January 15, 2021 By Frank McCormack
The river road through St. Gabriel, La., located on the left descending bank near Mile 200 on the Mississippi River, is a quiet stretch, with plots of farmland dwarfing neighborhoods and industry. With the towering river levee blocking the view of the Mississippi, and with the river in the midst of its low-water season, street-level passersby can easily go about their day with little cognizance of the mighty river.
For residents walking or cycling atop the river levee in St. Gabriel, though, the view on the other side of the batture tells a different story, with oceangoing ships and barge tows sliding by. And recently, their view also included a wonder of engineering and waterway management that few get to see: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Mat Sinking Unit (MSU).