NEW ORLEANS — The new expected timetable for the saltwater wedge that had been making its way up the Mississippi River shows that it is now no longer anticipated to affect the drinking water in Algiers or Gretna.
In addition, the timetable for it to reach the Belle Chasse and St. Bernard Parish intakes has been pushed back a couple of weeks and there is optimism that those areas could be spared.
The numbers came from the weekly report issued by the Army Corps of Engineers Thursday.
Here are the latest anticipated impact dates.
- Boothville: Currently impacting
- Port Sulphur: Currently impacting
- Pointe A La Hache: Currently impacting
- Belle Chasse: Oct. 27 (previously Oct. 13)
- Dalcour: Nov. 1 (previously Oct. 17)
- St. Bernard: Nov. 8 (previously Oct. 28)
- New Orleans Algiers: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm (previously Nov. 23)
- Gretna: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm (previously Nov. 26)
- West Jefferson: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm
- New Orleans Carrollton: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm
- East Jefferson: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm
The Corps says the underwater sill that was raised to slow the flow of the saltwater along with increased flows of water from the Red River has impacted the timing.