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Army Corps releases latest Saltwater Intrusion forecast, here is the outlook

The timeline shows when water treatment facilities might be impacted by saltwater intrusion.

BELLE CHASSE, La. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its latest saltwater wedge timeline and the forecast is looking better.

The timeline shows when water treatment facilities might be impacted by saltwater intrusion.

The new forecast shows delayed impacts at facilities upriver, but treatment facilities in Port Sulphur and Pointe à la Hache continue to experience impacts from saltwater intrusion.

There is better news for Belle Chasse as the saltwater wedge has slowed and is not expected to reach water facilities there until November 30, which is 17 days later than previously anticipated.

Below is a list of changes based on the latest computer forecast:

Boothville:  No change

Port Sulphur:  No change

Pointe A La Hache:  No change

Belle Chasse:  Nov. 30 (previously Nov. 13)

Dalcour:  Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 parts per million (previously Nov. 18)

St. Bernard:  No change

New Orleans Algiers:  No change

Gretna:  No change

West Jefferson:  No change

New Orleans Carrollton:  No change

East Jefferson:  No change

Credit: USACE

“The changes in the forecast can be attributed to the augmentation of the sill coupled with flows on the Mississippi River that are higher than initially forecasted.  As a result of the sill augmentation and river flows, the toe of the saltwater wedge was last measured at river mile 65.8 on October 22,” the USACE said in a press release Thursday.

USACE began barging water to both treatment facilities to blend with water from the intakes to bring the chloride down to treatable levels.

So far, the Army Corp says it has delivered more than 37.8 million gallons of water.

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