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South Mississippi groups sound alarm on potential Bonnet Carre Spillway opening
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:11 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:11 am
quote:
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - There is a very real threat of fresh water invading the Mississippi Sound. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is testing the Bonnet Carre Spillway on Monday as groups in South Mississippi plead for alternative measures.
Right now, the projected rising levels on the Mississippi River will be enough to open the Bonnet Carre Spillway, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources told WLOX News.
quote:
“It’s the smallest opening in recent history,” Spraggins added. “In 2018, it opened for 180 days with only 18 to 20 bays. We didn’t see a disaster during that time.”
While DMR downplays the potential impacts, local groups like the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and the Mississippi Sound Coalition are sounding the alarm.
“We are very concerned. The largest number of dolphins that died during my history of 40 years was during the Bonnet Carre opening [in 2019]. It was more than the BP oil spill,” IMMS Executive Director Moby Solangi said.
He sent a letter to the Corps of Engineers that highlighted the 153 bottlenose dolphin deaths that were attributed to freshwater toxicity.
“When they start dying, we know the ecosystem that supported them is gone,” Solangi explained. “And once they are gone, guess who is next? You and me.”
quote:
Solangi and others want to see the Morganza spillway opened instead.
Louisiana’s second dam is about 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge.
Instead of opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway to expel excess fresh water into Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi Sound, Solangi and others want to see the Morganza open to lessen the potential blow dealt by the Bonnet Carre.
quote:
The Corps of Engineers maintains that it cannot open the Morganza until it reaches 1.5 million cubic feet per second water flow. Wiygul thinks otherwise.
quote:
Compounding the problem, he added, is that there is no representation for Mississippi on the Mississippi River Commission -- the policy-making body under the Corps of Engineers.
LINK
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Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:12 am to ragincajun03
quote:
When they start dying, we know the ecosystem that supported them is gone,” Solangi explained. “And once they are gone, guess who is next? You and me.”
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:14 am to ragincajun03
quote:
Compounding the problem, he added, is that there is no representation for Mississippi on the Mississippi River Commission
A very Stateist commission.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 9:14 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:17 am to ragincajun03
I crossed the Morganza Spillway a week and a half ago. Water from the Mississippi hasn't reached the gates of the spillway yet. There's nothing to flow through them. Unless it's flooded since then. Anyone here crossed recently?
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 9:18 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:17 am to ragincajun03
quote:
The Corps of Engineers maintains that it cannot open the Morganza until it reaches 1.5 million cubic feet per second water flow. Wiygul thinks otherwise
This is the issue. There is now water at the riverside of the spillway until it reaches a certain CFS flow rate. So you can’t just divert water if there is no water to divert
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:19 am to ragincajun03
quote:
And once they are gone, guess who is next? You and me.”
Porpoise prices are going to be through the roof!
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:21 am to ragincajun03
quote:
“And once they are gone, guess who is next? You and me.”
Does he live in the water?
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:23 am to ragincajun03
quote:
Solangi and others want to see the Morganza open to lessen the potential blow dealt by the Bonnet Carre.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:26 am to ragincajun03
Crossing the opened Spillway on the Amtrak City of New Orleans (CN trackage between NOLA and Hammond) is always an interesting experience.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:27 am to ragincajun03
These people are utterly insane. They would gladly flood all of South Louisiana in exchange for a better oyster crop.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:34 am to 4x4tiger
Yes it is floded now. You likely crossed over it a day or two before it started spilling over the "potato" levee as its called.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:35 am to ragincajun03
The freshwater intrusion into the Mississippi Sound is an issue for "normal" wildlife. I remember last time pictures of dolphins with skin infections due to prolonged freshwater exposure. The prolonged freshwater exposure really messes with their electrolyte balance.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:35 am to ragincajun03
I wonder what happened to the bottle nosed dolphins and the oyster beds before humans ever built flood control structures and the river flooded its natural banks into the saltwater estuaries semi-regularly?
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:36 am to 4x4tiger
quote:
I crossed the Morganza Spillway a week and a half ago. Water from the Mississippi hasn't reached the gates of the spillway yet. There's nothing to flow through them. Unless it's flooded since then. Anyone here crossed recently?
I crossed it Sunday evening. Water is up, almost to the top of side of the highway. No flood gates open. Not sure they will open them unless it gets worse.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:36 am to MrBobDobalina
sounds like the idiots in California that would rather burn to death than harm a fish in the rivers u there
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:36 am to GumboPot
This is a small opening that may or may not happen and it won’t last very long.
These folks are sky screaming for attention.
These folks are sky screaming for attention.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:38 am to Jimbeaux
quote:
I wonder what happened to the bottle nosed dolphins and the oyster beds before humans ever built flood control structures and the river flooded its natural banks into the saltwater estuaries semi-regularly?
Nothing, because the annual floods were so spread out.
This is focused and channel freshwater flooding into the Mississippi Sound via Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:39 am to ragincajun03
quote:
“And once they are gone, guess who is next? You and me.”
I’m not following the logic here.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:39 am to 0x15E
quote:
Porpoise prices are going to be through the roof!
And it’s on purpose…
Porpoise prices predictably peak precipitously post purposeful, perilous ploy.
Suspicious Spillway spillage suspected sources say.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 9:39 am to GumboPot
quote:
electrolyte balance.
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