The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) closed 10 bays on the Bonnet Carré Spillway on April 13, 2020 but has not closed any additional bays since.  The MVN expects to slowly close the structure until all bays are closed, but is going to wait until this extended crest passes.  The bays are operated to manage the maximum flow at New Orleans and ensure it does not exceed the target flow of 1.25 million cubic feet per second (cfs).  The Spillway’s operation is based on the estimated flow at Red River Landing which is utilized to manage the number of bays opened to ensure the flow of 1.25 million cfs is not exceeded below the flood control structure.  The estimated flow at Red River Landing today is reported to be 1,238,000 cfs.

The Bonnet Carre´ Spillway is a flood control structure extending from Mile 128.8 Above Head of Passes to Mile 127.3 Above Head of Passes that is designed to pass flood water from the Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain to prevent flooding below the Spillway.

The MVN had previously opened 90 bays and then closed 10 bays, the forecast flow with a total of 80 bays open is now estimated to be 71,000 cfs which is being diverted from the Mississippi River and into Lake Pontchartrain via the floodway.  The flood control structure has a total of 350 bays and just over one-quarter of the bays were opened to pass these flood waters.

The Mississippi River forecast indicates a gradual and slow decrease in flow through the second week of May.  The maximum flow through the flood control structure for this opening thus far is 90,000 cfs.  If the flows are not heavily altered by the storm system that moved across the Mississippi River Basin over the last 24-hours, closure operations could resume over the next few days. The MVN anticipates the structure’s operation will have a duration of approximately 30 days.

                                                                                   BONNET CARRÉ  SPILLWAY OPERATION 2020

A forecast update provided by our colleagues from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center is attached, highlights from this update specific to the New Orleans are reproduced below:

“ One to four inches of rainfall is forecast today for most of the LMRFC.  Renewed minor to moderate flooding is possible over northeast Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.   Minor to moderate flooding continues on smaller tributaries in Tennessee.  One to two inches of rainfall is forecast for late this week thru early next week over parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and west Tennessee.  Renewed minor flooding will be possible over this area.         

On the lower Mississippi River, major flooding will continue at Baton Rouge, LA for the next couple of weeks.  Minor to moderate flooding will continue into May.  Impacts are mainly to agriculture and navigation.

 The 16 day future rainfall guidance shows a secondary rise on the lower Ohio River at Cairo, IL which is a few feet higher than flood stage.  If this rise occurs, it would keep the lower Ohio River above flood stage into the middle of May.  This crest for the first week of May would only slow recessions on the lower Mississippi River.” 

The Bonnet Carré Anchorage was closed by the U.S. Coast Guard at 6:00 a.m. on April 3, 2020, vessels shall not enter the anchorage or the area extending 600 feet into the river from the Bonnet Carré Spillway, between MM 127 and MM 129 and the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain.

“MARINERS ARE ADVISED THAT THE M/V KENT WILL BE STATIONED ON THE LEFT DESCENDING BANK JUST NORTH OF THE SPILLWAY TO MONITOR MARINE TRAFFIC ON VHF MARINE CHANNELS 16 AND 67.  SHOULD AN INCIDENT OCCUR BETWEEN THE SPILLWAY AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER MILE 140 ABOVE HEAD OF PASSES (AHP) INVOLVING AN ADRIFT VESSEL, BARGE, ETC., THE ATTENDING VESSEL OR ANY OTHER VESSEL IN THE VICINITY SHOULD IMMEDIATELY REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE M/V KENT.”