Easing Pressure on Louisiana Levees, Raising Environmental Worries
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — When an 87-year-old flood control structure is opened northwest of New Orleans, it will lower the flood threat for that city, while raising environmental concerns.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will open part of the Bonnet Carre (BAHN’-eh CARE’-ee) Spillway on Thursday. That will divert some of the rising Mississippi River’s waters north into Lake Pontchartrain and, eventually, into the Gulf of Mexico.
It will keep the powerful current of the rising river from putting a strain on New Orleans levees. But it also affects the salinity in the huge lake and in the Mississippi Sound, which can mean trouble for oyster harvests off the Louisiana and Mississppi Gulf Coasts. The river also carries nutrients that can cause algae blooms in the lake, which can lead to fish kills.
This corrects the age of the structure that appeared in earlier versions of this story.
Related News
From Archive
- HDD industry faces challenges as cities push back on fiber drilling disruptions
- 2 workers killed, 1 injured while working on sewer line in Mobile, Ala.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico
- Tunnel boring continues under Chesapeake Bay for $3.9 billion HRBT Expansion project
- Judge approves construction for key portion of $485 million pipeline in Larimer County, Colo.
- New products: Latest industry developments
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- Ohio Supreme Court rules sewer line location isn’t a ‘defect’ in property dispute
- Faulconer Construction begins rock blasting for water pipeline project in Charlottesville, Va.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico
Comments