[Ted Davisson]

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Regardless of the source that you may use to receive the country's river stages from , they are all predicting a banner year for a high river on the Lower Mississippi and the Ohio rivers . The latest I have heard so far is that the river in New Orleans should crest on the 9th of April at about 16.9 on the New Orleans , Carrolton gage . Today the river is at about 12.6 feet , so we're looking at least another 4 feet for the river to come up , if of course there is no more additional rain or snowfall in the midwest . Flood stage in New Orleans is 17 feet on the New Orleans , Carrolton gage and my gut tells me that in all likelyhood we will easily exceed that benchmark . One thing that may help eleveate the dangers and risks that a high river condition brings is if the Corps of Engineers does what they're suppose to do and open the Bonne Carre Spillway , located up river from New Orleans at about river mile 128 ahp , LMR . However , the problem that the Corps experiences each and every time the river comes up to this stage and they prepare to open the wickets in the Bonne Carre Spillway is of a political nature with the local authorities whom receive pressure from other local interest from the fishing and oyster industry . The reason for this is that when the spillway is opened the relative fresh river water passes through the spillway and then enters into Lake Ponchetrain and both stirs up and literally muddies the waters of the lake . The irony of this action is that everyone agrees that this fresh water from the river also provides the much needed nutrients needed by the fish and oysters to survive and live in . However , the local fishing industry and even a few environmentalist always find a reason to prevent and block the Corps from opening the spillway . In the pictures I have provided is a shot of the Bonne Carre Spillway and one of the Algiers Point Light , which both show how the water has reached a much higher than normal condition . What has always astounded me concerning this issue is how can the concerns fo the local fishing industry take priority over not only the safety of the entire city of New Orleans and the entire New Orleans maritime industry . I for one feel that the local politicians should get their priorities in better order and determine which industry should be better protected and safe guarded from these high river water issues .
Smoothe Sailing !
Ted Davisson