As the Mississippi and Red Rivers rise, officials are grappling with how to manage all of the water. The Army Corps of Engineers may open the Mississippi River’s Bonnet Carré Spillway this weekend.
New Orleans District Commander, Col. Rick Hansen, says it is time to open the spillway. Just west of the city, it diverts the Mississippi River to protect New Orleans.
Hansen announced the plans at the Corps' New Orleans headquarters Tuesday, with the swollen Mississippi as a backdrop. It rose high on the banks, and tree trunks bobbed up and down in the fast-moving water.
Hansen says the spillway has never been opened so early in the year -- spring flooding usually happens around May, and the river moves differently in winter.
“There are no differences in the physical operation of the spillway, but there are differences in the way the river behaves or performs," says Hansen. "When there’s less vegetation along the riverbanks and the batture, the river is a little more efficient in moving water at any given stage.”
The Corps has been monitoring river levels since mid-December, but now that the river has reached 15 feet they begin phase two, continuously inspecting all levees for seepage.
The river is expected to reach flood stage, 17 feet, next week. Hansen says the Corps could open the spillway as soon as Saturday.
His recommendation to open the spillway must first be approved by the commander of the Corps' Mississippi River Division, Major General Michael Wehr.
The Corps is also considering opening the Morganza Floodway, above Baton Rouge.
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