The Mississippi River Delta and The Nile River Delta: Note for the Atchafalaya River Debate By Charles William Johnson Earth/matriX Science Today ISSN 1526-3312 P.O. Box 231126 New Orleans, Louisiana 70183-1126 USA www.earthmatrix.com 2011 Copyrighted by Charles William Johnson
Atchafalaya River Mississippi River Projections state that the Mississippi River Delta will be expanded as the Atchafalaya River becomes possibly the main flow for the river to the Gulf of Mexico some time in the future. Nile River Delta 30.10N 31.06E Mississippi River Delta 29.10N 89.15W The reflexive symmetry of these two principal rivers on Earth, at nearly 120 degrees distance from one another challenges the ideas of continental drift theory.
Atchafalaya River Mississippi River Water diverted from the Mississippi River spills through a bay in the Morganza Spillway in Morganza, Louisiana. Mississippi River Delta 29.10N 89.15W Projections state that the Mississippi River Delta will be expanded as the Atchafalaya River becomes possibly the main flow for the river to the Gulf of Mexico some time in the future. Right now, due to the overflowing Mississippi River Basin, the locks at the Morganza Spillway are being opened to allow 3,000 square miles of verdant, sparsely populated farmland to flood. This is done in an effort to drain some of the Mississippi River s overflowing waters so that flooding does not occur in the towns of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. According to Time magazine, each year, the federal government sends written notices warning people within the Atchafalaya River basin that the Morganza could be opend [www.time.com].
The projections of the Mississippi River show that it will change its course towards the Atchafalaya River. Possibly engineering works should begin that would allow this natural change to occur. The symmetry with the Nile River s delta reflects just such a natural change. Attempting to delay or avoid a natural change in the Mississippi River s course may become a losing battle against Nature. The current possibility of another onehundred years flood today [15 May, 2011] may be a lesson in learning how to help the river acquire its natural course. Undoubtedly, the extensive and complex levee system that exists now is a means to delaying and avoiding the course that water takes on Earth. Understanding that the same/similar forces of water activity of the Nile River Delta are present in the Mississippi River Delta might help us conceptualize the way we view the development of the Mississippi s course. And, instead of viewing its change in course towards the Atchafalaya River as an aberration of Nature, we might come to understand that it is a natural change, in fact, a necessary change.
Estimates of the thousands of people and buildings to be affected with the opening of the Morganza Spillway are shocking. The opening of the Morganza Spillway occurred only once before, in 1973. It is difficult to accept the idea that people s homes and well-being can be affected in this conscious manner, simply by making a decision to open some floodgates. It seems easier to accept such tragedies when they come on the heels of natural disasters. But, the question is what is exactly defined as natural. The fact that the Mighty Mississippi River is pushing its way South, constantly threatening to change its natural course and invade the Atchafalaya River Basin may be telling us something that we do not want to hear. The delta area of the Mississippi River is actually expanding along a pattern found similarly to its sister river: the Nile River of Egypt. Today s geographical theses of continental drift theory cannot identify the concept of symmetry as expressed in my studies about the cosmogeography of eventpoints and extremepoints. Continental drift theory denies the concept of symmetry, and emphasizes the theses about randomly drifting continents. But, in my view, the continents reflect a very well-defined symmetry in their geometrical composition. In this commentary, I examine one of those examples of eventpoint cosmogeography: the comparison of the Mississippi River Delta and the Nile River Delta.
