Mississippi River rising

Here are a couple of YouTube videos of the Bonnet Carre spillway (recorded May 4, 2011), and the Morganza Spillway. 

The Morganza Spillway is clear up at False River northwest of Baton Rouge.  That one isn't used regularly at all.  It's much more common to open the Bonnet Carre spillway that leads into Lake Ponchartrain at New Orleans.  When the Bonnet Carre Spillway is opened, the river water flows through the lake and on out into the Gulf without actually flooding much at all except the actual spillway - which isn't that large.  If they open the Morganza spillway, the water is going to flood all that land between there and the Gulf, including areas around Morgan City, rather than running straight out into the Gulf as it can from Bonnet Carre.  That's why Morganza will only be opened if it's absolutely necessary. 

That red "A" on the map below shows where the Bonnet Carre gates are.  You can see where "St. Gabriel" is in relation to the spillway -- it's there in the upper left straight down from Baton Rouge.

Here is a closer zoom showing just how close to Lake Ponchartrain the river is at that point. 

And here's an aerial photo taken the last time they opened those spillway gates.  You can clearly see the muddy river water running through the lake and out into the Gulf. 

You can also see in those video attachments just HOW flat south Louisiana really is and why they really need to make sure the levees aren't breeched.  If we DID have general flooding, the only place any animals -- cows ... horses ... dogs ... any wildlife who can't climb trees  -- might be able to go to survive would be the tops of the levees!  That's IT.  Just look at those distance views in the videos.  

Having grown up in southern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, and having lived in northern Kentucky for five years, the flatness of south Louisiana -- which is essentially Mississippi River delta -- is probably a lot more disquieting to me than to the folks who've lived down here all their lives.  When I drive around up north, the hills always give me a feeling of safety and privacy that you can't get down here.

Anyway, I'm relieved to hear that at worst, they will open those spillways.   Not sure what the result will be exactly, though.  I hope not too many folks are affected by it.   

Here's the latest (New Orleans) Times Picayune article about the rising water.