NEW ORLEANS —
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened 20 bays of the Bonnet Carré Spillway Friday after the Mississippi River was forecast to rise to flood stage at New Orleans next week.
Unlike in the past, the opening of the spillway will not be open to the public due to the COVID-19 order against large gatherings.
The Corps said Thursday that as many as 105 of the flood structure's 350 bays could be eventually opened to relieve pressure on levees further down the river.
According to the National Weather Service, the Mississippi River is forecast to rise to 17 feet at the Carrollton gauge by Wednesday, April 8. The river is expected to remain above 15 feet through the end of April.
“In the Mississippi Valley Division, our priority is taking care of people,” said Maj. Gen. Toy. “When we operate the spillway, we do everything we can to help mitigate the impacts. And, the decision to do so is not taken lightly. By operating the Bonnet Carré Spillway, we can safely pass these high waters and ultimately keep people safe.”
It marks the fifth time in five years that the flood control structure has been opened. Before 2011, the spillway had only been opened on average once every decade.
Tools
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
