Known for its most recent devastating high waters challenges, Louisiana has always been under this umbrella of "water attacks." According to TIME Magazine, the great 1927 flood of Mississippi, also known as the "Depression of the Delta," was one of the most destructive floods in the history of the United States. After months of rainfall the waters strengthen the rage of the Mississippi River, causing a break in the Mound Landing levee which lead to destructive flooding. The flood was a costly $350 million damage causer, which is around $5 billion dollars today. Here are four of the most astonishing facts caused by the flood.
1. Left 600,000 homeless.
The photo above is a depiction of one of the finest two story homes in Melville, Louisiana. According to the 2006 census, Hurricane Katrina of 2005 left 400, 000 people homeless, but the 1927 flood homelessness aftermath was 200, 000 people greater.
2. 16 million acres of land was covered.
Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana combined were inundated with water from the Mississippi River. Above is an illustration of the lands covered by the great flood. The flood also was a big hit to the Louisiana coastal line that is still an on going concern today.
3. Reason Louisiana has hard-surfaced highways and Gasoline Taxes.
According to the Louisiana Digital Libraries, after the flood, Louisiana was given a little over a million dollars from the federal government to help with rebuilding, but still had to create state gasoline tax to create a $30,000,000 fund to pay for new hard-surfaced highways that could stand the raging water attacks. The above photo is a highway bridge out of Parks, Louisiana, which was saved by tying the bridge to trees with steel cable.
4. Influenced our current flood policy.
According to TIME, this flood shifted the influence of flood policy in the United States, which is still impacting us today. Everything — our levee policies, the way we engineer all of these things — was built out of what people learned from the 1927 flood. Researching with the national geographic, congress put in place the Jadwin plan. The Corps of Engineers called the system "Project Flood" and assured the public that the changes would protect the lower Mississippi River from a flood considerably bigger than the 1927 flood. The Jadwin plan--still in place--sets standards for levees far higher and thicker than those of 1927. Above photo is levee being blown up to relieve pressure in Caernarvon.
Louisiana has been taking some of the most heartbreaking hits from water since the beginning of her time, but how great is it to see that she still stands strong. I am one to believe that no matter how high her waters may rise, she has ever faithful residents to put the kick back in her boot. Louisiana then. Louisiana Now. Louisiana forever in our hearts.
