There are now 168 bays opened not 148, table is corrected.

The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) opened 20 bays on the Bonnet Carré Spillway today (Tuesday, May 21, 2019).

The MVN operated the Bonnet Carré Spillway from February 27 to April 11, 2019, prior to 2019 the Spillway had never been operated in back-to-back years (2018 and 2019).  The required opening of the flood control structure twice in the same year represents another historic first. 

The maximum flow above the Spillway today was 1.345 million cfs based on the flow measured at Red River Landing (Mile 302.4 Above Head of Passes), with calculations and timing adjusted for downriver at Bonnet Carré.

 

BONNET CARRÉ SPILLWAY SECOND OPERATION 2019

 

DATE CARROLTON GAUGE (NEW ORLEANS) BAYS OPENED TODAY TOTAL NUMBER OF BAYS OPEN TOTAL NUMBER OF BAYS CLOSED SPILLWAY DISCHARGE CUBIC FEET PER SECOND (cfs)
5/10/19 17.25 feet 60 60 N/A 78,000 cfs
5/11/19 16.80 feet 10 70 N/A 82,000 cfs
5/12/19 16.80 feet 0 70 N/A 79,000 cfs
5/13/19 17.00 feet 58 128 N/A 116,000 cfs
5/14/19 16.75 feet 10 138 N/A 127,000 cfs
5/15/19 16.70 feet 0 138 N/A 127,000 cfs
5/16/19 16.60 feet 0 138 N/A 122,000 cfs
5/17/19 16.60 feet 0 138 N/A 122,000 cfs
5/18/19 16.80 feet 0 138 N/A 127,000 cfs
5/19/19 16.90 feet 10 148 N/A 142,000 cfs
5/20/19 16.80 feet 0 148 N/A 148,000 cfs
5/21/19 16.80 feet 20 168* N/A 165,000 cfs

The stages below the Spillway will be artificially controlled by the flow diverted form the Mississippi River through the open flood control structure and into Lake Pontchartrain.

The MVN manages the opening and closing of bays on the flood control structure to ensure the maximum flow at New Orleans remains at/or below the trigger point flow of 1.25 million cubic feet per second (cfs) in accordance with the approved Bonnet Carré  Spillway Water Control Manual.  The crest prediction above the Spillway is expected to occur by May 29 (2019).  The operation of the flood control structure is expected to continue until the second week of June.