another historic event

[J-BAR #18287]

What with the news about Osama Bin Laden, and the royal wedding, and the tornadoes, don't overlook yet another momentous event occurring tonight (Monday). Seriously.

 

Bird's Point levee on the Mississippi river will be blown tonight in an effort to reduce or prevent flooding at Cairo, I'll. 133000 acres of Missouri farmland, and the homes and businesses in the bootheel's flood plain will be sacrificed and under water by tomorrow. I have family and friends down there. Hope y'all will remember them tonight.

 

Tough call by the Corps of Engineers.

[Subdeacon Joe]

Geez....how many will be displaced?

[J-BAR #18287]

Don't know how to paste a link with my phone...details at KFVS tv website in Cape Girardeau.

 

My inlaws are in East Prairie. Just gonna be a little set-back levee between EP and the floodplain after Bird's Point blows, and all this rain has weakened all the levees in the Miss. and Ohio drainages. That whole region is dicey now. No one has seen water like this in their lifetime. The floodplain has fewer people than Cairo, but still a tough call to put that many farms out of business for at least a year.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Tough call. I have lived with the Mississippi floods in years long past. My Grandfather was a bottom land farmer. The good news is that the land will repair itself but it will take time.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

I was in MS during the 73 flood and this one looks even scarier...sure don't look good for the lower Delta either should the main levee break. A shame that those bootheel people have to endure this but when Ole Man River takes a notion he can overcome bout anything man can throw up against it.

[Subdeacon Joe]

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/14557528/corps-of-engineers-to-breach-levee

 

 

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, MO (KFVS) -

 

Maj. General Michael Walsh, President of the Mississippi River Commission, says he has decided to operate the floodway project at Birds Point - New Madrid Floodway.

 

The Army Corps of Engineers will begin blasting at 9 p.m. Monday. The corps expects to see water flowing into the floodplain area around midnight.

 

They will work through the night, breaking another section of the levee in the southern part from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday.

 

The final execution of the project will be in the upper portion between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday.

 

They are in the final stages of preparation of the charges.

 

Maj. General Walsh says it is a "heart-wrenching" situation.

 

"This is the right time to operate it," Walsh said.

 

Maj. General Walsh called this flooding unprecedented and historic.

 

He said boat operators, labors, scientists, engineers, and truck drivers all told him the same thing.

 

"I never thought I would see the day that the river would reach these levels."

 

He said public safety was his number one issue in initiating the plan to blow parts of the levee.

 

"Safety is our number one priority," Walsh said. "And that was the main reason we stood down operations last night during lightning storms."

 

[Read this statement from Walsh and the Mississippi River Commission.]

 

This breach will create a lake in the floodway in the next 24 to 36 hours.

 

Around 150 members of the Army Corp of Engineers are working with the Coast Guard.

 

No civilians will be allowed in the area of the blast.

 

Breaking the levee means flooding about 133,000 acres of farmland and 100 homes in Mississippi and New Madrid counties.

 

The Ohio River was at 61.44 at Cairo as of 5 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

 

Gov. Jay Nixon released the following statement regarding the decision by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to intentionally breach the Birds Point-New Madrid Levee:

 

"One week ago, I activated the Missouri National Guard to protect lives and property in southern and southeast Missouri because of forecasts of historic flooding in that region. In recent days, rainfall has exceeded those initial forecasts, and Missourians are coping with record river levels along parts of the Mississippi. Today, more than 760 Citizen-Soldiers of the Missouri National Guard are on the ground in southeast Missouri. In cooperation with state, county and local law enforcement, they have evacuated the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway and continue to provide protection for the property families have left behind. I appreciate the tireless and professional efforts of all men and women of the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and local agencies who are working long hours to complete their missions.

 

"Earlier this evening, Major Gen. Michael Walsh of the Corps of Engineers informed me of his decision to proceed with plans to blow a hole in the levee at Birds Point as soon as possible. This explosion will send a tremendous amount of water through approximately 130,000 acres of farmland in southeast Missouri. The General's hope is that this action will relieve pressure on other parts of the levee system and save lives.

