After opening up the Bonnet Carre Spillway upriver of New Orleans on Sunday the Army Corps of Engineers has decided it won’t need to open the Morganza Spillway. The Corps issued a statement Monday, saying that based on current forecasts it won’t be necessary in order to relieve the swollen Mississippi River.
The Corps says the river crest will pass safely through south Louisiana. The trigger for opening the Morganza, west of Baton Rouge, is when the river reaches 57 feet at the structure and the water is flowing fast, at 1.5 million cubic feet per second. Forecasts say the river won’t end up flowing that fast.
The Bonnet Carre will remain open until the water drops below 1.25 million cubic feet per second in the greater New Orleans area.
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