The Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish could open in early June which will send a lot of water from the swollen Mississippi River into the Atchafalya Basin towards Morgan City. A barge will have to be sunk in Bayou Chene to prevent backwater flooding in Terrebonne and several other parishes. Governor Edwards says he’s requesting a federal emergency declaration to offset flood preparation costs…
cut 12 (08) “….things”

Farmers are also bracing for the potential impact of the Morganza opening. An estimated 25-thousand acres could be damaged. LSU Ag Center Point Coupee Parish county agent Mike Carriere says seepage from the Mississippi along the levees has already brought standing water to fields…
cut 7 (07) “…this year”
Farmers are also having to move cattle to higher ground in anticipation of flooding in the Atchafalya Basin.

Legislation to designate a high occupancy lane on a 15-mile stretch of I-12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes is heading to the governor’s desk. You see H-O-Vs in other parts of the country, so Livingston Senator Dale Erdey says it will take a little education to let motorists know they are not for solo drivers…
cut 10 (11) “…better route”

It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficiall start of summer. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it took a little later this year, but hot and humid conditions have arrived for the holiday weekend…
cut 3 (11) “…rest of the summer”
Keim says the next significant chance of rain isn’t until next Thursday.