The Mississippi River/Delta Direction of Flow and the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean Sea Combined Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea
The Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea Nile River/Delta
The Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea Combined Black Sea Mediterranean Sea The symmetry between the two rivers/deltas and their respective large water bodies is remarkable. The symmetry becomes even more suggestive when the Black Sea is combined with the Mediterranean Sea. Nile River/Delta
The comparison of the Mississippi River Delta and the Nile River Delta may be carried out on various levels from different perspectives. As shown here, the two deltas are nearly 120 degrees apart along nearly the same latitude. Between them, they mark off one-third and two-thirds of the globe along that latitudinal corridor. From the following illustrations, it becomes obvious that their relationship to another principal river, the Ganges River, marks off multiples of twenty degrees latitude. Also, they are related to large bodies of water with similar lengths. The Mississippi River Delta empties into the Gulf of Mexico, which when combined with the Caribbean Sea, comprises a length of a body of water 4038 kilometers. The Nile River Delta empties into the Mediterranean Sea which when combined with the Black Sea, comprises a length of a body of water 4084 kilometers. The symmetries do not stop there in relation to the large bodies of water into which they empty: they both illustrate a reflexive symmetry in that the Mississippi flows from North to South; the Nile River flows from South to North. View the illustrations in this study for the full impact of these cited symmetries, which are never discussed in the prevailing literature based on ideas about randomly drifting continents.
Miss.R. Width of Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea Combined 4038 kms Comparison of the Widths of the Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea with the Mediterranean Sea Black Sea 4038 kms The symmetry between the two rivers/deltas and their respective large water bodies take on an exact measurement when the distances between geographical extreme points are considered. Width of Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea Combined 4084 kms Width of Gulf of Mediterranean Sea Combined 3724 kms 4084 kms Nile R.
Miss. River/Delta Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea 4038 kms Reflexive Symmetry in the Cosmogeography of the Earth: the Mississippi River/Delta Compared to the Nile River/Delta 4084 kms Black Sea Mediterranean Sea Nile River/Delta
From the prevailing perspective of continental drift ideas, humankind must struggle against Nature and its random acts and disasters. Hence, build levees along the Mississippi River Basin, build spillways to keep the delta from expanding, channel water down the main singular trunk of the Mississippi River Basin that leads to the Gulf of Mexico below New Orleans. The plan for engineering the flow of the Mississippi River has meant creating a false singular flow that constantly is being threatened whereby the waters are tending towards flowing down the Atchafalaya River Basin to the west of the main course of the Mississippi River Basin along the delta. From the perspective of eventpoint and extremepoint cosmogeography the analysis shows us that there exists a relationship as of the symmetrical placement of the Mississippi River Delta and the Nile River Delta on the Earth. The Nile River Delta is more spread out in a natural manner with its recognizable inverted triangular shape as viewed from today s maps and globes. And, if the symmetry between these two main river deltas is as it appears then there is much to be learned from conceptualizing both deltas in relation to one another.
Mississippi River Delta 29.10N 89.15W Nile River Delta 30.10N 31.06E Amazon River Delta 0.05 S 50.00W Distance between Deltas of Mississippi River and Nile River 120.21 Degrees Nearly Exactly One-Third of Globe
Mississippi River Delta 29.10N 89.15W 120 Degress Nile River Delta 30.10N 31.06E
Symmetries of Principal Rivers on Earth Extreme Point Symmetry: Two-Thirds the Distance of the Globe s Circumference --The Pacific Ocean View Nile R. Ganges R. Miss. R. ca. 120 Degrees ca. 120 Degrees
Symmetries of Principal Rivers on Earth Extreme Point: Half the Distance of the Globe s Circumference Miss. R. Nile R. Ganges R. ca. 180 degrees ca. 120 degrees ca. 60 degrees Mississippi River/Delta to Nile River/Delta = ca. 120 degrees Nile River/Delta to Ganges River/Delta = ca. 60 degrees
Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico Inverted Map of the Mississippi River/Delta and the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea Compared to the Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea Mississippi River/Delta Mediterranean Sea Nile River/Delta
Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea Inverted Map of the Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea Compared to the Mississippi River/Delta and the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean Sea Nile River/Delta Mediterranean Sea
