As hurricane season approaches, the Army Corps of Engineers is making sure area pumping stations are operating properly. The system is working as planned.
It’s the sound the Corps wanted to hear – water gushing from the 17th Street structure into Lake Pontchartrain.
Heath Jones is the emergency manager for the Corps’ New Orleans District.
“This is the temporary structure on the 17th Street canal that was built after Hurricane Katrina. It was brought on line the year after Katrina. It’s been the temporary protection for this canal since that time. Behind us is the permanent structure, so this temporary structure will be used for one more year and then we hope to have that one on line for next hurricane season," he said.
There are 43 pumps and 11 gates at the 17th Street facility that prevents storm surge from entering the canal from the lake. They’re tested twice a month during hurricane season – once a month off-season. Similar structures are on line at London and Orleans avenues.
Hurricane season officially starts June 1st.