NEW ORLEANS – The Mississippi River has risen to 15 feet at the Carrollton Gage prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District to reactivate phase II flood fight procedures.
Closely coordinating efforts with the local levee authorities, the New Orleans District will begin daily patrolling of levees along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to Venice. Increased patrols help ensure our ability to respond quickly to any problem areas that may develop along the levee system because of the elevated water levels.
When the river is above 11 feet at the Carrollton Gage all subsurface construction within 1,500 feet of the river levees must be suspended unless a waiver is granted by the Corps of Engineers and the local levee district. However, when the river is above 15 feet all waivers are suspended.
This phase II activation applies to levees along the Mississippi River. Current forecasts indicate the Atchafalaya River will remain in phase I flood fight. The Army Corps activated phase I flood fight procedures Jan. 9 on the Mississippi River levees and Jan. 21 on the Atchafalaya River levees.
At this time the operational trigger points for the Bonnet Carre Spillway or Morganza Floodway Control Structure are not in the current forecast.
To monitor river stages and forecasts check www.rivergages.com.
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Release no. 20-010