The reflexive symmetry between these two deltas, as their symmetrical placement on the globe should teach us that the natural expansion of the Mississippi River Delta towards the Atchafalaya River Basin is something that requires different engineering studies as those conceived to date. It is unadvisable to continue to attempt to hold back the natural flow of the Mississippi River as done until now. It is necessary to consider a controlled flow but in relationship to the natural flow of the river and the natural expansion of its delta. And, this may reflect a similar pattern of a delta as found in the Nile River Delta, in a similar triangular shape. It is difficult to suggest such an idea, because precisely thousands of people live in the area now being flooded to avoid greater flooding in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans area. But, the case may be that it is impossible to continue to hold back the creeping delta of the Mississippi River. Possibly maybe an engineering feat could be proposed to divert the flow or part of the Mighty Mississippi s flow through the Atchafalaya River without flooding the entire basin or nearby adjacent lands. That would be precisely the purpose of a distinct engineering study with a different perspective. Once we realize that the reflexive symmetry of the Mississippi River Delta and the Nile River Delta reflect the same/similar forces at work, then undoubtedly it is easy
Outline of Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea Outline of Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea
to understand that the Mississippi delta is probably carving out a similar triangular shape as in the Nile delta. In fact, even the distance between the base of the Nile delta is apparently similar to the distance being carved out between the mouth of the MIssissippi River and the mouth of the Atchafalaya River or thereabouts. Again, both reflect a similar placement on the Earth s surface and with regard to a similar kind of interaction between land mass and water mass. The forces at work in the Nile River basin and delta are the same/similar forces at work in the Mississippi River basin and delta, in the sense that they represent reflexive eventpoint and extremepoint coordinates. Think about it. By having created the systems of levees and spillways. avoiding floods and promoting flooding respectively, the water flow of the Mississippi River has avoided the creation of its natural delta. Water is siphoned off from the river to Ponchartrain Lake above New Orleans and then to the Gulf of Mexico; or, towards the Gulf of Mexico from the Atchafalaya River basin. In either case, the Mississippi River s flow in thus unable to carve out its natural delta. The ensuing problems of land erosion and extreme sediment of soil are now becoming even more complicated as they are not allowed to form naturally. I am not saying that this is the answer to the problem of flooding along the Mississippi River; that is for the engineers to design. However, the theoretical and
Overlay of the Outline of the Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea with the Outline of Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea
Overlay of the Outline of the Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea with the Outline of Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea
Overlay of the Outline of the Mississippi River/Delta Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea with the Outline of Nile River/Delta and the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea
practical outlook that has been in place for nearly a century now, ideas based upon drifting continents and random acts of Nature, may simply be wrong. If we see no relationship between the deltas of the Mississippi River and the Nile River, then we will not be looking for them, and we may not be able to understand how these two deltas are in fact related. The forces that carve one and the same/similar forces that carve out the other. Know one, you know the other. Obviously there are distinctions. The Nile Delta has had its own share of human engineering projects that affected its natural development. The arc-shaped Nile delta has its own problems due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam, whereby the soils of the floodplains have become poorer with extremely deep topsoil deposits. There is erosion along the outer edges of the Nile Delta no doubt. There are problems of salinity as well. Even the demise of the Nile Delta is projected to occur at its present rate somewhere at mid millenium. The idea is to explore how the Mississippi Delta has been unable to develop its own distribution of waters through its floodplains, and in fact how its natural flow is being harnessed to its own detriment and natural development.
In summary, the analytical proposal in this study is to examine the possible interrelationship of two eventpoints extremepoints in the example of the Mississippi River Delta and the Nile River Delta. In the case of the Mississippi Delta the purpose is to examine the relationship of the Atchafalaya River basin as part of the Mississippi delta s natural development. But, if you think each one of these rivers and their respective deltas are unrelated, and that each one is on a drifting continent randomly placed and randomly traversing the globe, well, any knowledge about their nature and conditions of existence may be wanting. The examples of symmetry presented in this brief case study are only a few of the many other examples presented in my book entitled Eventpoint Cosmogeography. This book is full of hundreds of examples like the one presented here regarding symmetries in their land mass and water mass. www.earthmatrix.com
Symmetries of Principal Rivers on Earth Note Underwater Oceanic Ridges in Circles
The Mississippi River Delta and The Nile River Delta: Notes for the Atchafalaya River Debate By Charles William Johnson Earth/matriX Science Today ISSN 1526-3312 P.O. Box 231126 New Orleans, Louisiana 70183-1126 USA www.earthmatrix.com 2011 Copyrighted by Charles William Johnson