Re: [HOE] To raise the Kidd

["Mr Leonard Zimmermann" <zimmerml@cnrf.navy.mil>]

Jeff S wrote:
> As for finding the ship, I don't think it'd be that hard; the Missus Hip
> ain't all that deep.

Just a quick clarification on that. While it is true that the average depth of the Mississippi north of Baton Rouge is around 12-15', at Baton rouge the current channel maintains a depth of closer to 45' reaching it's lowest point here in the New Orleans of around 192'. That's a might deep river, if you ask me. ;) 

Of course in this situation we are talking about what was once a 45' deep river bed that no longer has nearly as large an expanse of water flowing through it. Which to my mind would mean that the Bayou that passes through Baton Rouge in HoE is probably filled up with silt from that 45' depth to around a more normal, for a bayou, 12-15' or shallower. Now how much filled from the time of the war, as compared to when the Mississippi changed course would have to be up to the Marshal. 

However, I would say that even today the river can be dredged out to a, I think, 45' depth for deep water vessels. Even if the Ole Man River decided he'd rather take a visit through Lafayette there's no reason why Baton Rouge or New Orleans would be completely harmed by that prospect. The shipping lanes could be kept open with dredging and it may actually have proven better for the cities in the long term since the ships would no longer have to fight the strength of the current of the Mississippi on their way into the ports. Of course New Orleans could also open alternate routes through Lake Pontchartrain as well so this city should be safe, after suffering the major initial costs of course, even if the River did change course.

Now wether or not the those cities and the State of Louisiana could bear the burden of cost might be up to debate. But we do spend quite a bit now just to make sure the Mississippi stays on its current course, at least from Federal funding.

I'm sorry, what were we talking about? ;)

Actually on a related subject I was wondering if other folks had taken a good long, hard look at why the area would have suffered some of the oddities it did.

My theory is, effectively, a form of global warming with a subsequent rise in sea level. You'd never notice it much on the coast of California and nobody ever sees the East Coast, but I figure if you just raise the mean ocean level 12-20' plenty of areas of South Louisiana would turn into a bunch of shallow islands. The satellite picture in the back of the books is one from before the event and ComSat isn't passing on new ones, so not many folks have really figured it all out. How does that sound?

Hmm... maybe I need to work on a Hell Swamp article for the Epitaph...

Lenny Zimmermann
zarlor@acm.org