 

"As we have throughout this historic flooding, the State of Missouri will continue to provide resources and personnel to protect the people of the Bootheel. We have boots on the ground. We are prepared. And southeast Missouri will move forward again.

 

"I urge Missourians to continue to cooperate fully with state, county and local law enforcement, as they have at every stage of this process. Together, we will ensure that Missouri families stay safe in the coming days. And together, we will recover and rebuild."

 

Gov. Nixon has toured the flooded region three times, including a personal visit into the floodway Sunday evening. The Governor plans to return to the region (Tuesday) to survey the situation.

 

Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson released the following statement as well.

 

"The New Madrid floodway is not a failsafe for the rest of the Mississippi River Basin. The likelihood of dramatic flooding at other points along the river has not been changed by the decision and working in the New Madrid floodway will suffer. We have a long, long road ahead of us. The certain damage to homes, buildings and productive farmland will take years to undo. I have high expectations that the Corps go above and beyond to aid the recovery effort for the people and communities affected by this disaster," Emerson said.

 

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals are urged to call 211. The 211 service number is now available for most areas in Missouri. In areas where the 211 number is not operational, citizens can call 800-427-4626.

[Bucky Buscadero, SASS #73085]

Prayers up to those affected, in particular the 100 or so farms/homes that will be directly affected.

 

I've long had mixed feelings about the way man (Corp of Engineers particularly) has been attempting to manipulate mother nature with the building of levees and such on the alluvial plains of the lower Mississipi. Preventing natural replinishing of the soil through what was normal yearly flooding has had a detremenial effect on the area for many decades. That's one of the reasons that coastlines at the mouth on the Mississipi have been receeding for many years now. Of course those protected by the levies probably see it different. I do not think the unintended consequencies of the current policies were thought through and now it's hard to change what is in place without hurting many, but in the long run it's going to hurt many more regardless.

 

Bucky

[Amos Straight]

I was in MS during the 73 flood and this one looks even scarier...sure don't look good for the lower Delta either should the main levee break. A shame that those bootheel people have to endure this but when Ole Man River takes a notion he can overcome bout anything man can throw up against it.

 

 

This is supposed to be worse than 73. The backwater from the Sunflower and Yazoo Rivers are predicted to reach 8 feet over Hwy 14. That's the main hwy between Anguilla and Louise. It's predicted to reach 109 feet above sea level. That hwy is at 100 feet. Rolling Fork and Anguilla are at 100 feet. Now, imagine a levee break with this.

[Deja Vous]

What with the news about Osama Bin Laden, and the royal wedding, and the tornadoes, don't overlook yet another momentous event occurring tonight (Monday). Seriously.

 

Bird's Point levee on the Mississippi river will be blown tonight in an effort to reduce or prevent flooding at Cairo, I'll. 133000 acres of Missouri farmland, and the homes and businesses in the bootheel's flood plain will be sacrificed and under water by tomorrow. I have family and friends down there. Hope y'all will remember them tonight.

 

Tough call by the Corps of Engineers.

 

I read that today and thought about how sad it all is. IL is where I pretty much grew up as a child, there and SD and WI. My heart breaks for them. I can still remember the rivers as a kid and the rope swings out into the crash landings.. lol.. Where I lived, the Kishwakuee was a bit of a danger, but the Rock River was a real dangerous river. We spend a lot of time at both. The rivers are dangerously beautiful.. they can rob you of your life, but they also give life to so many. I will pray tonight for IL.. and thanks JBars for the update... Deja Oh,,,. how are the lead slingers???? I Lily behaving yet? lol

[Subdeacon Joe]

I feel almost as bad for the poor SOB who had to make that call. He must have puked his guts out at the thought of having to tell a bunch of people "Hey, you over there! we are going to flood you out so these people up here don't get flooded out."

