Rising Mississippi River levels prompt restrictions in New Orleans
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The Mississippi River has risen above 11 feet at the Carrollton Gage in New Orleans. Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mississippi River levels are rising in New Orleans, and restrictions are in effect to prevent damage to the earthen levee system that protects the region.
Why it matters: The river is expected to continue rising through next week.
The big picture: The water level hit 11.66 feet Monday at the Carrollton Gage, prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to activate its flood-fighting procedures.
- The Corps and its partner agencies will patrol the levees twice a week until the river drops below 11 feet, they say.
- They also are restricting heavy loads and construction near the levees.
Zoom in: The river is currently expected to crest in New Orleans on April 25 at 16.5 feet, the Corps says.
- The crest is expected to last about a day at the Carrollton Gage and then begin to fall.
Zoom out: The floodwaters are coming from the torrential rains in the Ohio Valley earlier this month, writes Greg Hilburn with the Shreveport Times.
- The river is expected to reach flood stages in upriver communities for the first time since 2019, he writes.
- Buildings outside the levee system, such as hunting camps, may be threatened, leaders say.
- Check current river levels.
Between the lines: Low river levels have been more of a problem in recent years, leading to saltwater intrusion threats.