Publisher's Synopsis
Many river deltas in the world are vibrant economic regions, serving as transportation hubs, population centers, and commercial hotspots. However, today, many of these deltaic areas face a tremendous challenge with land loss due to a number of factors, such as reduced riverine sediment supply, coastal land erosion, subsidence, and sea-level rise. The development of the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain (MRDP) in southeast Louisiana, USA, over the past century is a good example.
Wetlands Restoration Engineers have not considered Mississippi River hydraulics for a future possible diversion, the Third Delta Conveyance Channel and I have performed necessary calculations showing a grave concern with the diversion and reviewed results with University discussions. Also, a west Third Delta conveyance channel may be considered because of a need for depositing settlement west of Bayou Lafourche. Third Delta Diversion will result in an unstable Mississippi River because river slope will increase when the diversion is added and this increased slope will add levee undercutting capability. The First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation of Energy) was applied for calculating Mississippi River power associated with the diversion. USGS river discharge/stages were used for the calculations giving sobering results and our Government is listing this diversion in recent publications. The Concern: When the diversion is operated a large increase in Mississippi River power upstream of the diversion will be generated increasing scouring of river peak meander points causing levee failures. Below calculations are simple and a High School Physics education is all needed to review them. University DiscussionsUniversity discussions have shown there is no problem with my calculations. A large increase in power of the Mississippi River will be added because the Third Delta Diversion will drawdown (Height drop) the river level at the diversion location. This power increase will be upstream of the diversion half (1/2) the power of a large Nuclear Plant and will scour its banks. More University information can be provided, please email me at pfsfst@cox.net.
