Ouachita River surpasses 47 feet, portion closes

The Associated Press

The swollen Ouachita River topped 47 feet Wednesday, but the rate of rise has slowed and the levee system remains intact, officials said.

Tensas Basin Levee District executive director John Stringer joined Mark Cooper, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and other officials on an aerial tour of the system. Officials surveyed the levees from Caldwell Parish to the Arkansas State line, including Lakes D'Arbonne and Bartholomew.

"The levees looked good from the air," Stringer said. "We saw no seepage or sand boils. We're buttoned down, and the system is performing as it was designed."

More than 20 inches of rain fell during October in several areas of the state, especially north and southwest Louisiana. Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency as a result of last week's wind and flood damage.

The Coast Guard closed 111 miles of the river from mile marker 221 near the Louisiana and Arkansas border to mile marker 110 near Columbia, La., to all recreational and commercial traffic because of extremely high water and strong currents.

And, Tensas Basin Police Capt. Bob Thompson issued a no-wake order for all recreational river traffic, which followed the closure.

"We're getting calls from property owners who say boats are just flying by," Thompson said. "In some cases, the water is inches from their property, and any kind of wake pushes water into their camps or homes."

Stringer said the river rose only 3 inches during the 24 hours between Tuesday and Wednesday compared to more than a foot early in the week. It is forecast to crest at 48.5 feet in Monroe on Nov. 12. Flood stage at Monroe is 40 feet.

It is the highest level on the river since 1991, said Capt. Michael Gardiner, commander of the Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River.

Gardiner said the decision to close the section came after getting input from the levee district, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and representatives from vessels and facilities that use the river for commerce. He said his division will continue to monitor conditions to determine when it's safe to reopen for traffic.

"The rate of rise has definitely slowed," Stringer said. "A lot depends on whether or not we get more rain next week."

The National Weather Service in Shreveport said less than 1 inch of rain is forecast Sunday night through Tuesday, the next period where there is a chance.

"We can absorb that amount without any impact," Stringer said. "But we don't want to see 3 inches or more."

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Information from: The News-Star, http://www.thenewsstar.com">http://www.thenewsstar.com