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Corps concerned about Mississippi River levees
New concerns this morning from the Army Corps of Engineers.
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Old River Control Structure vital during highwaters on Mississippi River
A churning waterway of flying fish and rolling debris as Mississippi River water rushed through the Old River Control Structure.
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Health of Lake Pontchartrain: Abnormal, not hazardous, says foundation
Nearly two weeks after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the Bonnet Carre spillway, officials are beginning to see the impact from diverting part of the swollen Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain.
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River flood builds land, but will it help?
From space, the land-building power of this year's river flood is obvious. Satellite images show plumes of delta-spawning sediment pouring from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River, the Mississippi River and the Bonnet Carre spillway.
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RAW: Aerial shots of river water flowing into Lake Pontchartrain
An Eyewitness News photographer spent time in a helicopter Tuesday morning, taking video of Mississippi River water as it penetrated into Lake Pontchartrain.
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Water worries have some tourists concerned, but few cancelling
The rising waters of the Mississippi and the pictures of flooding in some more northern areas of the river have led to some misconceptions around the country that the Crescent City is in danger of flooding again.
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Sandbag locations in West Terrebonne Parish
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Final gate closed on Morganza Spillway
The final gate on the Morganza Spillway is being closed Thursday by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Officials seek funds for emergency dredging
The mighty Mississippi carries much on its back, including important shipments for business and industry.
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Historic flood begins to abate, but far from over
The Mississippi River flood of 2011 may seem like a thing of the past for people who fled rising waters that never came, yet the final toll is shrouded in murky water for thousands of people devastated as the flood made its way from the Midwest to th
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River nears crest in Morgan City
The National Weather Service says the swollen Atchafalaya River is nearing its crest in Morgan City, but it may have reached its highest point already.
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Residents return to flood-damaged homes in Miss.
Residents in this tiny enclave of homes and fishing camps returned Monday for the first time since evacuating nearly a month ago, getting their first glimpse of the putrid mud and soaked debris left behind.
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Evacuation order changes for Happy Town area
Some residents in St. Martin Parish are no longer under a mandatory flood evacuation.
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Evacuation soon to be voluntary for some
St. Martin Parish officials are changing some of the areas under mandatory evacuation orders to voluntary status since the Atchafalaya River is rising slower than expected
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Flood warning lifted for New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A flood-damaged railroad bridge west of New Orleans has been repaired.
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2 more bays closed at Morganza
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed two more bays at the Morganza spillway, which is diverting high water from the Mississippi River into the Atchafalaya River.
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Corps begins closing Morganza
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning to close bays on Morganza Floodway, based on reduced flows in the Mississippi River at Red River Landing.
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Rising river in Morgan City draws crowds
The Atchafalaya River is roaring past Morgan City now.
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Few residents stay after mandatory evacuation of Butte La Rose
Butte La Rose is cut off from the world tonight. The mandatory evacuation went into effect at noon as the water began rising and started to surround the foundations of some low-lying houses.
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Company says Bonnet Carre rail bridge may be back in service by Thursday
It’s a rail bridge spanning the Bonnet Carre Spillway, usually seeing two passenger trains and at least a half dozen freight trains every day. But not today.
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Mandatory evacuation set for Butte LaRose
BUTTE LAROSE, La. (AP) — Residents of Butte LaRose are facing a mandatory evacuation as backwater from the swollen Atchafalaya River creeps toward homes in the Cajun community.
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Fish kill in lake raises concerns
Word spread quickly on the Northshore that there was a fish kill, which led to worries it was connected to the rush of fresh water from the Mississippi River into the lake since the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway two weeks ago.
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Coast Guard letting some boats to travel river in Baton Rouge
The Coast Guard is allowing some vessels to pass through a stretch of the Mississippi River in Louisiana that had been closed since an accident on the swollen waterway Friday.
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New state emergency regulations call for no pedestrians on river levees
The rules were set out by the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority this week, but few appear to be adhering to it.
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An agonizing wait in La. for creeping floodwaters
BUTTE LAROSE, La. (AP) — Louisiana residents in the path of diverted floodwaters from the bloated Mississippi River kept up an agonizing vigil as hundreds of homes outside levees are threatened by the slow-moving surge that has swamped houses as high as the rooftops in Mississippi.
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Authorities keeping close eye on river barges too close to levees
In the past two weeks alone there have been at least 28 cases, where barges were fined because they were too close to the Mississippi River levees.
