- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Has there ever been another time when damn near the entire system of levies and
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:20 am
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:20 am
Has there ever been another time when damn near the entire system of levies and emergencey flow systems have been put to the test at once?
as I understand it, I think we are about to test the entire system of levies in our state (Miss River Associated) AT ONE TIME!
And they were designed 40 years ago! If this works and the entire system holds, how big of an engineering feat will the levies/flood plan be considered?
Was the magnitude of the current scenario considered, meaning having to flood other cities like Morgan City to save BR and New Orleans?
as I understand it, I think we are about to test the entire system of levies in our state (Miss River Associated) AT ONE TIME!
And they were designed 40 years ago! If this works and the entire system holds, how big of an engineering feat will the levies/flood plan be considered?
Was the magnitude of the current scenario considered, meaning having to flood other cities like Morgan City to save BR and New Orleans?
8
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:23 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
having to flood other cities like Morgan City to save BR and New Orleans?
This has always been the plan.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:24 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
cities like Morgan City
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:28 am to the LSUSaint
To this magnitude? Maybe not. But every time the river rises, the entire system gets tested AT ONE TIME as you say. In Louisiana, there can't really be localized flooding on the Mississippi, as the southern portion of the state does not drain into the river. So in that respect there's really no difference in what's happening now and what happened in 08, 97, and all the other years the Bonnet Carre were opened.
With that said, yes this year the level will be higher and will be a greater test. And 1973 was pretty damn close to what this will be, so yes it's been somewhat tested.
With that said, yes this year the level will be higher and will be a greater test. And 1973 was pretty damn close to what this will be, so yes it's been somewhat tested.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:30 am to the LSUSaint
The short answer is yes, and it's failed every 50 years or so. The basic problem is that, across the country, people constantly "improve" drainage and figure out how to put water into the river faster, which results in increased water flow and pressure at peak times. This means the levee walls have to get higher all the time, etc.
The last time that the system was really stressed was in 1973, and the Old River Control Structure nearly collapsed and was substantially damaged.
The last time that the system was really stressed was in 1973, and the Old River Control Structure nearly collapsed and was substantially damaged.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:38 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
Has there ever been another time when damn near the entire system of levies and emergencey flow systems have been put to the test at once?
When the Mississippi is high it is high throughout the state and so are the connecting rivers. Always.
quote:
And they were designed 40 years ago! If this works and the entire system holds, how big of an engineering feat will the levies/flood plan be considered?
Not much of an engineering feat at all to be honest. It doesn't get much simpler than levee design.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:38 am to GOP_Tiger
quote:
The basic problem is that, across the country, people constantly "improve" drainage and figure out how to put water into the river faster, which results in increased water flow and pressure at peak times. This means the levee walls have to get higher all the time, etc.
I'm not sure that's necessarily true. I imagine the Corps does not allow any increased runoff into the MR due to this reason. Typically new developments cannot discharge any more flow into a receiving stream that was not already naturally enterring the stream. The Corps regulates all "Waters of the U.S."
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:39 am to Tigris
quote:
Not much of an engineering feat at all to be honest. It doesn't get much simpler than levee design.
Right. Archimedes, using no more modern technology than he had, could have done this. Lend him an army of Pharoah's slaves, and give him some time, and he could get 'er done.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:40 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
Was the magnitude of the current scenario considered, meaning having to flood other cities like Morgan City to save BR and New Orleans?
LINK
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:50 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
And they were designed 40 years ago! If this works and the entire system holds, how big of an engineering feat will the levies/flood plan be considered?
do you understand if the ORCS fails, Morgan City is toast? and that the Mississippi would change course?
it's not like people in the spillway area don't know they are in a spillway....
of course, if you're interested in $8- a gallon gasoline and the total economic destruction of Louisiana, don't open the Morganza....
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:52 am to Tigris
quote:
Not much of an engineering feat at all to be honest. It doesn't get much simpler than levee design.
