PRESS RELEASE

River Update

ST. CHARLES PARISH (May 17, 2011) - Although the Morganza Spillway has been opened and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is confident that the river level in St. Charles Parish will not significantly rise in the coming weeks, the current river levels continue to present dangerous conditions for river operations.

In addition, all lanes of U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) eastbound are now open near the Bonnet Carré Spillway.

The Emergency Operations Center will continue to conduct liaison and planning with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, levee districts, U.S. Coast Guard and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to ensure the safety of our residents.

The following levee restrictions remain in effect:

• Please refrain from driving and walking on the river levees, including the bike paths, until further notice.
• There is to be no activity and/or subsurface work of any kind allowed within 1,500 of the Mississippi river levee centerline. No pile driving, digging, excavation, trenching or subsurface work of any kind within 1,500 feet of the mainline Mississippi River levees.

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