News

Mississippi Has Invested Millions of Dollars to Save Its Oysters. They’re Disappearing Anyway.

CBS Minnesota: NOAA still cautions potential for “major” spring flooding along Mississippi River.

Just decided – NEPA for Bonne Carre opening: Harrison Cnty., Miss. v. Army Corps of Eng’rs , 5th Cir., No. 21-60897, 3/27/23.

Related case – Fish and Wildlife consultation for Bonne Carre opening: HARRISON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, et al. PLAINTIFFS v. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DEFENDANT. Additional Party Names: City of Biloxi, Mississippi, City of D’Iberville, Mississippi, City of Diamondhead, Mississippi, City of Pass Christian, Mississippi, City of Waveland, Mississippi, Hancock Cnty., Mississippi, Mississippi Com. Fisheries United, Inc., Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Ass’n, No. 1:19CV986-LG-RPM, 2023 WL 2585661 (S.D. Miss. Jan. 18, 2023)

Assignment

We are going to take a hard look at the Mississippi River and delta as an introduction to our discussion of flood law and adaptation. The key fact about the Louisiana coast is that it is very flat and very low. Review this map to get a sense of the elevation of coastal Louisiana. Focus on the red areas, which are less than 5 foot above sea level:

State of Louisiana—Highlighting Low-Lying Areas Derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data By John J. Kosovich 2008

The story of Louisiana is the story of trying to control the Mississippi and exploit the delta. A key piece of this is the problem of keeping the Mississippi from changing courses and stranding Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which becomes more likely with climate change.

Find the Old River Control Structure on Google Maps and look at it and the river from a satellite view, then follow down the Atchafalaya floodway to Morgan City to see where the water would go if the structure fails.

Read: John McPhee, Atchafalaya, New Yorker (1987) (pdf version)

McPhee is one the top living nonfiction writers. This is his New Yorker article on flood control on the lower Mississippi and New Orleans, with a focus on the Old River Control Structure. It is a fascinating blend of science and history and is very well written.

Now read a modern analysis of the risks:

Part 1 of this series: America’s Achilles’ Heel: the Mississippi River’s Old River Control Structure
Part 2 of this series: Escalating Floods Putting Mississippi River’s Old River Control Structure at Risk
Part 3 of this series: If the Old River Control Structure Fails: A Catastrophe With Global Impact

Delta slides – working