Individuals in the
effected areas are urged
to monitor local media
outlets for updated
information or contact
their local Office of
Emergency Preparedness (OEP).
Current Expected
Weather Impact:
Southeast Louisiana:
Seasonal weather with a
20%-50% chance of
precipitation today
through Friday night.
Southwest Louisiana:
Seasonal weather with a
20%-50% chance of
precipitation today
through Friday.
Northeast Louisiana:
Seasonal weather with a
20%-60% chance of
precipitation today
through Friday night,
with the highest risk of
rain Thursday night
through Friday morning.
Current River
Stages:
Red River Landing: 57.1
with a NWS forecast
crest of 58.5 ft on 16
April.
Baton Rouge: 39.9 with a
NWS forecast crest of
41.0 ft on 16 April.
Carrollton gage: 15.9 ft
with a NWS forecast
crest of 17.0 ft on 16
April.
Morgan City gage: 6.6 ft
with a NWS forecast
crest of 7.5 ft on 17
April.
Governor’s Office
of Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness:
GOHSEP is maintaining
constant contact with
our Federal, State and
Local partners during
the duration of this
incident.
Per the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers’ threat
assessment of the main
line levees on the
Mississippi River from
Northern Louisiana to
the Gulf of Mexico and
the main line levees in
the Atchafalaya River,
there is no expected
overtopping based on the
current river crest
forecast by the NWS at
this time. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers will
increase their
monitoring of levees
from 3 days a week to 7
days a week (USACE Level
2 Activation) beginning
7 April 2008.
Louisiana
Department of
Agriculture and
Forestry:
The Louisiana Department
of Agriculture and
Forestry has been in
contact with St. Martin
Parish OEP and is aware
of a poultry producer
who is mitigating
possible high water.
LDAF headquarters
equipment has been
inspected to make sure
it is in proper working
order for possible
deployment. This
includes the Louisiana
Agriculture Emergency
Response Team trailer, a
portable cattle corral,
generator-powered light
towers and portable
livestock panels.
Agriculture and Forestry
Commissioner Mike
Strain, D.V.M., is
awaiting response from
USDA Secretary Ed
Schafer regarding a
disaster declaration.
Louisiana
Department of
Transportation and
Development:
DOTD is hauling loose
sand from a gravel pit
in Sicily Island
(Catahoula parish) to a
location in Vidalia
(Concordia parish) to be
used for sandbagging,
and we are subsequently
hauling the filled sand
bags to various points
along the Mississippi
River levee in Tensas
and Concordia parishes.
We have allocated 40
dump trucks with drivers
and fuel to this task.
DOTD plans to continue
as needed and requested
by the Fifth Louisiana
Levee District.
In addition, we have
delivered 20 road closed
signs to the Concordia
Parish Police jury for
their use in areas of
rising water.
Louisiana
Department of Health and
Hospitals:
Louisiana Department of
Health and Hospitals
continues to survey
health care facilities,
sewage systems and
drinking water systems
to determine their
readiness or
vulnerability to
flooding and their
ability to respond. The
charts below (no change
from yesterday) list the
specific types of health
care facilities that are
providing DHH with
readiness information.
Louisiana State
Police:
LSP is coordinating with
GOHSEP, local officials,
Louisiana Sheriff’s
Association and the
Louisiana National
Guard, all of whom have
an active role in
providing personnel and
equipment as needed to
ensure public safety.
LSP is also providing
aerial surveillance
capabilities, as
requested, along the
Louisiana Levee System
for the monitoring of
water levels and levee
conditions.
LSP will continue to
support this mission
until such time as the
waters levels recede or
the need for security no
longer exists.
Louisiana National
Guard:
The Louisiana National
Guard remains on alert
for possible support to
state and local agencies
in anticipation of
possible future flood
conditions.
Across the State, LANG
Soldiers and Airmen are
prepared to provide
engineering,
transportation,
security, communication,
and aviation assets in
support of emergency
operations anywhere in
the state. The
Louisiana National Guard
continues to monitor the
current situation and
provide situational
awareness to LANG forces
24 hours a day.
Louisiana
Department of Public
Safety and Corrections:
Louisiana State
Penitentiary remains
safe and secure and is
carrying out normal
operations.
Red River Landing gauge
is at 57.2 feet as of
1:30 p.m.
Correctional
Officers/staff have
patrolled more than
1,800 miles of levee
since April 6, observing
conditions and ensuring
the safety of the
public, staff and
offender population.
Due to recent media
reports regarding the
flooding of farmland at
the prison, there is
some misconception by
the public that the
prison is/has flooded.
This is not the case.
The prison is operating
normally and no inmate
housing areas have been
affected. Again --
there is some farmland
affected by the
floodwaters, but not the
prison itself. The
Department is finalizing
plans to evacuate the
facility in the event
that crest predictions
rise beyond what is
expected.
United State Army
Corps of Engineers:
The United State Army
Corps of Engineers
increased its level of
flood fighting efforts
on March 24, 2008 in
support of local levee
districts and
authorities along the
lower Mississippi and
Atchafalaya River Basins
in Southeast Louisiana.
The USACE levee sector
personnel will conduct
surveillance of the
levee system seven days
per week in their
support of the Levee
Boards and LA DOTD.
USACE will continue to
assess the conditions as
they develop and
cooperate with our
partners and
stakeholders on our
activities. We will
continue to operate to
ensure the safety of the
public and national
interest.
Louisiana
Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries:
Louisiana Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries’
watch efforts are
unchanged based on
information provided as
of April 9.
Louisiana
Department of Social
Services:
Louisiana Department of
Social Services
continues to monitor the
situation and their
efforts remain unchanged
based on information
provided of April 9.
