We are supposedly in crisis mode in our state due to subsidence and coastal land erosion. We are begging endlessly for the federal gov't to take us seriously and give money for programs to combat these problems. I certainly hope they do, but so far they have not and I can see why when I look at it from their assumed point of view. We have very expensive programs in place already which we are not using enough! Why should they give us more money for new projects? Davis Pond and Caernarvon should be at max capacity always unless there is critical reasons not to. And those good reasons do not include the whining oyster fishermen and other commercial fishermen. You can't have it both ways in the short term. You either pump as much freshwater as possible and build for the long-term sacrificing some commercial fishing grounds, or pump only what doesn't harm the commercial fisheries. If you only pump that small amount then you have no basis for complaining and asking for more money for another underused project. Nobody wants to step up and just say what needs to be said, but we need more people to consider this stuff. This kind of behavior is typical of how we have gotten the miserable reputation we have around the country. My old civics teacher in high school used to say 'you can't help those who don't help themselves' and Ms. Torregano was exactly right. If we don't run the pumps for maximum effect, we don't deserve any further help. Small town politics and the lobby of the commercial fishermen have overcome the greater good. Until this is resolved, we'll continue to move backwards.
I can hear the hate mail from commercial fishing interests being typed already. But thats ok because there needs to be intelligent discussion on this matter. Lets get the data out there, discuss it and make decisions. Get the political muscle in motion to make the gutsy calls. Lets see if this can get something started. Bring it on, baby!

I agree, reluctantly. There seems to be little point of having a freshwater diversion. We need sediment diversions to build the marsh, not just freshwater.

The break in the levee is probably a lot more useful, because it will provide sediment as well....and a whole lot cheaper than man-made spillways.

The logic is supposed to mimic the flow of the river, I guess...

I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED IS WHY
THERE IS AN UNPLANNED HOLE IN OUR LEVEE SYSTEM. NEXT QUESTION IS WHEN IT'S GONNA BE REPAIRED. THAT ANSWER DEPENDS ON WHO IS DOWNSTREAM. I CAN GUARANTEE IF THE HOLE SHOWED UP SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS, IT WOULD BE FIXED YESTERDAY! IF THAT LEVEE FAILS, TALK ABOUT LONG AND SHORT TERM PROBLEMS....TAKE YOUR PICK. I HEARD SOMEONE USE THE TERM 'NATURE'S SYPHON'....WELL, JUST REMEMBER IT'S OLD MAN RIVER WHO'S HOLDING THE STRAW!

LOUDEST SQUEAK

the water pumped from ole man river is heavily sediment laden. And you are correct that sediment is key to rebuilding land. Fortunately the freshwater pumped or siphoned over the levee is loaded with not only sediment, but nutrients, baitfish, gamefish, etc. Actually an entire food chain is carried by the water. The result is a virtual explosion in the quantity and quality of life in the marshes as a result of this, not to mention rebuilding land. I just wish we would do more of it.

The reason for the highs and lows of water flow is that there currently is a pulse study under way. During this time, they allow large amounts of water to flow through for a short time, and then shut it down to a trickle. It allows them to study the efects of large influxes of freshwater.

I actually wish they would just let the diversion flow as high as possible. Seems an awful waste of money to have the diversion there and not use it ot the fullest extent possible when the river is high (which is when the area traditionally flooded anyway).

Of course, sediment is what's needed to rebuild marshes. But the freshwater diversions can be a vital tool to slow down the deterioration. Sediment diversions are very controversial, with people getting really uptight (even anglers) because they are forced to change their habits. Believe it or not, I've heard anglers complain about sedimentation in the Atchafalaya Delta and south of Venice. Makes you wonder.

I wonder what they call the study of 'no flow' at Davis Pond? At least last I heard it was essentially no flow. Except for a Gov. photo-op grand opening symbolic flow, I don't think it has ever pumped water into the marsh.

Davis Pond is trickling at 1,000 cfs. Its capacity, when it was constructed, was supposed to be 10,000 cfs. You can check the flow of both the Caernarvon and Davis Pond diversions by clicking on the links on the www.louisianasportsman.com weather page.

Davis pond has been flowing at between 1000 and 1500 cfs for a good while now. It has gone higher to at least 3000 or more and has been shut off completely at times to prevent flooding.

The design had some problems and they are trying to fix that last I heard. First was the problem of the Dike doing to good a job as it filled with debris and wouldn't allow the water to flow through quickly enough. The second problem IS that the containment dikes need to be raised to prevent the flooding.

Until they fix these problems the flow will have to remain low. I don't have a timeline on the containment levee's.

If you saw Capt. Solars report, its very evident of whats going on. We've been catching Bass on shrimp within a 25 sq. mile area of Beshels