US Army Corps of Engineers 2011 Flood Response BUILDING STRONG®

2011 Flood Fight The safety of the public is the Corps’ number one priority. We are prepared to respond and are making informed decisions based on science and engineering. The Corps continues to work and communicate with our partners and stakeholders, including the National Weather Service, local levee districts, OCPR, DOTD, and GOHSEP. Currently in Flood Fight stages throughout the Division Reducing Risk and Damages The Corps is fully committed to reducing the risk of damages and loss of life from this record breaking flood by using all of the available resources at our disposal to protect the mainline levee system of the MR&T Project. Hundreds of engineers and technicians from the Mississippi Valley, Lakes and Rivers and Northwestern Divisions, along with scientists from the Corps’ Engineer Research and Development Center, are working around the clock to combat flooding stemming from historic Mississippi River levels. Public Information The Corps and its partners are fully committed to keeping the public informed. Both the Corps and its partners are closely monitoring weather and river conditions. We must be prepared to operate flood control features to relieve the high water conditions if the system is to operate as designed.   The decision about what to do is not about one isolated decision – it is about hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions to be made in each community affected by this historic flood event.

Percent of Normal

Forecasted Crest Stage STAGES – 4 May 2011 Station FS Current Stage Forecasted Crest Stage Date Record Stage Year Cairo, IL 40.0 60.62 61.62 2 May 59.51 1937 New Madrid, MO 34.0 47.21 50.0 7 May 47.97 Caruthersville, MO 32.0 46.11 49.5 8 May 46.00 Memphis, TN 44.23 48.0 11 May 48.70 Helena, AR 44.0 51.81 56.0 12 May 60.21 Arkansas City, AR 37.0 43.87 53.5 16 May 59.20 1927 Greenville, MS 54.91 64.5 17 May 58.20 1973 Vicksburg, MS 43.0 46.90 57.5 20 May 56.20* Natchez, MS 51.97 65.0 22 May 58.00 Red River Lndg, LA 53.26 65.5 23 May 61.30 1997 Baton Rouge, LA 35.0 35.79 47.5 48.10 New Orleans, LA 17.0** 14.02 17.0 24 May 21.00 Simmesport, LA 47.0 32.15 -- 59.13 Morgan City, LA 4.0 5.38 10.53 * Would have been 62.2' if levees had held **Note: Levees protect City of New Orleans to 20.0' stage.

Project Design Flood New Madrid Floodway Bonnet Carré Spillway Lower 150,000 MISSISSIPPI R 100,000 MISSOURI R ST. LOUIS New Madrid Floodway CAIRO 2,250,000 OHIO RIVER 550,000 NEW MADRID 490,000 TENNESSEE RIVER MEMPHIS HELENA 400,000 540,000 ARKANSAS CITY MISSISSIPPI RIVER 2,890,000 GREENVILLE YAZOO RIVER VICKSBURG RED RIVER West Atchafalaya Floodway Old River NATCHEZ 250,000 620,000 Bonnet Carré Spillway 1,500,000 BATON ROUGE 600,000 Morganza Floodway Wax Lake Outlet 250,000 LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN NEW ORLEANS 581,000 MORGAN CITY Lower Atchafalaya Floodway ATCHAFALAYA R 919,000 1,250,000 GULF OF MEXICO

These are our internal flow projections as of today and we will send you updated numbers as they change. Note that where project design flood or structure flow capacity is reached, the date of crest reflects the first day we expect that flow to occur. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Flood Fight Status Mississippi River Phase I Flood Fight began 14 March 2011 Currently inspecting from Old River to Venice twice per week Phase II Flood Fight starts 4 May 2011 in the upper Mississippi sectors and 6-7 May 2011 in the remaining Mississippi sectors Bonnet Carre is currently closed, opening will commence between 6-9May. Atchafalaya Basin Phase I Flood Fight began 23 March 2011 Currently inspecting from I-10 to Morgan City twice per week Phase II Flood Fight in the Lower Atchafalaya starts 6 May 2011 Morganza is closed. New Orleans District EOC open 7 days per week

