THE THREAT OF THE RISING MISSISSIPPI RIVER

From NOLA.com:

Louisianians haven't lived though this dangerous a threat from the in more than a generation -- and that's an emergency that compels officials and residents alike to be prepared. It also warrants a full emergency declaration from the federal government.

Thousands of people across South Louisiana were evaluating their risk and making preparations Monday, as the Army Corps of Engineers continued taking measures to relieve pressure on river levees and minimize the expected flooding.

Crews began opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway in St. Charles Parish. Communities in the Atchafalaya Basin placed sand bags and alerted residents of possible evacuations if the Morganza Spillway is opened north of Baton Rouge. And Gov. Bobby Jindal directed hundreds of Louisiana National Guard troops to assist in those efforts and to be ready to help victims of flooding.

Corps of Engineers maps forecast flooding in large areas of St. Mary, Assumption, Terrebonne and other South Louisiana parishes if Morganza is opened for the first time since 1973. The corps still was estimating Monday how many homes and other structures may flood. But residents shouldn't have to wait for maps to make preparations. As Gov. Bobby Jindal warned: "If you got wet in 1973, you'll get wet this time. If you nearly got wet in 1973, you'll probably get wet this time."

As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something." Especially lately. One disaster follows another.



The Mississippi River at Rivertown in Kenner, Louisiana

If you turn around and face the other way toward the land, you are looking down, and you see very quickly that without the levee Rivertown and many other areas along the river would be flooded. We walked up a good many steps to get to the top of the levee.



The ship rides high, and the ships will ride higher as the river crests further south. Pray that the levees hold, and pray for the people who will be flooded by the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the Morganza Floodway.

UPDATE: The opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway will not cause homes to flood, because the water will go into Lake Pontchartrain and the Rigolets, but it will, very likely, mess up certain of the oyster beds again. The poor oyster fishers have had a rough time of it what with the BP gusher and now the high river.