Although it doesn’t look like the forecast will call for opening the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun daily patrolling of levees along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to Venice.
The river has risen to 15 feet at the Carrollton Gage, prompting the Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District to activate phase II flood fight procedures.
Closely coordinating efforts with local levee authorities, the New Orleans District increased patrols to ensure it can respond quickly to any problem areas that may develop along the levee system because of elevated water levels.
When the river is above 11 feet at the Carrollton Gage all work within 1,500 feet of the levee must be suspended unless a waiver is granted by the Corps of Engineers and local levee district. However, when the river is above 15 feet all work is suspended.
This phase II activation applies to levees along the Mississippi River. Current forecasts indicate the Atchafalaya River will remain in phase I flood fight, which Corps activated on Jan. 9 on Mississippi River levees and Jan. 21 on Atchafalaya River levees.
At this time, the Corps says the forecast does not indicate the need to operate the Bonnet Carre Spillway or Morganza Floodway Control Structure.
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