Flood not to affect Blue Book Conference

Due to the rising Mississippi River Blue Book attendees have asked questions regarding any implications this may have during our time in New Orleans. We have stayed on top of the situation and were provided the following statement that assures us there will be no impact on the Truck Blue Book Conference.

New Orleans is not subject to the type of river and tributary flooding seen along other parts of the Mississippi River due to the extensive water diversion systems that guide high river waters away from New Orleans and lower Mississippi River Valley communities.

Located in St. Charles Parish, 28 miles from New Orleans, the Bonnet Carre Spillway is a structure that diverts water from the Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain then to the Gulf of Mexico, thus allowing high waters to bypass New Orleans. The structure has a design capacity of 250,000 cubic feet per second, the equivalent of roughly 1,870,000 gallons of water per second. This strategy was last implemented in 2008 and the Army Corps tested the system April 5, 2011.

Monday, May 9 the Army Corps of Engineers opened 28 of the 350 Bonnet Carre Spillway bays. Bays are individual sections of the structure that allow for water to flow from the river into Lake Pontchartrain. Tuesday, May 10 the Army Corps opened 44 more bays. 72 of the 350 bays are now open and diverting water from the Mississippi River.

Supplemental tactics such as activating the Morganza Floodway, another diversion structure located 35 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, can provide additional layers of protection if needed.

Activation of the spillway is unnoticeable to visitors in New Orleans, and creates no disruption to daily life of residents, businesses or tourism.

We look forward to seeing you next week, please travel safe.