Yeah, thats why the levees only policy of the MRC worked so well in 1912, 1914, 1922, and 1927.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 10:55 am to colorchangintiger
quote:
Yeah, thats why the levees only policy of the MRC worked so well in 1912, 1914, 1922, and 1927.
The levees were much lower. ORCS was not even authorized until 54, and Morganza not until later. It still is not complex engineering, although the scale is huge.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 11:07 am to the LSUSaint
quote:
Has there ever been another time when damn near the entire system of levies and emergencey flow systems have been put to the test at once?
Yesterday.
It's a trick question from Bizarro World...
Posted on 5/14/11 at 11:26 am to LSUJuice
quote:
But every time the river rises, the entire system gets tested AT ONE TIME as you say. In Louisiana, there can't really be localized flooding on the Mississippi, as the southern portion of the state does not drain into the river. So in that respect there's really no difference in what's happening now and what happened in 08, 97, and all the other years the Bonnet Carre were opened.
Well, I guess I should be more specific since everyone is so interested in finding symantics erros.
I mean bieng tested as in BOTH spillways open and the MIss at capacity therefore putting pressure on every levee system out there and testing them to their MAX.
Most of the levees are always holding back water in some respect, but with all spillways open and the water being enought to put more than 15 ft of flood at a high flow rate FOR A MONTH, has this scenario happened before. I know about 73. Was the network set up exactly like this or have there been more levees added (untested to this magnitude) etc.?
We are talking about something the state and feds are responsible for and I can't really remember when we could rely upon them to keep anything going good for 40 years!
Posted on 5/14/11 at 11:43 am to the LSUSaint
The corp is constantly at work on the system, they dont just sit around and wait on the next flood. these are not the same levees that were there in 73 most have been improved somewhat
Posted on 5/14/11 at 12:00 pm to JudgeHolden
quote:
The levees were much lower. ORCS was not even authorized until 54, and Morganza not until later. It still is not complex engineering, although the scale is huge.
It still took the MRC 48 years to develop a plan that didn't cause a major flood every 8-10 years.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 12:11 pm to LSUJuice
quote:
I imagine the Corps does not allow any increased runoff into the MR due to this reason. Typically new developments cannot discharge any more flow into a receiving stream that was not already naturally enterring the stream. The Corps regulates all "Waters of the U.S.
Maybe not "more" water, but definitely faster water. If I build a subdivision on a field, I have to install a drainage system for it that will end up moving water faster than if it were an empty field. That means less evaporation and "more" water downstream.
Posted on 5/14/11 at 12:21 pm to vl100butch
quote:
do you understand if the ORCS fails, Morgan City is toast? and that the Mississippi would change course? it's not like people in the spillway area don't know they are in a spillway.... of course, if you're interested in $8- a gallon gasoline and the total economic destruction of Louisiana, don't open the Morganza....
What crawled up your arse? I think you missed the entire point of this thread. Why so angry? Dude was saying if everything holds, props to the acoe for a job well done
Posted on 5/14/11 at 12:24 pm to GOP_Tiger
Nah. That's what detention ponds are for. Of course, I don't know the exact regulations in other parts of the country, or who regulates what (Corps vs. individual states vs. county dranage districts).
This is what I do
. All of our drainage ends up in a detention pond. This is necessary to not flood areas downstream of our development, namely the City of Houston. But maybe things are different elsewhere. I know the terrain is much different in Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois than it is on the flat-arse Katy prairie.
With all that said, there should definitely be regulations in place to protect downstream communities from receiving extra runoff from developments upstream, if there aren't already.
quote:
If I build a subdivision on a field
This is what I do
. All of our drainage ends up in a detention pond. This is necessary to not flood areas downstream of our development, namely the City of Houston. But maybe things are different elsewhere. I know the terrain is much different in Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois than it is on the flat-arse Katy prairie. With all that said, there should definitely be regulations in place to protect downstream communities from receiving extra runoff from developments upstream, if there aren't already.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News