The Spillway was initially expected to open Tuesday as the level of the river has remained high. NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the Bonnet Carré Spillway Friday after heavy rains caused the Mississippi River to rise six inches in 24 hours, surpassing flood stage. "In the 124 years we've been collecting data on rainfall events, this is the wettest we've ever been," said Army Corps Commander Rick Kaiser. The opening was the first time in its history that the spillway has opened twice in one year. “The locally heavy rain that fell last night precipitated this," said Keith Jones of the Corps. "We got 4-6 inches of rain in the Baton Rouge area over the top of the river and we were on the razor’s edge of the trigger as it was and that local rain pushed us over the trigger.” The Corps was expected to open 60 of the 350 bays at the spillway. It is uncertain how many bays will eventually be opened, or the duration of the opening. The opening of the spillway introduces fresh water into the salty water of Lake Pontchartrain, altering the habitat for the marine life. St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis declared a State of Emergency as a result of the re-opening. He said it was to bring awareness to the severity of the issue and open the possibility of getting federal assistance for damages. "The waterways and estuaries of St. Bernard Parish have recently seen an unprecedented influx of freshwater as a result of the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway," said McInnis. "This drastic change in salinity has caused a great deal of stress on the marine ecosystem of eastern St. Bernard." As water poured through the openings, Kaiser emphasized that the goal was to take the pressure off of the levees downriver and lessen the possibility of a levee failure that could lead to catastrophic flooding in the New Orleans area. "You can see what we have here," he said, gesturing toward the water pouring through. "Just imagine that moving its way downward into the city, unchecked." The Bonnet Carré Spillway is opened to relieve stress on New Orleans levees when the Mississippi River flows at 1.25 million cubic feet per second -- enough to fill the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in less than two minutes. Last month the corps said the spillway has never been opened twice in one year. The spillway is opened by using a crane to pull up huge timbers called needles. The spillway was opened in January and later closed on April 11. Friday's opening will mark the 14th time that the spillway has opened since 1937. The order to open the spillway was issued by Maj. Richard G. Kaiser, commander of the Mississippi Valley Division in Vicksburg, Miss.<doc-sep>Corps asking for second opening of Bonnet Carre Spillway this year Corps asking for second opening of Bonnet Carre Spillway this year The Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans will announce at 1 p.m. Thursday when it will reopen the Bonnet Carre Spillway. It will be the first time the flood control has been used twice in one calendar year.The National Weather Service is forecasting the Mississippi River to crest near flood stage on Sunday in New Orleans. The bays of the spillway were just closed on April 11, following an opening that was launched on Feb. 27, when the river reached a flow rate of 1.25 million cfps. That opening was historic as well. It was the first time the spillway had been opened in back-to-back years.The Army Corps of Engineers' New Orleans office is asking to do something unprecedented: open a historic flood control structure above New Orleans for the second time in one year.This comes as floods across the Midwest have caused billions of dollars of damage to homes, farms and other businesses.The National Weather Service says continued rains in the Midwest and Ohio Valley and floodwaters from the upper Mississippi River are heading down the Mississippi. In addition, storms are expected to dump 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Arkansas.Corps spokesman Matt Roe says the New Orleans office is asking the Corps' Mississippi Valley Division for authority to reopen the Bonnet Carré (BAHN-ee KEHR-ee) spillway to relieve stress on New Orleans levees. The agency has scheduled a Thursday afternoon news conference. The Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans will announce at 1 p.m. Thursday when it will reopen the Bonnet Carre Spillway. It will be the first time the flood control has been used twice in one calendar year. The National Weather Service is forecasting the Mississippi River to crest near flood stage on Sunday in New Orleans. Advertisement The bays of the spillway were just closed on April 11, following an opening that was launched on Feb. 27, when the river reached a flow rate of 1.25 million cfps. That opening was historic as well. It was the first time the spillway had been opened in back-to-back years. The Army Corps of Engineers' New Orleans office is asking to do something unprecedented: open a historic flood control structure above New Orleans for the second time in one year. This comes as floods across the Midwest have caused billions of dollars of damage to homes, farms and other businesses. The National Weather Service says continued rains in the Midwest and Ohio Valley and floodwaters from the upper Mississippi River are heading down the Mississippi. In addition, storms are expected to dump 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Arkansas. Corps spokesman Matt Roe says the New Orleans office is asking the Corps' Mississippi Valley Division for authority to reopen the Bonnet Carré (BAHN-ee KEHR-ee) spillway to relieve stress on New Orleans levees. The agency has scheduled a Thursday afternoon news conference.