Refreshing Rockefeller

[DComeaux]

 

[bill cooksey]

Matt had a lot of fun working with them on that show. He wrote this about the experience. https://www.vanishingparadise.org/blog/2023/3/birds-of-a-feather-rockefeller-together

 

[DComeaux]

Matt had a lot of fun working with them on that show. He wrote this about the experience. https://www.vanishingparadise.org/blog/2023/3/birds-of-a-feather-rockefeller-together

Scooter is a good man. He's trying hard to save what's left. All it takes is money and landowner cooperation with those projects off of the refuge. My hunting/fishing camp is just a mile or so from the refuge complex. I spend a lot of time on that place and surrounding marsh, year round. These western marsh issues don't get near the attention they should, but he's trying. We don't have New Orleans and the Mississippi river as back drops.

 

[bill cooksey]

Scooter is a good man. He's trying hard to save what's left. All it takes is money and landowner cooperation with those projects off of the refuge. My hunting/fishing camp is just a mile or so from the refuge complex. I spend a lot of time on that place and surrounding marsh, year round. These western marsh issues don't get near the attention they should, but he's trying. We don't have New Orleans and the Mississippi river as back drops.

This was the last show on our current contract with Bayou Wild, and it’s been fun. We wanted to try something a little different with this episode, and Larry Reynolds helped get this it set up. Matt just started back in the summer. He’s new to this work, but he’s been a south LA fisherman and duck hunter his whole life, and he cares a great deal about the game, fish and people of the region.

You are right, it’s all important. That said, protecting the MS River for commerce will always get more government attention…and money. Few people in this nation understand how important keeping that river flowing the same way is to our entire economy.

 

[DComeaux]

You are right, it’s all important. That said, protecting the MS River for commerce will always get more government attention…and money. Few people in this nation understand how important keeping that river flowing the same way is to our entire economy.

The Mississippi river issue is a double edged sword for Louisiana.

 

[bill cooksey]

The Mississippi river issue is a double edged sword for Louisiana.

Huge economic driver and the primary reason you have the best redfish and speckled trout fishing in the nation…by far. But the more marsh that disappears, the worse the fishing will get.

 

[DComeaux]

Huge economic driver and the primary reason you have the best redfish and speckled trout fishing in the nation…by far. But the more marsh that disappears, the worse the fishing will get.

I with no doubt would have seen the Mississippi river change it's coarse in my lifetime if not for the Morganza Spillway. It would more than likely be running through Morgan city today within the current Atchafalaya river basin. I get an eerie feeling when crossing that gate in the spring when the river is swollen and angry.

I'm fairly certain you are aware of this structure, but others may not know of it.

In this picture you can make out the leveed corridor the river spill over takes to the Atchafalaya basin when the gates are opened during severe flooding events on the Mississippi. If this structure were to ever fail at that time it would be devastating for Morgan City.

 

[bill cooksey]

I don’t disagree at all. If something happens to allow the river to go where it’s wanted to go for a long time, it will be financially crippling for the nation, and the marsh and land loss in SELA will accelerate in a big way.

 

[ducaholic]

It's the Old River Structure on Highway 15 that keeps the Miss from joining the Atchafalaya at Simmesport. It almost failed in the last big flood of 1973. Since then two additional additional structures were built as back stop gap measures. 30% of Miss. River Water is diverted to the Atchafalaya at the very same location through a man made diversion.

IMO there is only one way to truly rebuild Marsh in SE La. and that is to bust the levees south of the ridge at Jesuit Bend and let the Big Muddy Run wild. Everything else will never amount to much in the big scheme of things when compared to 100 years ago.

I know Bill and his Organization are doing their best but it's just more than man can accomplish no matter how much money is spent. The damage is done!

 

[bill cooksey]

It's the Old River Structure on Highway 15 that keeps the Miss from joining the Atchafalaya at Simmesport. It almost failed in the last big flood of 1973. Since then two additional additional structures were built as back stop gap measures. 30% of Miss. River Water is diverted to the Atchafalaya at the very same location through a man made diversion.

IMO there is only one way to truly rebuild Marsh in SE La. and that is to bust the levees south of the ridge at Jesuit Bend and let the Big Muddy Run wild. Everything else will never amount to much in the big scheme of things when compared to 100 years ago.

I know Bill and his Organization are doing their best but it's just more than man can accomplish no matter how much money is spent. The damage is done!

And that’s not happening for a whole lot of reasons. Sediment diversions can do a hell of a lot. About 50,000 acres from Mid-Barataria alone. Sadly though, some places probably can’t be saved.