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Holdouts wait for floodwaters
The final wave of holdouts has mostly packed up and left this town as water from the swollen Atchafalaya River inched toward their homes, their frustration and hope painted on signs outside their now-abandoned homes.
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Mandatory evacuation for Butte LaRose postponed
St. Martin Parish officials have postponed a mandatory evacuation in the Butte LaRose area that had been scheduled to take effect Saturday morning.
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Mississippi flood victims eager to return to homes
VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) — Chris Lynn fired up his small aluminum boat Saturday and traveled nearly a mile to his father's flooded house.
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Navigating the Mississippi a scary proposition
Even experienced river pilots have never seen anything like the roiling current now racing to the Gulf. Since spring floods pushed the Mississippi to historic heights, America's busiest inland waterway has become its most challenging to navigate.
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Town that harbored Katrina evacuees now hosting Morganza evacuees
Several people who have been forced to evacuate their homes in advance of the floodwaters from the opening of the Morganza Spillway have taken refuge in a small town in Avoyelles Parish.
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As floodwaters rise, crews save osprey chicks
Cindy Ransonet stood tiptoed atop the small boat's cabin and pulled an osprey chick from the nest of a bald cypress tree.
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Louisiana oyster crop hurt by spillway openings
In the past ten years local oyster fishermen have battled major hurricanes, the worst oil spill disaster in U.S. history and now a massive diversion of fresh Mississippi river water into the salt water estuaries where the oysters live and grow.
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This used to be farmland
And it will be again some day, but for farmers in Pointe Coupee who have lost much of this year's crop and who will have to pay to clean up a mess of debris, that day can't come soon enough.
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Morganza, Bonnet Carre' doing the job protecting Baton Rouge, NO areas
So far, they have spared Baton Rouge and New Orleans the widespread flooding seen in some communities upriver along the historically high Mississippi.
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Amtrak to resume full Chicago-to-New Orleans route
The Amtrak train that runs from Chicago to New Orleans is about to be back in business, weeks after being shut down because flooding made some of the route impassable.
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Residents prepare for the worst in Butte La Rose
Butte La Rose is turning into a ghost town, as deputies went from house to house posting notices of a mandatory evacuation.
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Long-feared flood rolls toward La. bayou country
The oil-and-seafood hub of Morgan City has been hit by one disaster after another, from hurricanes to the BP oil spill. The latest trouble involves a deluge of water that was diverted from the Mississippi River and is headed toward the town.
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River traffic hit hard by high river
Empty barges moored in the Mississippi River off Algiers are a sign of the impact high river levels are having on river traffic and, in turn, the economy.
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Flooding from river causes Miss. man's death
VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) — A man pulled from floodwaters near downtown Vicksburg, Miss., has died from what authorities say was a brain injury related to drowning.
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Saturday evacuation ordered for Butte LaRose
St. Martin Parish has ordered a mandatory evacuation for Butte LaRose on Saturday as the swollen Atchafalaya River's water levels continue to rise.
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St. Francisville fights perception town is flooded
The 200-year-old town of St. Francisville is known for its antebellum mansions and tourists attractions. Wednesday morning, the tour bus came to see flooding in a low-lying area on the outskirts of the town.
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Scientists keeping watchful eye on river flow, levels and contaminants
The scientists have been mobilized across half a dozen states by the U.S. Geological Survey. It is an unprecedented effort to monitor the historic water flows stemming from a swollen Mississippi River.
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Corps opens 17th bay at Morganza spillway
The Army Corps of Engineers has opened a 17th bay at the Morganza spillway to divert more water from the Mississippi River and ease pressure on the levee systems downriver.
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Natchez residents relieved as projected crest of river is lowered
Leaders on both sides of the Mississippi River in Natchez call it "good news", as projections for the river's crest were downgraded a half foot Wednesday.
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River debris piles up in Kenner
New Orleans area levees are littered with driftwood and other floating junk deposited by the high water on the Mississippi River.
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Debris collecting at Kenner's Rivertown
With the Mississippi River at historic levels, debris is flowing down the waterway in bulk. Eyewitness Reporter Paul Murphy took some photos, delivering them to WWLTV.com for your viewing pleasure.
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Oysters may be wiped out from fresh water in Mississippi Sound
State marine officials expect the oyster industry can expect extreme losses when record amounts of freshwater heading down the Mississippi River reach the Mississippi Sound.
