[Torie]

Just below that picture (reposted below) is the lock holding back the Mississippi from Lake Ponchartrain, the Lake 14 feet lower than the Mississippi. The question is, is or is not that lock still in place?

It appears to me that it is not, and that the Mississippi is indeed flowing into Eastern NO.

[winodog]

Heres some photos I dunno if we have seen all of them.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/1756

[flutters]

Updates as they come in on Katrina

03:25 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 30, 2005


Tom Planchet



3:25 P.M. - With conditions in the hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans rapidly deteriorating, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Tuesday that people now huddled in the Superdome and other rescue centers need to be evacuated.


"The situation is untenable," Blanco said during a news conference. "It's just heartbreaking."


3:15 P.M. - Charity Hospital is out of commission and they are trying to evacuate patients, but it is hard to get there because rising water is surrounding the hospital. They will try to evacuate the patients to other cities.


3:13 P.M. - Governor Blanco: A lot of people have lost their lives, but we have no numbers because the priority is saving those who are alive so we don't have more casualties.


3:12 P.M. - Senator Vitter: Mayor Nagin's calm and control and command of the facts showed me that we have one of the best leaders in the country right here.


3:12 P.M. - Senator Landrieu - Scenes are similar to what she saw after the Tsunami.


3:11 P.M. - Senator Landrieu: Those who evacuated should be patient and thank God that they are okay because so many still need to get out.


3:09 P.M. - Senator Landrieu: Plenty of people still on rooftops in N.O. East waiting to be rescued. Every boat available is being used to try to save people.


3:07 P.M. - Governor Blanco: We are looking for ways to get people out of the Superdome and out of New Orleans said Governor Blanco as she tried to keep from crying.

[TonyInOhio]

Torie, I believe that is a photo of the 17th Street Canal, which connects to the Lake, not the Mississippi.

[bjs1779]

It appears to me that it is not, and that the Mississippi is indeed flowing into Eastern NO.

How high can Lake P go until it overflows someplace else? Might have to blow the seawalls if this is happening.

[stlnative]

my husband works at a Lock & Dam - most likely they opened up the gates before the hurricane hit and lock will have it's own generator.

[AaronInCarolina]

It appears to me that it is not, and that the Mississippi is indeed flowing into Eastern NO.

It sure looks to me like the lock is open, or at least overwhelmed by the river flooding. If so, it is ominous.

[U S Army EOD]

Just wait until the run off from this storm comes down the Mississippi from the rest of the Mississippi drainage basin.

[fireforeffect]

Looks to me like the water is flowing from the area with houses into the canal. Not into the city.

Possibly, Lake Pontchartrain has gone down enough for the water to be flowing out. OR the river is low enough?

Is this picture looking north or south.

My theory works if the blog reports from NOLA saying the water does not appear to be rising anymore are true.

[bored at work]

that pic answered many questions. Thanx

[Diddle E. Squat]

Hard to say, because we can't see if the southern gates on the lock are open, though the northern gates are. Checking google maps ( http://maps.google.com/maps ), that picture is looking NNE, and so it is draining into the Arabi section, not the central city section. That Arabi bowl(eastern NO) is the one that flooded earliest yesterday, and where yesterday's rooftop flooding and rescue shots were coming from. Also speculated that 22' storm surge from the hurricane overtopped and began filling it from the east. Am wondering if there is now an east breach, and as much of the river that fits through the lock is draining through that bowl to the sea.

[Dog Gone]

That's a heck of a good question, Torie, and I hope it was answered further down the post and I just haven't gotten to it yet.