[Editorial] Hands Off the Levee Board

HB-1549 is dead, thankfully:

http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/HB/HB1549.xml

Why have they dug man made lakes just north of the levee that sits on the Pearl Flowood city lines. Property that lies between Flowood Drive on the west side and Mangum Road in Pearl on the east side. Looks to be several lakes built possibly for duck hunting. I'm not sure what other purpose they would be used for but it does not seem like a good idea since they are just a few hundred yards from the levee that is the last measure of defense protecting the city of Pearl from flooding if Lakeland Drive and Flowood go under. Making holes and filling them with lots of water in a major flood prone area does not seem a good idea. The land was owned by Primos and initially looked like they were going to develop it but since the recession maybe that fell through and a nice duck hunting location sounded better. Just a guess since the land immediately adjacent on the south side of the levy has been transposed into a deer hunting camp with planted fields and all. Not a great idea either with homes and so much traffic on Flowood Drive and I55 just a hop skip and jump away. Maybe that explains two accidents involving deer near that same levee where it dead ends near the stack.

Also several weeks ago after we had had several heavy rain storms the creek that runs parallel with the levee that crosses Flowood Drive was nearly topping its banks. I have never seen that creek even 1/4th that high. Not even close to that even during times like last spring when it rained for I think 20 days straight. I've seen that creek about one third that height once when we had a torrential rain flash flood episode. The water was about 1/3 of the bank's depth and it was flowing like a river. 2 weeks ago when it was overflowing its banks it was at a dead stand still. It had not rained more that what is normal, possibly even below normal. I'm not sure what could have caused so much water to back up but it is not a good sign as spring showers have not yet even begun.

HooYoo2- the depth of water and whether it was flowing or not would depend on the height of water in the Pearl River since it flows into it. If the Pearl was high it would back up in that ditch and it's rate of flow slow down.

The depth of the Pearl River has been much higher than it was at that present time and that ditch has never been anywhere close to the level it was a few weeks ago. In 10+ years I've never once seen it exceed even half that level. One day when it had not rained in nearly a week a ditch that runs into the main creek from the direction of the golf course was gushing water as if it was the reservoir dam. I have no idea where the water was coming from but someone most definitely had to have opened a gate somewhere. I've never noticed any water coming out of that side ditch unless it's raining cats and dogs. Much less on a clear dry sunny day after a rain free week. Someone is tweaking something somewhere and it's a hell of a lot of water!