n the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled NEW ORLEANS. IT'S WORSE THAN YOU ARE HEARING!, Wonder Warthog wrote:
"I would suggest the Army Corp start breaking levees up stream of NOLA to help control the down stream flooding.
There is no need whatsover for this. The Mississippi River levee and floodway structures are designed to handle more water than any single hurricane can possibly drop in the drainage area. The only "downstream flooding" will be in low-lying areas of some small local rivers. The FIRST thing they would do would be to open the "Bonnet Carre" spillway--and since they have NOT done that, the corps of engineers obviously doesn't see any problems coming."
Opening the spillway would be one of the WORST things to do right now. It channels the Mississippi into Lake Pontchartrain. Right now much of the flooding is coming from the lake -- putting even MORE water into it would just make things worse.
Note---"I" am NOT suggesting that the BC spillway should be opened--just saying that "if" there was flooding danger from the Mississippi, that is what they would do. BUT, the flooding danger is NOT from the Mississippi, so they won't.