Army Corps Following Rise Of Mississippi River

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning daily inspections of levees from Baton Rouge to Venice as the Mississippi River rises.

The corps says in a news release that construction projects within 1,500 feet of the levee will be halted. Inspectors also will look for scouring or sand boils.

River levels are expected to continue to rise for several days, reaching a peak of 38.2 feet in Baton Rouge on Tuesday. Flood stage is set at 35 feet in Baton Rouge. The levees protect to at least 47 feet.

In New Orleans, the river is expected to rise from the present level of 15 feet to a maximum of 15.5 feet Wednesday. Flood stage in New Orleans is 17 feet, but the levees protect the city up to 20 feet.

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