 

I can see that they have to make a call to save as much as possible, but geez.....I don't think anyone gets paid enough to have that on his shoulders.

[Utah Bob #35998]

I feel almost as bad for the poor SOB who had to make that call. He must have puked his guts out at the thought of having to tell a bunch of people "Hey, you over there! we are going to flood you out so these people up here don't get flooded out."

 

I can see that they have to make a call to save as much as possible, but geez.....I don't think anyone gets paid enough to have that on his shoulders.

 

+1

[Deja Vous]

I feel almost as bad for the poor SOB who had to make that call. He must have puked his guts out at the thought of having to tell a bunch of people "Hey, you over there! we are going to flood you out so these people up here don't get flooded out."

 

I can see that they have to make a call to save as much as possible, but geez.....I don't think anyone gets paid enough to have that on his shoulders.

 

 

Yeah.. you are so right... I could not do that job... bad news is not my strong suit.. I prefer to push it under the rug and hope people don't notice..

[Hacker, SASS #55963]

So does the corpse (deliberate sp) of engineers have a subsidy program to replace property and income caused by their deliberate acts.

A little bit different then having their work fail as in New Orleans.

Nature should have been allowed to take its course.

At some point some of these low lying cities/towns should be abandoned/moved.

Not rescued by destroying other areas.

 

 

They ought to be able to be sued.

 

My 2 cents.

[Wolfgang, SASS #53480]

People insist on building in flood plains, . . . so whut if it didn't flooded in the last 20 or 40 or 100 years . . . mother nature doesn't care about the last 20 - 40- 100 years. That is a blink of the eye to mother nature. Bottom land is great for farming. Not great for building buildings on it. Cuz it will FLOOD . . . maybe not this year, or the next 10 or even 20 .... but it will one day FLOOD.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

This is supposed to be worse than 73. The backwater from the Sunflower and Yazoo Rivers are predicted to reach 8 feet over Hwy 14. That's the main hwy between Anguilla and Louise. It's predicted to reach 109 feet above sea level. That hwy is at 100 feet. Rolling Fork and Anguilla are at 100 feet. Now, imagine a levee break with this.

 

I lived in Leland at the time. The flood gauge was 57 ft at Greenville and it kept raining with nowhere for it to go. Yep, flood waters got within 6 miles or less of Leland.

 

On this day my youngest daughter was born about 5 am. As they were resting a buddy and I put jon boats in south of Leland and set out trotlines along treelines near flooded out catfish farms. Boy, did we clean house. Was back at the hospital by one. Neither one will let me forget that. But you gotta go when the gettins good!

 

BTW, that levee system protects some of the most productive farmland in the world. Cotton, corn, rice, catfish, and soybeans. Fact is, it will grow anything.

 

Also, the levee and associated jetties keep the channel mostly straight for barge traffic which is much cheaper than any other means of transporting all kinds of commodities up and down the river.

 

At this point food is high enough as it is. Are some of you saying the levees should be abandoned and the Delta allowed to flood at will? Then I guess all the flood control dams and seawalls should be removed elswhere as well.

[Subdeacon Joe]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/27751864/detail.html

 

At 5 p.m. Monday, the water level outside Cairo, Illinois, was 61.44 feet -- well above the flood stage of 40 feet -- according to the National Weather Service. Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh ordered the intentional breach.

 

Over 20 feet above flood level? I'm kind of surprised the levee held at all.

 

And it looks like SCOTUS was involved:

 

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster's office tried to block the move, challenging the Corps' authority to breach the levee. But the U.S. Supreme Court, in a ruling from Justice Samuel Alito, denied Missouri's bid.

 

Read more: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/weather/27751864/detail.html#ixzz1LIMUYZJ2

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

My take is that

1: Nobody can predict what will happen in the future. We can look at the history of things and try to cypher what might happen and what we are reasonably certain will happen. But nobody knows for sure.

