http://www.semissourian.com/story/1724095.html
SIKESTON, Mo. -- A third levee breach planned for Tuesday is being delayed by at least 24 hours because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used too much of the explosives on the first two detonations and do not have enough for the third breach yet, corps officials said at a news conference Tuesday evening.
2011 Historic River Floods & CorpEng management
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
Additional slurry material for blasting the third levee section (outflow crevasse) is expected to arrive later today.
We expect it to take approximately 3 hours to load into pipes.
The earliest we could complete the breaching of this levee section would be 8 or 9 p.m. tonight.
We'll continue to post regular updates.
We expect it to take approximately 3 hours to load into pipes.
The earliest we could complete the breaching of this levee section would be 8 or 9 p.m. tonight.
We'll continue to post regular updates.
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
We will open the third crevasse (outflow) of the Birds Point New Madrid Floodway tomorrow (Thursday) at approximately 1 pm. Col. Reichling, Memphis District Commander, will speak following the operation.
http://www.semissourian.com/story/1724435.html
The final blast in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to breach the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway will happen at 1 p.m. today, the corps announced Wednesday night.
The announcement came shortly after it was learned the third and final blast was being delayed again, this time due to "logistical challenges," corps spokesman Jim Pogue said Wednesday afternoon.
"It looks like the timeline is getting pushed out a little further," Pogue said at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. "But the smart money says it ain't going to happen tonight."
Shortly after 9 p.m., the corps made the announcement about the today's blast.
The corps had already twice delayed this third controlled breaching, which would create a second 5,500-foot outflow hole for Mississippi River waters to escape the 200-square-mile floodway. After the corps activated the plan Monday night by blowing a 11,000-foot inflow break, it intended to blow the second and third holes near New Madrid, Mo., on Tuesday.
But the corps encountered lightning in the overnight hours Tuesday morning, which caused it to delay the second and third detonations. Tuesday afternoon the corps detonated the second phase for outflow at the southern end of the floodway near New Madrid, Mo. Then, during a news conference Tuesday evening, corps officers announced they were unable to follow through with plans for the third because they and did not have enough explosives for the third breach.
"It's just taking longer," Pogue said. "We're into some stuff that hasn't necessarily been rehearsed before. It's logistical challenges."
The corps had acquired additional explosives from a vendor in Marion, Ill., Wednesday.
The corps activated the floodway, inundating the 130,000 acres of Southeast Missouri farmland, in an effort to lower floodwaters in communities in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky.
The Ohio River at Cairo, Ill., was at 59.71 feet at 10 p.m. Wednesday, down from its historic crest of 61.72 feet at 10 p.m. Monday, before the effects of the first levee blast were felt. The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau was at 43.64 as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, down from its crest of 46.28 feet Monday. The record at Cape Girardeau is 48.5 feet.
As the corps continues to work toward completing the floodway's activation, more information surfaced Wednesday about how much the breaching could cost Mississippi County. According to estimates from the Center for Economic and Business Research at Southeast Missouri State University, the intentional breaching of the levee could cost Mississippi County 522 jobs this year alone.
Dr. Bruce Domazlicky, director of the center, used the IMPLAN model to estimate the economic impact of 130,000 acres of farmland underwater. The value of the land, about half of Mississippi County's total cultivated farmland, is estimated at $300 million by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Net cash income from farming in Mississippi County was $39 million in the last agricultural census in 2007.
Anticipating a one-half reduction in agricultural production in Mississippi County, to $19.5 million, yields an employment decline of 522 jobs in 2011, according to Domazlicky's calculations. This represents almost 9 percent of total full-time equivalent employment in Mississippi County.
Labor income is estimated to fall by about $12 million, about 9 percent of the county's total labor income.
Total revenue/sales in the county will decline by $93,457,000 or 14.4 percent.
The figures are estimated just for 2011 using the IMPLAN model which looks at the direct, indirect and the induced effects of an economic change.
"If it is several years until the flooded acres become usable again, we can expect similar impacts to continue into the future," Domazlicky said.
smoyers(at)semissourian.com
http://www.semissourian.com/story/1724435.html
The final blast in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to breach the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway will happen at 1 p.m. today, the corps announced Wednesday night.
The announcement came shortly after it was learned the third and final blast was being delayed again, this time due to "logistical challenges," corps spokesman Jim Pogue said Wednesday afternoon.
"It looks like the timeline is getting pushed out a little further," Pogue said at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. "But the smart money says it ain't going to happen tonight."
Shortly after 9 p.m., the corps made the announcement about the today's blast.
The corps had already twice delayed this third controlled breaching, which would create a second 5,500-foot outflow hole for Mississippi River waters to escape the 200-square-mile floodway. After the corps activated the plan Monday night by blowing a 11,000-foot inflow break, it intended to blow the second and third holes near New Madrid, Mo., on Tuesday.
But the corps encountered lightning in the overnight hours Tuesday morning, which caused it to delay the second and third detonations. Tuesday afternoon the corps detonated the second phase for outflow at the southern end of the floodway near New Madrid, Mo. Then, during a news conference Tuesday evening, corps officers announced they were unable to follow through with plans for the third because they and did not have enough explosives for the third breach.
