The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-11-03
p.I;ce Jury Asks Congress
n Declare Bayou Coco
drie Non-Navigable


drie Non-Navigable
I, Wsluan Bradley Of Alexandria
80 presented to the Police Jury
tss,r approval the Louisiana
,s,v canal Co, project for build
n -.ssrvoirs for confining the waters
~ up6er-calc2sieu and Cocodrie
rshsds and tapping the Red River
~ purpose Of furnishing rice
rS with irrigation, furnishing
,ic mower and developing naviga-
Broposition, as Mr.. Bradley OUT
\ win open the way to the
800 rice development system ever
.,..Bsa ii the United States and
"a nlace the rice industry Of Louisi-
a solid basis so far as produc-
.n and marketing are concerned.
~ General plans of the company con-
mslate the control Of the entire area
/. ~ south Of Red River from Shreve-
~ d i point Immediately east OF
nm.ndria and the Cocodrie Lake, to-
,hey with the "run-off" from all OF
ss nrleaf pine region to the east
he Sabine Ridge extending gen.
.nlir as FAR south as the Gulf Coast
paavay covering an area Of S,799.0Ss
,.rps and system Of reservoirs Gov.
Snr four natural basins Of $4,000
,rrss holding a tots Of 100000 acres
ipss Of water for immediate irTiga'
tea
W.sh the completion Of the general
rs there would be water under con
vs. tO irrigate in round numbers 2.
o0e acres, or nearly four times the
es planted IN 1918. IN addition
hs irrigation feature the plans in
ss the development Of $4,000 horse
mne Of electrical energy, which IA
r could be increased to 100000
horsepower, if desired.
Fef economic reasons this develop
rem has been divided into three un
re first unit consisting Of the
eontfol Of the Calcasieu River and its
upper water supply, with reservoirs
toldlng &6.e00 acre feet, which II
cniuaction with the run-off from
i1Gss7s acres, would be ample U
nigate 10000 acres of rice fields
zlng only one-half of the computed
ninimnm run-off' Of the watershed
and leaving a greater area Of water
sAea to supply the present require
nsnts Of that section
Pu this development the compan!
s the requisite permit from the Wa
Derartment under certain restrictions
.sguiring an escapement Of water 10
arigation needs the year round zn'
Wder the Federal Power Act" the
rDlus waters will no doubt be uses
the generation Of power to suppl
kaof the local needs for electric ene1
u
The second unit contemplates Ia
control Of the Cocodrie Lake resefvoi
ste aud the construction of sue
main canals and principal lateral
cunneeting with existing canal Sy'
tens, 50 as to supply fresh graEit
water to large areas OF virgin soil, a
ven As the deep-well irrigation SCI
tinnsand forming function with tn
FIRST unit and supplying the remainin
portion Of the rice district with graz
water as fast as the necessary comes
ton between canal systems can froI
season TO season be constructed.
The third unit would. as a rule, b
hrge drainage and navigation car
q, intercepting the run-off from tn
Satsrsheds on their courses TO tn
Present swamps, as well as carryin
oll the waters from the Red River b
ihe opening and control OF the hea'
Eatss, 50 as to supply water eithe
of irrigation or for power as migf
ae required and permitting Of holt
iag in reserve the 100000 aeres-fet
q water in the reservoirs as an en-
efeeney to be used when needed.
Briefly. this project is described b
Af Bradley as being to furnish wa
g Tor the irrigation OF the Louisian
nee fields, to develop navigation an
e generate and distribute elactri
merry, He stated that the eompan
proposes to build concrete rice war
aoases where needed and to use a 20
non Of the electric energy develops
Y tae purpose Of getting this ri,
'eAay foF the market. putting it on Il
market IN finished condition. Fa
'osies win also be built for makiI
rag straw paper and the cheap enc
g developed win bring factories
solslana for the manufacture Of cC
% into the finish product.
At Bradley stated that LouisiaI
last row practically all Of the ri
= ne United States in the near