 

2. A lot of money is made from speculation. A lot of money is made from using the land for profit.

Water front property looks nice and brings a good price in most cases. At least here in Washington it does.

 

3. Weather patterns change. Just ask Al Gore about that one. Nobody know how or when, but they will change.

 

4. There is a growing population in the world and at home. We need to feed those people. It takes land to grow food. Land is subject to flood and drought. Not good for the immediate prospect of growing food.

 

5. Expanding urban areas move into the traditional drainage areas of rivers and lakes. Building strip malls and paved streets causes the run off to do just that, run off. The land has no opportunity to absorb large amounts of water and utilize it through plant absorption.

 

6. Urban sprawl takes a lot of productive land out of food production and turns in into sub divisions and shopping malls.

 

7. Badger Mountain Charlie is the world's worst speller.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

7. Badger Mountain Charlie is the world's worst speller.

 

No way.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Yes, WAYY.

[Amos Straight]

I lived in Leland at the time. The flood gauge was 57 ft at Greenville and it kept raining with nowhere for it to go. Yep, flood waters got within 6 miles or less of Leland.

 

On this day my youngest daughter was born about 5 am. As they were resting a buddy and I put jon boats in south of Leland and set out trotlines along treelines near flooded out catfish farms. Boy, did we clean house. Was back at the hospital by one. Neither one will let me forget that. But you gotta go when the gettins good!

 

BTW, that levee system protects some of the most productive farmland in the world. Cotton, corn, rice, catfish, and soybeans. Fact is, it will grow anything.

 

Also, the levee and associated jetties keep the channel mostly straight for barge traffic which is much cheaper than any other means of transporting all kinds of commodities up and down the river.

 

At this point food is high enough as it is. Are some of you saying the levees should be abandoned and the Delta allowed to flood at will? Then I guess all the flood control dams and seawalls should be removed elswhere as well.

 

Amen at that. When Mississippi became a state, the delta was considered totally uninhabitable. A heavily forested swampy breeding ground for malaria and yellow fever. The difficulty my great grand parents must have had clearing their small portion of that area makes that fertile land the most prized and valuable possession I own. Granted, a lot of the delta should not have been cleared and that has now been recognized and is quickly returning to swampy forest - prized hunting grounds! Yankees and big city lawyers pay big money to see duck numbers like that.

 

What I remember about the 73 flood besides raiding the edges of the catfish ponds are the crawfish. Sculling the boat through the woods raking them off the trees by the 100's. Sure would like some of them crawfish now!

 

 

In 73, the river crested at 58.20. Today, Apr 3rd it's at 54.43. The crest is predicted to occur around Apr 17th at 64.50. Not good.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

Amen at that. When Mississippi became a state, the delta was considered totally uninhabitable. A heavily forested swampy breeding ground for malaria and yellow fever. The difficulty my great grand parents must have had clearing their small portion of that area makes that fertile land the most prized and valuable possession I own. Granted, a lot of the delta should not have been cleared and that has now been recognized and is quickly returning to swampy forest - prized hunting grounds! Yankees and big city lawyers pay big money to see duck numbers like that.

 

What I remember about the 73 flood besides raiding the edges of the catfish ponds are the crawfish. Sculling the boat through the woods raking them off the trees by the 100's. Sure would like some of them crawfish now!

 

 

In 73, the river crested at 58.20. Today, Apr 3rd it's at 54.43. The crest is predicted to occur around Apr 17th at 64.50. Not good.

 

Doesn't look good...they had a tough time controlling the sand boils as it was back then.

 

Crawfish!!!! When the waters receded, people were literally raking them out of bar ditches and I have a pic somewhere of a pickup bed full. We cleaned, boiled and froze the tails till we couldn't go no more.

 

I'd like to gig frogs on the Sunflower, trap crawfish, and fish for crappie and brim on Lake Washington and Whittington.....just one more time. However, I don't miss the stifling humidity nor the mosquitoes.

[Subdeacon Joe]

The charges going off

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZErCTZS0Nk

 

The results