"It's just taking longer," Pogue said. "We're into some stuff that hasn't necessarily been rehearsed before. It's logistical challenges."
The corps had acquired additional explosives from a vendor in Marion, Ill., Wednesday.
The corps activated the floodway, inundating the 130,000 acres of Southeast Missouri farmland, in an effort to lower floodwaters in communities in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky.
The Ohio River at Cairo, Ill., was at 59.71 feet at 10 p.m. Wednesday, down from its historic crest of 61.72 feet at 10 p.m. Monday, before the effects of the first levee blast were felt. The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau was at 43.64 as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, down from its crest of 46.28 feet Monday. The record at Cape Girardeau is 48.5 feet.
As the corps continues to work toward completing the floodway's activation, more information surfaced Wednesday about how much the breaching could cost Mississippi County. According to estimates from the Center for Economic and Business Research at Southeast Missouri State University, the intentional breaching of the levee could cost Mississippi County 522 jobs this year alone.
Dr. Bruce Domazlicky, director of the center, used the IMPLAN model to estimate the economic impact of 130,000 acres of farmland underwater. The value of the land, about half of Mississippi County's total cultivated farmland, is estimated at $300 million by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Net cash income from farming in Mississippi County was $39 million in the last agricultural census in 2007.
Anticipating a one-half reduction in agricultural production in Mississippi County, to $19.5 million, yields an employment decline of 522 jobs in 2011, according to Domazlicky's calculations. This represents almost 9 percent of total full-time equivalent employment in Mississippi County.
Labor income is estimated to fall by about $12 million, about 9 percent of the county's total labor income.
Total revenue/sales in the county will decline by $93,457,000 or 14.4 percent.
The figures are estimated just for 2011 using the IMPLAN model which looks at the direct, indirect and the induced effects of an economic change.
"If it is several years until the flooded acres become usable again, we can expect similar impacts to continue into the future," Domazlicky said.
smoyers(at)semissourian.com
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110504/ap_ ... ooding_149
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Flood worries that prompted the U.S. government to blast open a Missouri levee to ease pressure on some towns are rippling down the Mississippi River, leading to more evacuations and unease as the Army Corps of Engineers weighs whether to purposely inundate more land with water.
The breach of southeastern Missouri's Birds Point levee was heralded by some Illinois towns along the Ohio River as a needed relief from record flooding, and the man who ordered that action says he may do the same with other Mississippi River spillways as flood prospects mount.
Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh said he understood the farmers' frustration at the corps' decision to sacrifice the levee Monday and send a wall of water over 130,000 acres of farmland. A lawsuit was filed to try to save the land, but was unsuccessful.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Flood worries that prompted the U.S. government to blast open a Missouri levee to ease pressure on some towns are rippling down the Mississippi River, leading to more evacuations and unease as the Army Corps of Engineers weighs whether to purposely inundate more land with water.
The breach of southeastern Missouri's Birds Point levee was heralded by some Illinois towns along the Ohio River as a needed relief from record flooding, and the man who ordered that action says he may do the same with other Mississippi River spillways as flood prospects mount.
Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh said he understood the farmers' frustration at the corps' decision to sacrifice the levee Monday and send a wall of water over 130,000 acres of farmland. A lawsuit was filed to try to save the land, but was unsuccessful.
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CajunMama
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Evacuations have begun near here. Butte La Rose, LA is under voluntary evacuation. No one is allowed to ride on the levees. Police will arrest you if you do. Butte La Rose is about 18 miles from Lafayette as the crow flies and is in the Atchafalaya Basin.
Morgan City will probably flood because it's the low city on the totem pole. The ACE isn't about to let Baton Rouge or New Orleans flood.
Morgan City will probably flood because it's the low city on the totem pole. The ACE isn't about to let Baton Rouge or New Orleans flood.
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Re:
CajunMama wrote:Evacuations have begun near here. Butte La Rose, LA is under voluntary evacuation. No one is allowed to ride on the levees. Police will arrest you if you do. Butte La Rose is about 18 miles from Lafayette as the crow flies and is in the Atchafalaya Basin.
Morgan City will probably flood because it's the low city on the totem pole. The ACE isn't about to let Baton Rouge or New Orleans flood.
Yeah, I have a friend who lives "down on da butte". Not a camp, his home with his family. Don't know if the vol evac is b/c they anticipate opening the Morganza, or if it's gonna flood either way? Wish we knew if they were gonna open it, or not. The media is driving people crazy with the "will they/won't they" coverage.
Morgan City has a pretty impressive flood wall, so hopefully they will be ok.
On a more "doomsday" note, the worst case scenario is the opposite of BR/NOLA flooding. It's the Old River Control Structure failing, leaving us all high and dry. Didn't fare to well in the 73 flood, let's hope they have made substantial improvements!
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MGC
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
Yep, if that old river control structure fails and lets the Mighty Mississippi change course it would be a disaster.....MGC
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CajunMama
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Where are you from monica?
