleans
being only one foot above sea level,
Win a depth Of 80 to 60 feet Of water
IS can be seen that not only would
New Orleans be secure from foods IN
the future, but that the largest vessels
In the world could enter its harbor.
The Mississippi river from the Jet
lies to the mouth Of the Red river,
would be canal, navigahle at all
times. with little dredging perhaps
between Baton Rouge and the Red
river. and an that rich country On
either side Of the river from the mouth
Of the Red river to the Gulf would be
absolutely secure from floods.