The 'Old River Control Complex'

Flying from a near by crop duster's strip.

This is really critical infrastructure for the control of the Mississippi River.

The level of the Mississippi is now much higher than the adjoining Achefalaya River,

so the Mississippi would dearly love to change course,

just as it has done many times in the past.

But if it did, 

all the shipping of the agricultural produce  from the mid-west would cease, 

(there's no way road and rail could carry the load)

and much heavy industry along the river, that depends on that traffic,

 and the fresh water supply, would also be stranded......

It would have a major effect on the whole US economy.....

See the story at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_River_Control_Structure

These are the three dams, with the Achefalaya going off to the right.

The Achefalaya, where the Mississippi would like to go......

And this is the navigation lock. 

Part of this structure failed in the 1973 flood, and it was a close call that all of it would go.

The engineers are doing their best,

but history tells that such a mighty river will win in the end......

I wanted to see this structure because it is so critical,

and we may hear dramatic news events sometime in the future,

of this epic battle between man and the river......