In February 1893, it was reported in a New Brunswick, NJ newspaper that thousands of people were on the verge of starvation in Concordia and Catahoula Parishes. The floods from the previous summer destroyed their crops and the water remained on the ground so long, it was impossible to plant cotton or anything else. Hundreds of people moved away. Those that remained are said to have sustained themselves on wild game.
Many floods later and a good measure of levee construction, Catahoula
Parish is doing better. But with manmade flood control, we have to account for the
water we impound. Cities and towns along the Red and Ouachita River continue to
develop.
In 2022, Catahoula Parish needs help reducing their flood risk. Fortunately,
this community has a flood control champion. Ellis Boothe serves as the
Homeland Security Director for Catahoula Parish. He follows a tradition of making
sure his community is prepared. The late Debra Renda, another Catahoula Parish
Champion followed the same tradition.
A few years ago, I was at a Restore Louisiana meeting being
held in Monroe, Louisiana. Ellis was sitting next to me. We listened to the discussions
on funding for flood control and the proposed watershed initiative. I turned
slightly to see how Ellis was processing the discussion. I could tell he was a
bit agitated. A few minutes later, he said, “Tom, I can’t stand it, I have to speak.”
I said, “Ellis go do your job.”
Ellis went to the front of the room and gave us all some
medicine that day. He described the water from the Red River, Ouachita River,
Black River and the Mississippi River all impacting his community. What he had
to say is true. All points north were sending their water to his community. Catahoula
Parish was heard that day.
The Louisiana Watershed Initiative has produced some great
partnerships. The Catahoula partnership is important to the good people of Catahoula
and Ouachita Parishes. Representatives from Ouachita Parish routinely advocate
for Catahoula Parish in regional meetings. Ouachita and Caldwell Parish are currently
supporting one another on their respective DRA applications.
Ellis still gives us medicine when he walks into the room at
a meeting. But it’s a good reminder of what we’re working toward.
NOTE - All my media friends. Contact Ellis Boothe to talk about the river parishes and what needs to be done.
Thank you, Ellis.
Source: Newspaper.com, Smithsonian and Local Knowledge
Photograph provided by U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries
Tom M.
Below is a very interesting story from Ellis Boothe, Catahoula Parish Homeland. Our history teaches us a never-ending lesson about what’s ahead. The conflict in Europe concerns me because of our history. Ellis Boothe has represented the people of Catahoula Parish well. I’m confident his determination to secure flood relief for Catahoula will be successful. “Catahoula Parish Rising” - Tom
ReplyDeleteFrom Ellis Boothe:
The older residents in Catahoula Parish had what was called Choctaw Log houseboats that the pecky cypress trees were used to float the structure used for living in during high waters. They also put their animals on such rafts to keep them alive. I wish someone had some pictures of the people on these structures.
My grandfather had one that he used to fish on Boeuf and Ouachita Rivers. He would move it around where he needed to stay. I was told he would go and stay sometime for a week or so, then bring his fish back and sell to fish the market in Wisner, La that supplied fish to Chicago by railroad cars.
My father-in-law family had a Fish Market in Jonesville, La that also shipped fish north. When he retired, he was shipping fish to California, St. Louis by refrigerator trucks.
I have made a lot of fish runs for him to Memphis, Tn taking 5-6000 pounds at a time. The people in this area did what they had to do to make a living. There is lots of stories about the people in this area.
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Thank you, Ellis.