Rising tide puts us in our place
Published Friday, April 18, 2008
Through the years our country has spent billions and billions (I'm guessing here a bit, but it seems logical) in attempts to control the Mississippi River.
But despite all of those efforts, occasionally the big guy upstairs reminds us all that He -- not us -- is in charge.
It's an interesting thing to consider as you look out over the Mighty Mississippi which stretches some 2,340 miles and (before the higher flood levels) pumps out nearly 600,000 cubic feet of water every second at its mouth.
That's an incredible amount. In fact, it's difficult to get your head wrapped around.
What's more amazing is that the river starts as a small ribbon in the north and slowly grows into the enormous creature that drains approximately 40 percent of the United States.
In addition, the Mississippi and its tributaries drain approximately 1.25 million square miles of land.
Even on a normal (read: not major flood event) day the Mississippi is incredible awe-inspiring. With what's becoming a lifetime flood event, the scene is staggering.
Today, seeing the powerful river scream by it makes me realize how insignificant we are in this great big world. We can fight the tide as hard as we're humanly possible, but ultimately, we're not in control. I guess it's good to keep that in mind -- always.
Comments
There is probably a cubic mile of water flowing past Natchez every 24 hours. A cubic mile of water is about 1.1 trillion gallons.
Another way to explain it. If you could divert the flow of the Big Muddy right now, you could fill a 135,000 acre lake to an average depth of 25 feet in 24 hours.
Or the Mississippi River flow would fill 42 Olympic size swimming pools in one second.
Gemc. And Gary, forever the great informants. Love it. Thanks for breaking it down for us.
Maybe some of you engineers can figure out how to harness some of that water power flowing by us in order to generate electricity. Without making a dam, of course.
Then the next great challenge is for you to figure out how we (Mississippi/Louisiana) can sell some of that water to Arizona and California.
OldGrandDad, I think there is something under way for generating electric power from the river without dams. I will have to do some research to find the article.
gemccull, I never saw an article but in the legal section several months ago I saw where Wayne Krouse was getting permits or something along that line to put water powered generators in the river. Maybe you can find out more. The company he owns or works for was called Green something. Pop
Try this site: http://www.time.com/time/insidebiz/artic...
It is not the article that I remember reading but..........
I think the article was in the Concordia Sentinel a few months back??
Excellent article and information. Thanks. That would sort of be like a wind farm, I guess. Only underwater. Strange that they would worry about fish. I read that one of those wind farms in California knocks off about 1000 golden eagles per year.
Try this site about wind farms: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005...
Yep. Thats the place I read about. It was hard to believe when I read how many eagles, hawks and falcons they kill every year.
And I remember reading that the Kennedy family got themselves in trouble when it was discovered they were helping to fight the proposed wind farm on Cape Cod. Seems they did not want to have to look at it. But it hurt their "green" image.
They also ran Moonshine in the good ole' days also Gramps!
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