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Flooding hinders shipping on the Mississippi River
Cargo was slowly moving along the bloated Mississippi River after a costly daylong standstill, while officials kept an eye on the lower Delta where thousands of acres of farmland could be swamped by water.
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Stephensville makes last minute preparations
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Inspections of levees continue as river remains high
On both banks of the river, it's a non-stop effort, as inspectors ride along the levees, looking for seepage or other signs of weakness.
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Rising waters chases mayor from Simmesport home
Rising waters are already taking their toll in areas outside the of levees protection zone in Simmesport.
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1927 Flood impacted N.O. with people, not water
Since the Mississippi River started swelling, many comparisons have been made to the flood of 1927
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Flood outlook brightens
A little less water and a little more time. That's what state and local officials say is the new forecast for flooding from the Mississippi River's record rise.
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Commentary: Decision to open Morganza not an easy one
Clancy DuBos said that while many of the more populous areas are being spared damaging floodwaters, many small towns are making sacrifices.
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PHOTO: High water beneath I-10 over the Bonnet Carre Spillway
A picture shot by Eyewitness News reporter Paul Murphy shows high water levels on Interstate 10 as it crosses the Bonnet Carre Spillway.
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Jindal: Flood chasing bears, snakes out of swamps
Gov. Bobby Jindal said Tuesday that officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for wildlife fleeing floodwaters.
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Costly Miss. River closure meant to protect levees
The Coast Guard has interrupted shipping along the major artery for moving grain from farms in the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico over fears that the bulging Mississippi River could strain levees that protect hundreds of thousands from flooding
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Lake Pontchartrain dealing with ‘chocolate milk’ pouring into it
Large plumes of muddy water from the Mississippi River are now visible in Lake Pontchartrain.
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Miss. River closed at Natchez
Record flooding has caused authorities to close the Mississippi River at the port in Natchez because barge traffic could put more pressure on the levees.
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Gibson residents ready the town for expected high water
It's grueling work but the stakes are high for Gibson residents.
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Spillway opening a missed opportunity for wetlands revitalization
The opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway is a flood-protection project, though some argue it also could serve to bolster wetlands restoration in the area.
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Despite lowered crest predictions, Terrebonne Parish still worried about backwater flooding
They’re feeling a little bit better along the banks of Bayou Buff in Amelia, just east of Morgan City, after new predictions about water level and a plan to reduce backwater flooding were delivered Monday.
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Butte Larose virtual ghost town as area prepares for impending flood
With floodwaters from the opening of the Morganza Spillway heading towards Butte Larose, the town was a virtual ghost town by dusk Monday.
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Gov. Jindal views Morganza Spillway, barge sinking
Photos from Governor Jindal's visit to flood response and protection efforts today include an aerial view of the open Morganza Floodway and of a sinkable barge project in St. Mary parish that will help prevent backwater flooding.
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High water levels in Algiers bring onlookers, inspectors to levees
With the Mississippi at uncomfortably high levels, inspection crews are going around the metro area inspecting levees constantly.
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Some towns in path of water from Morganza all but deserted
Cajun-country towns in the path of Mississippi River floodwaters were all but deserted Monday as residents heeded warnings to seek higher ground after a major floodgate was opened for the first time in four decades.
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Hundreds line levees to marvel at swollen Mississippi River
Hundreds of people lined the levees in New Orleans Sunday to marvel at the swollen Mississippi River.
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Preparations continue in Morgan City area ahead of expected flooding
With 9 bays of the Morganza Spillway opened Sunday, sand-bagging and other preparations continue in Morgan City and neighboring communities.
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Small town evacuates in advance of floodwaters
As more bays were opened on the Morganza Spillway, towns and communities along the Atchafalaya Basin were preparing for flooding.
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Crews open 15 total bays at Morganza
A total of nine massive steel gates at the Morganza spillway are now open to ease pressure on the Mississippi River levees in south Louisiana, sending more water flowing into and further flooding the Atchafalaya Basin.
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In Deadwood, locals await floodwaters
Dump trucks are rumbling through this quiet swamp community, bringing what residents hope will be enough dirt to protect their homes from the onslaught of water heading down the Atchafalaya Basin.
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Corps opens Morganza in effort to relieve pressure on river
For only the second time since it was constructed, the Morganza spillway was opened unleashing a violent torrent of water in an effort to relieve pressure off a swollen Mississippi River, which is at historic levels.
