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is it true that the river will wash away sediment when it....

Posted on 5/22/11 at 9:54 am
Posted by catholictigerfan
Member since Oct 2009
56103 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 9:54 am
starts to decline in height. Some army corp guy this is when we need to worry the most that's when the levee will give way when the river recedes.

how true is this how much do we need to worry about the river when it starts to go down?
Posted by DollaChoppa
I Simp for ACC
Member since May 2008
84774 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 10:02 am to
Intuitively, I wouldn't think it would recede fast enough for that to be an issue. But IDK!

And most of this board doesn't either.
Posted by catholictigerfan
Member since Oct 2009
56103 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 10:06 am to
yeah I heard this is what the army corps are worried about nothing will happen while the river is that this level.
This post was edited on 5/22/11 at 10:07 am
Posted by Purple Spoon
Hoth
Member since Feb 2005
17919 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 10:48 am to
I dont see how water would was away more sediment as it falls. I would also think that as if falls and the water pressure on the levees fall we would be in better shape.

I also don't understand the "need" to worry. As if that would help.
Posted by catholictigerfan
Member since Oct 2009
56103 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 11:20 am to
this is the way I think it could work

the levee in baton rouge is majority dirt, so for the month or so that the water has been covering the levee that dirt is getting very saturated. So when the water begins to recede the force of the receding water could break off small parts of the levee. But it could be to slow to do anything that would cause there to be flooding.

Its just like at the beach the water erodes the beach up to the high tide mark. Its alot different but the same general idea.

these are just guesses though.
Posted by agdoctor
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2004
3143 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 11:48 am to
quote:

so for the month or so that the water has been covering the levee that dirt is getting very saturated. So when the water begins to recede the force of the receding water could break off small parts of the levee


Pretty close. Two things happen. The weight of saturated soil is a lot heavier than dry soil. If the river recedes too quickly the soil will slide because there is no more pressure from the river to hold it in place. The corps will use the same things it did to drop the water levels in reverse to keep the levels high and try and force a slow decrease in water levels. The other thing is as the river rose with those high volumes it may have scoured the bottom of the levee and again when pressure is removed the soil could slide off the side.
Posted by catholictigerfan
Member since Oct 2009
56103 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 1:22 pm to
thanks for that answer

so how worried should we be, is it a pretty low chance the levee will break because of this or pretty good chance?
Posted by agdoctor
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2004
3143 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 1:25 pm to
the way the corps is talking the river will drop very slowly so I would think the chances are small but not impossible
Posted by DollaChoppa
I Simp for ACC
Member since May 2008
84774 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 2:51 pm to
Sweet so I was right again.
Posted by shaunmccarron29
Member since May 2011
14 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 3:41 pm to
build a sand castle with a big wall around it, during low tide, then watch it disappear.. Every wave (surge) that comes in gradually pulls the bottom layers of the castles wall out. This is the same principal as how a plane flies.

Unfortunately there are not to many people on this site who are free thinkers.
Posted by shaunmccarron29
Member since May 2011
14 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 3:42 pm to
You think the pressure exerted by the river will make the level stronger? Is that what you are saying?

god help us, you, if that is what you are saying.
Posted by agdoctor
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2004
3143 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 4:38 pm to
it doesnt make it stronger.Removing the pressure makes it weaker after it has been scoured and saturated.
Posted by DollaChoppa
I Simp for ACC
Member since May 2008
84774 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 5:50 pm to
quote:

Every wave (surge) that comes in gradually pulls the bottom layers of the castles wall out.


Pretty shitty analogy
Posted by guttata
prairieville
Member since Feb 2006
22513 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 7:05 pm to
When will we hear about all that sediment being washed into the Gulf and helping add land that has been lost to coastal erosion?
Posted by tgrbaitn08
Member since Dec 2007
146214 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 7:41 pm to
quote:

When will we hear about all that sediment being washed into the Gulf and helping add land that has been lost to coastal erosion?



Thats how the Atchafalya Basin was formed.....after the Morganza was opened in '73
Posted by Geauxtiga
No man's land
Member since Jan 2008
34377 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 7:42 pm to
quote:

Every wave (surge) that comes in gradually pulls the bottom layers of the castles wall out. This is the same principal as how a plane flies.




quote:

Unfortunately there are not to many people on this site who are free thinkers.
And others lack the ability altogether, apparently.
Posted by diat150
Louisiana
Member since Jun 2005
43664 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 8:11 pm to
quote:

This is the same principal as how a plane flies.


quote:

free thinkers.


Posted by bbrownso
Member since Mar 2008
8985 posts
Posted on 5/22/11 at 10:13 pm to
quote:

build a sand castle with a big wall around it, during low tide, then watch it disappear.. Every wave (surge) that comes in gradually pulls the bottom layers of the castles wall out. This is the same principal as how a plane flies.


Now I'm a learned man but not learned (to a professional level) in the sciences and maths. But what you seem to describe is erosion which does not explain how a plane flies.
Posted by PaddlingTiger
St. Louis, MO
Member since Jun 2010
1066 posts
Posted on 5/23/11 at 9:10 am to
It was actually kind of close to right. In addition to saturation and scouring, if the water levels drop too fast and the speed of the water decreases quickly the pressure onthe levees from the river will increase quickly also. As velocity of a fluid increases, pressure decreases and vice versa. It seems like the most dangerous scenario would be a quick decrease in the water level followed by another increase in the level.
Posted by Nawlens Gator
louisiana
Member since Sep 2005
5837 posts
Posted on 5/23/11 at 9:44 am to

Ag is spot on. The saturated soil (Think mud) above the dropping water line has lost the bouyancy provided by the water. The term 'mud slide' comes to mind.

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