05/09/2019
Is the river ever going to go down? Since 2010 the Mississippi River at Natchez has been a constant crisis for both Adams County and Concordia Parrish. How much has it cost our citizens? I say millions. Think of the millions of acres of timber flooded mostly for years. Think of the hunting land flooded for years. (Love or hate hunting, hunters spend money.) Think of the delayed or prevented planting by the local farmers. Think of the missed tourist and recreation opportunities. But why?
Why has the river been this constant disaster for a decade? Well, The Corps tells us weather, but does the data support that conclusion? Well for short term events yes. A big rain north of us will increase river level south, but that will not explain high river levels all year. If you look at the data from the us weather service. Rain and snow fall north of us has not on average increased.
If that is true. Why is the river so much higher year round? If the same amount (volume)of water on average is traveling to the ocean as 15 years ago why is the channel running at a much higher level. What has changed?
Well the biggest change is that in the early 2000’s for environmental and budgetary reasons the Corps stopped dredging the river. Since then the average daily height of the river has been on the increase. The Corps will tell you dredging has nothing to do with river-level. I call shenanigans. When a drainage ditch fills up with sediment it overflows!
I am asking all of you to call on the US Army Corps. Of Engineering to fix this issue. Call them. Write them. Go to meetings. If this is not fixed we the people will loose so much. Here is a short list of examples:
The Vidalia river front, Natchez Under the Hill, Magnolia Vale, farming In Concordia Parrish, Anna’s Bottom, Rodney, fort Adams, all river side hunting and recreation, all the tourist boat docks, etc