Current conditions at Bonnet Carré Bonnet Carré Spillway The spring 2009 high water event was very close to forcing a Bonnet Carré Spillway Operation to prevent the Project Flood discharge at New Orleans from being exceeded. Normal trigger for activation is 1.25 M cfs. On May 31 the river peaked at 1.277 M cfs but upriver stages were beginning to fall. Reached 16.5 on Carrolton gauge. All 9 flood fight sector teams activated and patrolled during the event in close coordination with OCPR and the local levee authorities for joint patrolling efforts. 2008 Opening the Spillway Opened 160 of 350 Bays on April Maximum flow of 250,000 cfs Average flow for the 28 days was 113,000 cfs River crested in New Orleans at 16.98 ft on April 26. Corps engineers calculate that crest would have been 17.8 ft without the opening of the levee. The Corps of Engineers initiated surveys and preliminary investigations for the Bonnet Carré Spillway in 1928. Construction of the spillway structure began in 1929 and was completed in 1931. The guide levees were completed in 1932, and highway and railroad crossings in 1936. The total project cost was $14.2 million. Distance above New Orleans............32.8 river miles Length of weir opening......................7,000 feet Number of bays..................................350 Width of bays.....................................20 feet Creosoted timbers..............................20 per bay (7,000 total) Floodway design capacity..................250,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) Length................................................5.7 miles Width at river......................................7,700 feet Width at lake......................................12,400 feet U.S. lands...........................................7,623 acres Frequency of operation (est.)............10 years Date Bays open Max. flow (cfs) 1937 Jan. 30 to Mar. 7 285 211,000 1945 Mar. 23 to May 18 350 318,000 1950 Feb. 10 to Mar. 19 350 223,000 1973 Apr. 8 to June 21 350 195,000 1975 Apr. 14 to Apr. 26 225 110,000 1979 Apr. 18 to May 21 350 191,000 1983 May 20 to June 23 350 268,000 1997 Mar. 17 to Apr. 18 298 243,000 2008 Apr 11 to May 8 160 160,000 Current conditions at Bonnet Carré Opening trigger is 1.25 million cfs and rising at Red River Landing

Key Messages to Communicate Date Action Responsibility Key Messages to Communicate Method Provide Information Regarding Bonnet Carre SPILLWAY OPENING (All days indicated at D-Day +/1 since definite start time not known. D= opening date) D -10 days EOC notifies MVN Commander on NWS forecasts predictions on river flows at 1.5 million cfs and rising; thus, recommending spillway operation EOC  1 - 5 Phone E-mail D - 9 days MVN Commander gets input from MVD, along with MVN division/office chiefs, project managers; particularly EOC/ED - Hydraulics Commander/Deputy D - 8 days MVN Commander gathers input/comments from all stakeholders (government and non-government organizations and contacts) D – 6 days Meeting held with all stakeholders at District Headquarters to discuss spillway recommendation and gather comments In Person D – 5 days MVN Commander requests approval from MRC President/MVD Commander D – 5 days  Notify all stakeholders on approval (most of which will already know outcome based on district meeting) Commander/Deputy EOC OD D – 4 days  Notify all media with News Release on spillway operation; providing date/time PA News Release D – 4 days Post News Release on MVN website IM  Electronically D +/- 3 days Setup video/photo request with IM; media area setup at spillway location PA/IM Phone/ E-mail/ D +/- 4 days Respond to media queries PA, EOC 1 - 5 Phone/In Person

Current conditions at Morganza Spillway The spillway is a floodway, located in Pointe Coupee Parish, used in connection with the Old River Control Complex and the Atchafalaya River. It would divert water from the Mississippi River into the spillway and into the Atchafalaya Basin when Miss. River flows below the Morganza floodway reach 1,500,000 cfs and are forecast to continue to rise. Morganza was last used in 1973 to relieve pressure from the Old River Control Structure. The forebay area is a natural floodway that can fill up with water during the Mississippi River high water season. Morganza Spillway Statistics Distance above New Orleans: 310 river miles Length of weir opening: 3,906 feet Number of gate bays: 125 Width of bays: 28 feet 3 inches, separated by piers 3 feet wide Floodway design capacity: 600,000 cfs Length of floodway: approximately 20 miles Width of floodway at river: approximately 5 feet U.S. lands: 91,000 acres Frequency of operation: only once since it opened in 1973 (to relieve pressure from Old River Control Structures)   Talking points: Morganza, a 3,900 foot structure, was built in 1954 to maintain a flow of 1.5 million cfs below the floodway. The Morganza Spillway was only operated once in 1973 to relieve pressure from the Old River Control Structure, therefore maintaining the Mississippi River’s course. About 5,000 acres of the 8,000-acre forebay area is farmland and the farmers are advised each year during high water to remove livestock and equipment when the NWS forecasts river stages that could inundate the forebay area. The Morganza forebay is a natural floodplain and the farmers are aware of the risks associated with using this land. The Morganza forebay is privately owned land. The government acquired comprehensive flowage easements on this property in the 1950s to operate the Morganza Floodway. Flowage easements on the Morganza forebay include the right to: overflow lands within the floodway with floodwaters of the Mississippi River and Tributaries. Improve flow conditions within the floodway by performing any required clearing. control pasturing of animals to limit undergrowth, supervise or forbid timber removal and reforest open lands or allow them to grow up in brush to prevent erosion. control the building of structures on easement lands. Opening trigger 1.5 million cfs and rising at Red River Landing

Morganza Floodway Operation Timeline D-10: EOC notifies MVN commander on NWS forecast predictions on river flows at 1.5 million cfs and rising; thus, recommending spillway operation D-10: Gate operations are checked for functionality D-8: MVN Commander gets input from all stakeholders. D-6: MVN Real Estate send out notice of opening to Morganza gates. D-5: MVN Commander requests approval from MRC President/MVD Commander D-5: “Potato Ridge” levee is degraded.

Discussion Navigation Issues: High river means faster flow making navigation more challenging and dangerous High river increases shoaling in South West Pass and dredging to keep channel open will be a challenge