Nice overnight spot will be flooded

[W4RLR]

I was reading the news last night about the Mississippi River flooding and the government's plan to allow excess water to go into the Atchafalaya River basin. There is a very nice welcome center with big rig, auto, and dedicated RV parking right off of I-10 that according to the Corps of Engineers, will be in the area that will be flooded up to fifteen feet. The entire village of Butte La Rose, just south of the welcome center, is being evacuated.

I spent a nice night there, very quiet, restrooms were open 24/7, and there was overnight security. The welcome center has some very interesting displays as well. It's sad that the entire place is going to be flooded.

[Wayne M]

And what was stated on on program, they have not accounted for the fact that the Atchafalaya has silted quite a bit over the years and will not hold as much water as was previously presumed. That is what I heard. I traveled over it today and the waters were quite high and the spillway has not opened yet. The LA news stations had some stories on people and their moving all of their stuff because they know their homes will be underwater. It is a tragedy that is about to happen.

[jgore]

I have spent a night or two there. Real nice. Hope some consideration was taken and some of the items in the VC were removed.

[DriVer]

Give thanks for everyday ......

I just hope that for all the effort that is being applied toward this flood relief that some good will come out of it. CBC Sunday morning had a piece on it and I see where that area is very beautiful but tragically endangered by the runoff from the spillway. More openings are scheduled for today.

Surely one must appreciate their own position that they place themselves in when they commit their assets to living in that parish. I would even go as far as saying that these folks might not even qualify to buy flood insurance it's so bad.

Like one resident said, "It's the price you have to pay to live in paradise."

I also hope that those millions of people that are being spared the grief of flooding by the few, will not be the ones that drag their feet when those displaced ask for assistance in restoring what they had.

It will take years to restore that area once this is over I'm sure because all of that water is so nasty and the rich farm lands in the parishes there will surely be adversely affected. Some people may never recover and that loss to the community isn't easily recovered if at all.

This is a major tragedy that extends all the way upriver as far as I can see from here on TV. I am very sad for those people and I hope that in time they can recover their lives and be able to restore what would be a normal lifestyle in the near future. God bless them all.

[Glassalley52]

Discussion this morning w/DH on the spillway: why is the flooding of the farm land not a bigger issue as it relates to the feeding of the many as opposed to the homes and possessions of the many? Not easy either way. Prayers for all in the path of the flood waters being released.

[W4RLR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glassalley52 Discussion this morning w/DH on the spillway: why is the flooding of the farm land not a bigger issue as it relates to the feeding of the many as opposed to the homes and possessions of the many? Not easy either way. Prayers for all in the path of the flood waters being released.

Sad to say, but it all comes down to the Golden Rule. Those who have or control the gold make the rules. Losses of the petrochemical, shipping, and financial industries are far lower when the flood waters can be dispersed elsewhere, on people who have little financial or political power.

[LibbyLA]

This is part of an e-mail that was forwarded to me from the local (Baton Rouge) animal welfare group about that welcome center and the animals there. I left out the fundraising plea since I didn't think it would be appropriate but thought that the info about the animals might be of interest:

We've got 7 of the eight cats from the Atchafalaya Welcome Center. Six of them are at my house, one was trapped this morn and is being transported tonight. We also got the injured beagle who is at a shelter in New Orleans. There are trappers at the center at this moment trying to get the last cat.

We also found two cats and a kitten at a grocery store just past the welcome center. All were trapped, the two adults are at a vet waiting to be spayed/neutered and the kitten had to be euthanized because he had a broken back and could not walk. May have been hit by a car. The two adults will be coming to my house next week.

We also found another dog with puppies who trappers are trying to get tonight. I went to the welcome center this evening to check on the dog because someone had mentioned that it looked like she may be nursing (& she is nursing) and to also check on the remaining cat. I ended up staying much later than I expected and talked to the trappers there tonight on a better strategy to get the cat, who does not go into traps.

Time is really running out, and soon we will be unable to take the exit off the interstate. I've seen so much wildlife at the welcome center, as is all over the flooding areas. It's just so sad.