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According to a stakeholders call today with the Corps, the Mississippi has crested in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Likewise, the River crested today in Vicksburg, MS and will crest tomorrow at Red River Landing, which is between the Old River Control Structure and the Morganza Floodway. Hopefully the River will start going down in the next few days, but we can't breathe a sigh of relief yet. The Corps and Levee Districts still must remain vigilant in monitoring the levees, ensuring that any seepage is taken care of properly and that the integrity of the levees holds.
Originally, the Mississippi was forecasted to crest on May 23, but thanks in part to the opening of the Morganza and Bonnet Carré, the crest has come four days early. Bear in mind that this crest does not mean that flooding in the Morganza Floodway will cease. The Morganza and Bonnet Carré will have to remain open until Mississippi River flows significantly recede.
 Bonnet Carre Floodway, looking from Mississippi River towards Lake Pontchartrain, May 18, 2011
Currently the Bonnet Carré Spillway is pushing 316,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) into Lake Pontchartrain and the 17 open bays in the Morganza Floodway are at 114,000 cfs.
Morganza Floodway, flowing from the Mississippi River (left) to the floodway (right), May 18, 2011
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Matt is GRN’s Science and Water Policy Director
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