<doc-sep>As the flood-swollen Mississippi River rises across the South into Louisiana, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the Bonnet Carré spillway north of New Orleans in a precautionary move to relieve potential stress on the city's levees, which protect from catastrophic flooding. The spillway is 28 miles north of New Orleans. Most of the city is at or below sea level, so it is protected by levee systems. New Orleans suffered deadly flooding in Hurricane Katrina when levees were breached. The Bonnet Carré spillway was recently closed on April 11 after it was opened to protect New Orleans was flooding and this is the first time in history the spillway has been opened two times in a year. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a statewide emergency on Friday due to flooding and heavy rains flooding that is continuing for some areas on Saturday. The Mississippi River, due to heavy regional rainfall, has risen 6 inches in the past 24 hours, according to the U.S. Corps of Engineers, and with more rain expected through the weekend, the river is nearing dangers levels – exceeding April flooding levels which were the worst since 1973. "These rains could elevate the Mississippi River above 17 feet with a peak as high as 17.5 feet at the Carrollton Gage," the Corps said in a release on Frida. "In an abundance of caution the operation date is being moved forward to ensure the safe passage of this high water by limiting the elevations downriver of the spillway. Operation of the structure will relieve pressure on main levees, maintain river stages, and regulate the flow downriver from the spillway. "This will be the 14 operation of the structure since 1937 and the first time it has been opened twice during the same high water event." Air boat out at Bonnet Carre during the second opening this year. pic.twitter.com/kkeQvcdESU — Corps of Engineers (@TeamNewOrleans) May 10, 2019 Already, flooding inside the south end of Mississippi's Delta region that is walled off by levees is experiencing record flooding that will prevent farmers from planting crops on hundreds of thousands of acres, according to the Associated Press. And it's still raining across the Deep South, bringing more rain to rain-soaked states including Mississippi and Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Texas, more than 42,000 homes and businesses remain without power due to flooding and the city of Houston is still grappling with heavy rain and flooding. Houston and parts of Harris County and nearby counties along the Gulf Coast under a flash flood watch through 7 p.m. Saturday. Parts of the Houston area received 5 inches of rain on 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.<doc-sep>
The Army Corps of Engineers will be opening the Bonnet Carré Spillway Friday as early at 1 p.m.On Thursday the Corps recommended operating the Bonnet Carré Spillway to the Mississippi Valley Division commanding general with a tentative date of May 14. Regional rainfall caused the Mississippi River to rise 6 inches in the past 24 hours, with more rain expected through the weekend. These rains could elevate the Mississippi River above 17 feet with a peak as high as 17.5 feet at the Carrollton Gage. In an abundance of caution the operation date is being moved forward to ensure the safe passage of this high water by limiting the elevations downriver of the spillway, according to the Corps. Operation of the structure will relieve pressure on main levees, maintain river stage, and regulate the flow downriver from the spillway. The decision to open Bonnet Carré was issued by Maj. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser commander of the Mississippi Valley Division in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This will be the 14th operation of the structure since 1937 and the first time it has been opened twice during the same high-water event. The Army Corps of Engineers will be opening the Bonnet Carré Spillway Friday as early at 1 p.m. On Thursday the Corps recommended operating the Bonnet Carré Spillway to the Mississippi Valley Division commanding general with a tentative date of May 14. Regional rainfall caused the Mississippi River to rise 6 inches in the past 24 hours, with more rain expected through the weekend. These rains could elevate the Mississippi River above 17 feet with a peak as high as 17.5 feet at the Carrollton Gage. In an abundance of caution the operation date is being moved forward to ensure the safe passage of this high water by limiting the elevations downriver of the spillway, according to the Corps. Operation of the structure will relieve pressure on main levees, maintain river stage, and regulate the flow downriver from the spillway. The decision to open Bonnet Carré was issued by Maj. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser commander of the Mississippi Valley Division in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This will be the 14th operation of the structure since 1937 and the first time it has been opened twice during the same high-water event.