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N.O. officials worried about what will happen when river levels recede
The opening of the Morganza Spillway will help relieve pressure on levees and protect major cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge. But local officials say that doesn't necessarily mean the Crescent City is out of the woods just yet.
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Town in path of approaching floodwaters readies
After the crews opened the first bay of the Morganza spillway, those in the path of water from the Mississippi River that is being diverted toward their towns made frantic, last-minute preparations to protect their homes.
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US floodgate opens, diverting Mississippi River
MORGANZA, Louisiana (AP) — Water from the inflated Mississippi River gushed through a floodgate Saturday for the first time in nearly four decades and headed toward thousands of homes and farmland in Louisiana's French-speaking countryside, threatening to slowly submerge the land under water up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) deep.
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Morganza opened slowly to let wildlife find safe ground
The rising water in parts of Louisiana affected by the opening of the Morganza Spillway is also expected to affect wildlife in the area.
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'What gives them the right to flood us?' asks Gibson woman
Terrebonne Parish residents filled thousands of sandbags as they made final preparations in anticipation of the opening of the Morganza spillway.
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Changing Course? The future of the Mississippi River
With the Mississippi River now straining many of the levees used to hold it, there are growing questions about man's ability to manage the Mississippi.
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Furious attempt made to save subdivision in harm's way
It’s an unprecedented effort in an attempt to keep homes from possible flooding in the town of Stephensville.
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St. Tammany sends aid to St. Mary Parish
COVINGTON, La. (AP) — St. Tammany Parish officials are sending workers and equipment to St. Mary Parish, where preparations are under way for projected flooding from the Atchafalaya River.
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River open for business in New Orleans
At one of the best vantage points to see the awesome fury of the Mississippi River, ships continue to pass by, but there are some restrictions like daylight travel southbound.
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Morganza spillway to open Saturday
Governor Bobby Jindal says the Morganza Spillway is likely to open 'within 24 hours,' meaning sometime Saturday.
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Louisiana-made Hesco baskets crucial in flood fight
The sound of industrial staplers rattles through this Hammond plant like machine gun fire. As fast as they can, 30-workers are making Hesco Baskets for the Mississippi River flood fight.
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JPSO warns of arrest for those who drive on levees
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is warning people not to drive on the parish’s levees, saying they will increase patrols and that anyone who does so is subject to arrest.
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Map: Path, timeline of water after Morganza is opened
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Multi-million dollar bill if Mississippi River commerce is snagged
If the lower portion of the flooding Mississippi River is closed to ships, the U.S. economy could face a bill running into the hundreds of millions of dollars a day.
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Could rising river impact water system?
As the Mississippi River continues to rise to historic levels, officials are keeping a close eye on the metro area's water system. One of their biggest concerns is protecting the intake pipes that draw water from the river into treatment plants aroun
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Baton Rouge port suspends some operations
PORT ALLEN, La. (AP) — Liquid bulk cargo operations at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge have shut down because of the rising Mississippi River.
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St. Francisville sees flooding in low-lying areas
This is the end of Ferdinand Street in St. Francisville, where roughly a half dozen homes and businesses are now flooded. Others are close.
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Jindal: Morganza likely open by Sunday
Gov. Bobby Jindal said the Army Corps of Engineers is likely to open the Morganza spillway Saturday night or Sunday.
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Officials try to calm fears of New Orleans flooding from Mississippi River
It is a flooding fear permeating in a city, which is counting on levees to protect it from the rising river.
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On board a 43,000 ton tanker, navigating the swollen, fierce Mississippi
The stakes are high for river pilots, who are working to maneuver ships in the most extreme river conditions of their careers.
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River leaking through gates into locks
New Orleans area locks allow boats, tows and barges on the lower Mississippi River to flow to and from the Inter-Harbor Navigation Canal and other sea level waterways.
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Morgan City residents frustrated they've received few answers on river
The town of Amelia lies just west of Morgan City, but the 2500 residents live outside the levee system. The area’s councilman is furious that he submitted plans to protect residents last week, but said he had to wait days for help to arrive.
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Lafourche keeping wary eye on floodwaters
Though they are preparing for the worst, officials say the federal map that predicts potential flooding in Lafourche if the Morganza Spillway is opened fails to factor in local flood protection.
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Landrieu: 'The city of New Orleans is safe'
Flanked by the city’s top emergency officials and leaders, Mayor Mitch Landrieu set out to allay the fears of the citizens of New Orleans, saying that the city would be safe and would not flood despite rising river levels along the Mississippi River.
