River to crest Wednesday, but flood concerns will persist

The Mississippi River is expected to reach an artificial crest of 44.8 feet Wednesday in Baton Rouge, but the dangers associated with the swollen river are expected to continue for several weeks. Jim Ferguson, the city-parish drainage engineer, says the river is expected to be over major flood stage, which is 40 feet, well into June. “We really have to ramp our game up,” says Ferguson. Because of the high water, all construction and excavation permits within 1,500 feet of the levee have been pulled, meaning that work has halted on projects such as the construction of the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge and on some city-parish road and sewer projects. “This is unprecedented. We never had this kind of water for this extended time,” Ferguson says. He’s quick to point out that the river flow will fall well within the parameters for which the levees were designed. Over the next few weeks, city-parish crews will be watching the levees, keeping a look out for bubbling water or “sand boils.” Residents are urged to call 389-2100 if they see anything unusual near the levees. —Timothy Boone