Yazoo Backwater Pump back in the news

[novacaine]

I stand corrected........originally ag wasnt in the c/b analysis.......Rules got changed to include.
Sorry for the misinformation.

[Wildfowler]

If the intent was to "Drain Wetlands" all the Corps would have to do is leave the gates open during low water periods, rather than closing them in order to hold water in the backwater area, I think it is something like 70' they try to hold back.

I don’t recognize this but I think I remember discussing this here many moons ago and discovered the feds wanted to be able to drain the basin to an elevation equivalent to something like 38’ on the Vicksburg gauge with the pumps.

That seems high to me. But I’ve got no skin in the game so what do I know?

[420 racin]

If the intent was to "Drain Wetlands" all the Corps would have to do is leave the gates open during low water periods, rather than closing them in order to hold water in the backwater area, I think it is something like 70' they try to hold back.

I don’t recognize this but I think I remember discussing this here many moons ago and discovered the feds wanted to be able to drain the basin to an elevation equivalent to something like 38’ on the Vicksburg gauge with the pumps.

That seems high to me. But I’ve got no skin in the game so what do I know?

38' on the vicksburg gage is roughly 84.23' elevation. It is likely that at that elevation they wodl not need to operate any pumps, 38 is kinda high but not even flood stage, so as long as the water level in the backwater areas is above the riverside, they can open the gates and drain the backwater area. I think the pumps would be more of a situation where the riverside is like 47 and we had a lot of rain and the backwater areas is around 90' and the y need to get the water out of the delta, then they use the pumps because they can't open the gates in that scenario or it woudl fill the delta up more. I think they try to keep the water in the backwater somewhere around 70' in low water periods. During the dry season when the river is low, well like right now the river is low the latest stage was Steele bayou land side was 71.17 and the river side was 64.99. So If the were to open the gates wide open, the landside would eventually drop down to whatever the riverside was, and when the river side gets real low it would essentially drain the entire steel bayou, so they shut the gates to hold the water back in steele bayou to maintain the wetlands and such.

[JMitch]

Ive heard the figure of 85 is where the pumps would cut on and off if the gates where closed. 85 is pretty high and would allow alot of the wetlands around the Valley Park area to maintain some water.

[mudsucker]

I just saw this after making a new post on the subject. It will be interesting to see where this goes with the supposed "No EPA" oversight!

[peewee]

This is one of Cochran's last moves before he retires. The bs info the environmentalist and EPA pushed is one of the biggest loads of crap and misinformation ever pushed by mass media. They have no freaking clue, no ties and no documented history. Essentially without the second stage of the project constructed (Pumps) you screw south Delta communities and people.

Novacaine they do use AG in the B/C ratio but AG has been getting the raw end of the stick in the grand scheme and metro municipalities have been benefiting. Look for this to change in the near future as there is a lot of congressional insight on the republican and democratic side now who are receiving pressure from stakeholders up and down the Valley. That being said the pump stations are already authorized (just vetoed by EPA) therefore this is not a new start and current B/C ratios may not mean a hill of beans when funding is considered. Remember Cochran is head of Appropriations Committee and as all $$$ comes through funding pots now instead of earmarks you can bet your ass it is directed at times where certain senators say it should go, we have seen this first hand with DHP, Big Sun and UYP $ in recent years.

[mshunter77]

I am no expert on the drainage system of the delta but have somewhat of a functional knowledge of it. I however do not know much about the pumps. So what are the proposed locations? Where would the water be pumped too? I know the south delta benefits. Would anyone actually be harmed by this? At the end of the day we pay for all the insurance claims from these major floods so why not try and prevent it? The draining wetland stuff just sounds like a bunch of liberal BS! Also the government is going to spend this money no matter what and more than likely on something that will not benefit much of anybody.

[stang67]

Not saying this is the case, but all taxpayers are harmed when a project is funded that shouldn’t be. I doubt there are many residences that the pumps would protect. No one is directly adversely impacted by the pumps’ installation. It’s a benefit/cost issue and the environmental angle has also been a significant holdup.

Pumps would essentially be located to pump out of Steele Bayou, into the Yazoo/MS rivers when the gates are closed. This is the point where the reservoirs in N MS drain to.

[JMitch]

I am no expert on the drainage system of the delta but have somewhat of a functional knowledge of it. I however do not know much about the pumps. So what are the proposed locations? Where would the water be pumped too? I know the south delta benefits. Would anyone actually be harmed by this? At the end of the day we pay for all the insurance claims from these major floods so why not try and prevent it? The draining wetland stuff just sounds like a bunch of liberal BS! Also the government is going to spend this money no matter what and more than likely on something that will not benefit much of anybody.

The pumps will be located at the Steele Bayou gates and pump the water into the yahoo river

[JMitch]

I am no expert on the drainage system of the delta but have somewhat of a functional knowledge of it. I however do not know much about the pumps. So what are the proposed locations? Where would the water be pumped too? I know the south delta benefits. Would anyone actually be harmed by this? At the end of the day we pay for all the insurance claims from these major floods so why not try and prevent it? The draining wetland stuff just sounds like a bunch of liberal BS! Also the government is going to spend this money no matter what and more than likely on something that will not benefit much of anybody.

The pumps will be located at the Steele Bayou gates and pump the water into the yahoo river

[Goose]

If I remember correctly, it was back in about April of 2008 when the last big public meeting was held at the Vicksburg Convention Center, and all of the environmentalists were in town from California, Oregon, Etc., and the Yazoo Backwater was flooding at about 90', and they were all talking about how detrimental it would be to wildlife, and I just wanted to take them out and show them the turkey hatch that was underway, and under 3 feet of water. The USACE countered every argument that was put up with SCIENCE, and the environmentalists countered every argument with EMOTION, and they won. Also, I think the USACE compromised several times, and the final number for cutting on the pumps was 88' msl, which still has a huge amount of land flooded.

[NyssaAquatica]

The truth is evident if you spend any time in the area of interest. I’m all for it and would invite any dissenting professional to come put boots on the ground to hash it out. Which of course is the problem as most naysayers have no experience or stake in the game.

For those of us who have not put boots on the ground in that area, can you explain why you are for the pump?

[DanP]

From a forestry and wildlife standpoint, I would sum it up as the loss of habitat function and diversity due to excessive and unnatural hydrologic conditions during the growing season.

[stang67]

Seems perfectly conceivable to me that the pumps might actually restore something close to the hydrology that existed prior to the Yazoo levee going in and that the environmental impacts being decried are blown out of proportion. I just can’t help but think the economic benefits are also inflated. Requiring cost sharing would ensure that that problem works itself out. I bet weve even got some locals on the board that’d be happy to throw in on a quarter billion and ensure this thing stays on budget.

[peewee]

Tim the benefits are no where near inflated, if anything there under valued. I use to believe that to but after witnessing and working the program management side of the coin up and down the valley I can tell you the pumps are needed not now but yesterday. If this same debacle in any Parish in South LA the federal government would be faced with an Environmental Justice suit with FULL backing from their US senators and congressional leaders. It happened and I witnessed as well as many others to the tune of $1.5B, but since it’s LA and not MS the mainstream media hides. If you don’t believe me take ride down LA state HWY 23 and see what the work is protecting. In the grand scheme from a government project $200M for a pump station is miniscule and anyone that has put boots on the ground in the South Drlta for any length of time knows the ecosystem restoration benefits the pumps would bring.