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Gibson residents brace for flooding
Uncertainty about what's to come has Gibson and Bayou Black residents on edge. And the perception that their homes are being put in danger to spare those farther north has them angry.
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River flows over levee in northeast Louisiana, flooding crops
Water from the swollen Mississippi River poured over a century-old levee Thursday, flooding 12,000 acres of corn and soybeans despite farmers' frantic efforts to shore up the structure.
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Corps releases maps projecting flooding
The Army Corps of Engineers has released some inundation maps to show the anticipated impact to areas if the Morganza Floodway is opened to combat the rising river levels in the Mississippi.
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Barges left unchecked could cause havoc in river, officials say
Hundreds of barges are pushed through the Mississippi River every day, but with the quickening of the current as the river rises, that task is becoming the more difficult.
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Amtrak Chicago-New Orleans service remains down
The Amtrak train that runs from Chicago to New Orleans will continue to be shut down through at least the weekend because of flooding.
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Find out the elevation of your home or business
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People in bayou communities prepare for flooding from swollen river
It is a race against time for people in more than a half dozen parishes.
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Latest river stages
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Theriot residents prepare for the worst
Officials called it the most vulnerable coastal levee in southern Terrebonne Parish. Jill Hezeau shows us what people in Theriot are doing to try to protect their community.
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Mayor Landrieu press conference
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All eyes turn to Morganza Spillway
Morganza is a no stop-light town, stretching less than a mile along Hwy. 1. The tiny town and what’s on the edge of it will soon get a lot of attention.
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Flooding won't hit lake, officials say, but debris will
Murky water from the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway is now entering Lake Pontchartrain, but experts do not expect any flooding concerns.
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Levee districts working around the clock to battle seepage
The metro New Orleans area is at flood stage for the second day in a row, and while the levees are holding the Mississippi River back, water is seeping through in some areas, forcing local levee districts to work 24-7 during this historic event.
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Audubon Zoo: No plans to evacuate animals for rising river
While keeping a watchful eye on the nearby Mississippi River, officials at the Audubon Zoo say they have no plans to evacuate animals in the event of rising water.
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Graphic: NO river level
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Reserve River Level
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Donaldsonville River Level
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Mississippi River Level
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Myers explains the current river levels and what they mean
Eyewitness News Meteorologist Jonathan Myers shows how the high current and high water levels are slowing down traffic considerably on the Mississippi River.
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Morganza spillway could be opened this weekend
Inmates are filling sandbags to protect property in Cajun swamp communities that could be flooded from the bulging Mississippi River if engineers open the Morganza spillway.
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Mississippi River traffic precautions could cause financial losses
With the Mississippi swelling to historic levels, the already powerful river's waters are churning and swirling with increased violent force.
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Morgan City concerned; nearby cities racing to protect themselves
While nearly 13,000 people in nearby Morgan City are keeping a wary eye on the rising river and crossing their fingers that the levees will hold out the rising waters, about 6,000 people in nearby Stephensville don’t even have that luxury.
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Miss. braces as high water pushes past Memphis
TUNICA, Miss. (AP) — Flooding generated by the swollen Mississippi River is hitting hard in the Tunica Cutoff community south of Memphis.
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Jindal: Get ready to get out of flood's way
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal said Tuesday that communities along the Morganza spillway should be alert and prepare for evacuations if a decision to open the Morganza spillway is made.
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Rising water levels causing traffic restrictions on river
The water is inching closer to the top of the levees here along the New Orleans riverfront, a very dangerous time for people who make their living on the river.
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JP President says parish is monitoring river levels, not anticipating flood risk
The following is a news release from Jefferson Parish concerning the river levels:
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Morganza opening could send floodwaters into thousands of structures
Thousands of residents in Lafourche, Terrebonne, Assumption and St. Mary's parishes are at risk of flooding as the state prepares to open floodgates to cope with a rising Mississippi River.
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Rising river catching people's attention in New Orleans area
In some spots, it's easy to see just how high the river has risen -- places like the Fly at Audubon Park and the area around the Steamboat Natchez in the French Quarter.
River Watch
River Watch Videos
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Sunday Edition: Insurance & Wildlife Issues
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Sunday Edition: Levee Protection
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Since opening of Morganza, many towns still waiting for water
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Silt deposits, dredging becoming a concern for river
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Bonnet Carre Spillway could still be fully opened if need be
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Insurance commissioner explains what's covered during floods
