April 29, 2011

 

OMTA Website editor’s notes:  Opening of the spillway will cause both floating and semi-submerged debris such as logs and trees to be washed into the lake and eventually through the Rigolets.  Caution should be exercised and Boating at night should be avoided.   

 

 

The Unified Command Group met Thursday, April 28th.

Representatives from the National Weather Service, United States Army Corp of Engineers and the United States Coast Guard made presentations.

 

National Weather Service

The National Weather Service reports that snow melt and heavy rainfalls have led to flooding as high as twenty inches in locations. The recent rain patterns are expected to continue. If the rain falls in the basin, it will impact river stages.

As of April 28th, the Mississippi River is expected to crest as follows on the following dates:

Location

Crest

Date

Cairo, Illinois

60.5 feet

May 1st

Vicksburg, Mississippi

53.5 feet

May 18th

Red River Landing, Louisiana

60 feet

May 21st

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

43 feet

May 21st

Reserve, Louisiana

25 feet

May 22nd

Donaldsonville, Louisiana

33.5 feet

May 21st

New Orleans, Louisiana

17 feet

May 22nd

These numbers and dates are updated daily based upon the weather. Once the river crests, it is expected that the water will remain at that level for a week.

 

United State Army Corp of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers has three structures on the lower Mississippi – the Old River Control Structure, the Morganza Spillway and the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

The Old River structure sends 30% of the water to the Atchafalaya River and 70% of the water down the Mississippi River. The gates are adjusted everyday. The 30/70 split is congressionally mandated. Governor Jindal inquired if more could be diverted to the Atchafalaya as crawfish farmers have had problems with low water this year. The Corps responded that to divert more water to the Atchafalaya would require higher authorization and could hurt more than it would help. The Corps also stated that low water levels would not be a problem for the crawfish farmers in a week or two.

The Morganza Spillway has only been opened once since it was built and it was not expected to have to be opened then. When it was opened in 1973, it flooded Morgan City. The only reason it was opened then was due to the structure at Old River having scouring problems. It is not expected to have to be open due to this event.

The Bonnet Carre Spillway was built in 1931 and has been opened nine times, as recently as 2008. It is expected to be opened again due to this event. Based on the most recent forecast, it is expected to be opened sometime between May 9th and May 13th.

The Corps is currently inspecting levees on a weekly basis and will soon begin inspecting on a daily basis.

 

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard will implement the Waterways Action Plan which includes restrictions and controls to ensure safety.

The plan has three stages:

Watch – 28 ft – advisory period where they ask that marine traffic limit their size and use most experienced captains.

Action – 30 ft – implement control at Port Allen Locks and other actions.

Recovery – once the river crests and starts to fall restrictions begin to lift.

The Coast Guard puts restrictions on maritime traffic at 35 feet. Restrictions include: reducing tow size, allowing one way traffic only, daylight transit only, required use of assistance vessels, required use of increased horsepower, no wake zones (particularly at Bayou Sorrel), reporting requirements and setting up safety zones.

The Coast Guard will take consideration of the movement of crude oil down the river when it makes decisions and meet with the pilots. They always take deep draft vessels into consideration.

Algiers Point is a major concern for the Coast Guard because of the density of population and 120 degree turn. There will be traffic lights at Algiers and eventually the Coast Guard will be physically directing marine traffic there.

 

Department Reports

All agencies have reached out to stakeholders to apprise them of the situation.

GOHESP: 1.8 million sandbags on hand the Corps has 600 million sandbags on hand. The statewide emergency declaration will be made today.

State Police: They are offering help to Alabama and are prepared for any event that occurs here.

Department of Public Safety and Corrections, correction services: Angola Penitentiary is ready for any flooding event. The main problems will be sand boils, nutria rats and beavers. They are currently inspecting the levee there on a bi-weekly basis and that the Corps is helping with that even though the levee is outside of the Corps' system. High water is not the issue with the levee there – the strength of the levee may be problematic. It would take 3-4 days to evacuate the facility and they are prepared to do so. Death row inmates and disciplinary inmates would be moved to other prisons with other inmates being housed in tent cities.

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: Search and rescue readiness is ramped up from Arkansas to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Aircraft is being offered for supplemental checks of the levees. The opening of shrimp season may be tweaked.

 

Department of Transportation and Development: 50 dump trucks, barricades, personnel are ready. A barge hit I-20 bridge recently. There is no movement with the bridge, but the contractor is working on it. The barge operator will provide some reimbursements but there are caps. DOTD is pursuing some federal funds in conjunction with the accident.

 

Department of Children and Family Services: Shelters can be open and operating within 12 hours notice.

 

Department of Health and Hospitals: There are 48 hospitals and 46 nursing homes within a five mile radius of the Mississippi River. Each facility is required to have their own emergency plan. DHH is making sure that the facilities are aware of the potential for flooding and of the facilities' responsibilities.

 

CPRA: Garret Graves pointed out that river levels will rise consistently and there is a great potential impact upon the agricultural industry because of soggy land and sand boils. They are also working with DOTD on inspection of levees.