Comments on: Mississippi Rising: Apocalypse Now?

By: John Hopkins

John Hopkins — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:46:49 +0000

Of course this is only ONE example of the principle that humans have bolstered defenses against all sorts of natural flows via technology and the excess energy capacity of hydrocarbons during the last 200 years. As those (largely hydrocarbon) energy (re)sources become less and less available, projects like ORC will become impossible to maintain. This applies to everything from viral infections (temporarily eradicated from human systems) to infrastructure projects large and small! I’d recommend Howard T. Odum’s book “Environment, Power, and Society” (2007 edition) for a primer on how these processes are functioning at all scales in the cosmos INCLUDING human scales. It’s simple thermodynamics (it’s not just a theory, it’s The Law!). My blog at http://neoscenes.net/blog/ covers many of these topics — search on applicable keywords to find more info…

By: Steve O

Steve O — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:26:25 +0000

Hear hear to what Mark Checkley says.
I wrote a longer blog post on that exact same thought.
http://www.steveoffutt.com/2011/06/when-mississippi-river-finally-wins.html

By: Mark Checkley

Mark Checkley — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:31:36 +0000

This process is inevitable because it is in a positive feedback loop. The very actions that are taken to gain repeated stays of execution lead more assuredly to the upcoming deltaic switch (which, without engineering invention, would have taken place in the 1970s). It cannot be stopped, but it can be postponed a decade or so. America should already be taking steps to move critical infrastructure from the current channel to the Atchafalaya basin, whilst “holding the fort” on the Mississipi side. Then, with Morgan City developed to take the commercial role of New Orleans and the Cajun peoples of Atchafalaya in holding camps ready to inhabit – along with their treasured culture – the bayou that the current mainline will become, the nation can choose its moment, blow up the control structures, let the water find its own level, and know that the issue is at rest for another 1000 years. Such an undertaking would be expensive almost beyond calculation, but actually LESS expensive than the ongoing battle, which gets harder to win each year and will absorb exponential resource whilst carrying within it the seends of its own destruction. Start now, planning for controlled deltaic switch in 2025, and there is at least the probability of being able to deal with this in a planned way – else wait until the next major flood, see the control structure washed away (and likely the Morganza also will fail under the load) abd have it all happen without preparation or readiness. That’s the choice.

By: Larry Lawson

Larry Lawson — Sat, 14 May 2011 00:30:26 +0000

Thank you for being somewhat honest with me the public, but I believe that all people of this great Nation should know what the citizens of the United States are up against. Whether it be tomorrow or next year, or even 10 years from now. Our country is losing in every way it could lose as a Country. We will soon be nothing more than another Brazil or even worse. We fight all these wars but do we ever get compensated? We all know that answer “NO” well enough is enough. The United States should be compensated for any type of military action we take to help a Nation with no circumstances.

By: Curtis Horn

Curtis Horn — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:14:01 +0000

The solution is simple. Divert shipping to Beaumont, Houston, and Galveston. Use rail to move cargo inland. La. will not like this but better than economic bombshell.

By: Subu

Subu — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:35:52 +0000

The Teton dam seems to be just earth fill .. right ?

…and the latest dams and embankments are much more than just earth fill …

By: Sheila

Sheila — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:21:08 +0000

I read John McPhee’s book a couple of years ago. It scared me to death. I’ve been waiting this spring for somebody to mention the Old River structure. And, yes–it should be headlines. –But isn’t.

By: Barb

Barb — Fri, 06 May 2011 02:53:52 +0000

The flood is overwhelming enough,but was the earthquake fault considered when the levy was blown up in New Madrid? When thinking of the amount and weight of the water pressure on the river bottom,the fear struck me. I hope I am wrong!

By: SiGraybeard

SiGraybeard — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:03:47 +0000

Linked back from my little blog. Trying to help get this word out.

Thanks!

By: Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:51:47 +0000

In condensing the story of the origin, I did leave the above facts out. Thanks for supplying them.