From what i'm reading on KATC-TV 3 in Lafayette the houses in Butte La Rose will possibly be under water. It may be as bad if not worse than the flood of 1973.
http://www.katc.com/news/flooding-similar-or-worse-than-1973-possible/
From what i'm reading on KATC-TV 3 in Lafayette the houses in Butte La Rose will possibly be under water. It may be as bad if not worse than the flood of 1973.
http://www.katc.com/news/flooding-similar-or-worse-than-1973-possible/
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
From what I have heard this week, there is no question about using the Morganza.
Many things have changed since 1973 in that the Atchafalaya Basin has silted in. People have moved into areas of adjacent parishes, which while not in the Morganza Floodway, are hydrologically connected. Many of these areas were farmland in 1973 that was inudated then. Farmland has sold out to subdivisions. Thus water levels could be higher and more folks will be impacted. I expect the floodway will be slowly opened to give wildlife time to evacuate, including those black bears.
Many things have changed since 1973 in that the Atchafalaya Basin has silted in. People have moved into areas of adjacent parishes, which while not in the Morganza Floodway, are hydrologically connected. Many of these areas were farmland in 1973 that was inudated then. Farmland has sold out to subdivisions. Thus water levels could be higher and more folks will be impacted. I expect the floodway will be slowly opened to give wildlife time to evacuate, including those black bears.
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I'm from laffy (actually Milton, but no one knows whe that is) originally, but live in BR.
The advocate and TP have been far less certain about the fate of the spillway, but with the crest expected to be higher than the low points of the main line levee in downtown BR, I don't see how they have much choice.
As for the wildlife, I work for DWF and the "old timer" I work with said back in 73 they were out in the basin roping deer to keep them from drowning. Its gonna be interesting. My office (the basin near belle river) is about to be underwater.
(
The advocate and TP have been far less certain about the fate of the spillway, but with the crest expected to be higher than the low points of the main line levee in downtown BR, I don't see how they have much choice.
As for the wildlife, I work for DWF and the "old timer" I work with said back in 73 they were out in the basin roping deer to keep them from drowning. Its gonna be interesting. My office (the basin near belle river) is about to be underwater.
(
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Re:
CajunMama wrote:Ha! I know exactly where Milton is! I live right by Comeaux High School, the high school the Milton kids end up going to!
An article i read, The Advertiser, KATC, KLFY, i'm not sure where it was from said to be careful about the displaced wildlife.
I went to STM, Comeaux was our arch rival!!
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WeatherGuesser
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
Kennethb wrote:Many of these areas were farmland in 1973 that was inudated then. Farmland has sold out to subdivisions. Thus water levels could be higher and more folks will be impacted.
Maybe someday they'll learn, eh?
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CajunMama
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/bcarre/missriver.asp
Good link for the ACE web page for latest on the Atchafalaya, Mississippi and Morganza Spillways
Good link for the ACE web page for latest on the Atchafalaya, Mississippi and Morganza Spillways
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Re: Corp of Engineers blow levee - video
Great link, thanks. The flood map assumes the opening of Morganza, I assume?
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bvigal
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Certainly will be keeping an eye open for you guys. This is definitely historic flood. It is worse during different years in different places. 93 was so bad in on Mississippi and Missouri rivers so broke records in Missouri, Iowa,Kansas, etc. 73 was bad, too but this has been the worst for Cairo/Ohio in history and very near the worst on record for the Mississippi from just above the Ohio confluence. Missouri is still under backwater from flash floods that can't drain off until the river goes way down and the Bird's Point begins to drain out. Two lakes in Southeast Missouri went over their spillways, and I know Kentucky and Barkley and others were full - they can't hold any more. So it all depends on future rain. Pray like crazy!!
hydro down to Vicksburg, already in major flooding state!
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.ph ... 8,2,9,15,6
hydro down to Vicksburg, already in major flooding state!
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.ph ... 8,2,9,15,6
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CajunMama
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Re: Levees & flooding- & CorpEng management
Our local paper, The Advertiser had this interactive map with flooded/expected flood height and compares it to the 1927 flood.
See water levels along the Mississippi
See water levels along the Mississippi
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Stephanie
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Re:
CajunMama wrote:Gov. Jindal said the Morganza Spillway is to open within the next 24 hours. My prayers and thoughts go out to those who homes/businesses will be flooded so that Baton Rouge and New Orleans will be spared.
My prayers go out to all that will be affected by the opening of the Spillway. There was never going to be a "good" answer to how to handle the inevitable.
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Re:
CajunMama wrote:Gov. Jindal said the Morganza Spillway is to open within the next 24 hours. My prayers and thoughts go out to those who homes/businesses will be flooded so that Baton Rouge and New Orleans will be spared.
Agreed. Bon chance, mes amis. Our hearts are with you. Remember that all those with cajun heritage are ancestors of a group of exiled Acadians who settled these lands long before the Corps or the levees got here. The strength and resiliency of their blood line is alive and well in Cajun country. It's the one thing the river can't wash away.
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