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As the flood-swamped Mississippi River rises from southern Louisiana, the US Army Corps of Engineers opened the Bonnet Carré weir north of New Orleans as part of a preventative effort to reduce the potential stress of the city's dikes, which protect it from catastrophic floods.
The spillway is 28 miles north of New Orleans. Most of the city is at sea level or below, so it is protected by lift systems. New Orleans suffered deadly floods during Hurricane Katrina when dikes were breached.
The Ridge evacuator Bonnet Square was recently closed on April 11, after a flood to protect New Orleans. This is the first time in history that the spillway has been opened twice in one year. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said Friday a statewide emergency, due to flooding and heavy rains that continue Saturday in some areas.
According to the US Corps of Engineers, the Mississippi River has increased 6 inches in the past 24 hours, due to heavy regional rainfall, and with more rain expected throughout the weekend, the river is approaching dangerous levels. exceeding the floods of April. the worst since 1973.
"These rains could elevate the Mississippi River above 17 feet with a maximum of 17.5 feet at Carrollton Gage," said the Army Corps in a press release on Frida. "As a precaution, the date of exploitation is advanced to ensure the safe passage of these high waters by limiting the altitudes downstream of the weir. The operation of the structure will relieve pressure on the main dikes, maintain river levels and regulate the flow downstream of the spillway.
"It will be the operation of the structure since 1937 and the first time it was opened twice during the same race on the high seas."
According to the Associated Press, record floods are already preventing farmers from planting crops on hundreds of thousands of acres inside the southern Mississippi Delta, surrounded by dikes. And it's still raining in the Great South, bringing more rain to rain-soaked states, including Mississippi and Louisiana.
In Texas, more than 42,000 homes and businesses are still without power due to flooding and the city of Houston is still struggling with heavy rains and floods. Houston and parts of Harris County and neighboring counties along the Gulf Coast under a sudden flood watch until 7 pm. Saturday. In the Houston area, 5 inches of rain fell Thursday within 90 minutes. Some schools were canceled in the Houston area on Friday.
On Saturday, the heaviest rain in Texas is south of Houston in coastal areas including Galveston and Freeport.
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