The "Mighty Mississippi" is roaring with a current of 7.5 miles per hour. Water continues to creep on the inner walls of the levee, moving mud and swallowing roads. Inside the Coast Guard Traffic Control Center, a commander and his staff monitor vessels. "They go south during the day and go north during the night. We're trying to coordinate that right now," says Chief Matt Valenti with the Coast Guard. Valenti says the strong currents require boats go at least three miles an hour.
The people inside the traffic control center are responsible for making sure they stay on a straight and narrow path. "The levee has somewhat weakened in some areas. If a vessel happened to lose control or bounce off another boat and run into levees, that might cause some damage," says Valenti. Valenti says so far, no damage has been done here. However, farmers in Morganza, who spent the better part of two weeks securing their crops with sandbags, are cutting their losses.
Pointe Coupee Parish officials say homeowners are not at a flood risk. In West Feliciana, several roads and a bridge have been closed. Sheriff Austin Daniel says the river rose six inches overnight. He says while the rising water hasn't affected homeowners there, the parish has sandbags on stand-by just in case. The Mississippi River is at 28.5 feet in Ascension Parish. Officials there say residents are safe with a 39-foot levee. Back in East Baton Rouge, several agencies are watching. The river is just over 39 feet. Emergency officials predict it will reach 41 feet by Monday. Yet, they say there's no need to worry. It'll take at least ten more feet before they even think of sounding the alarm.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also looking for sand boils along the levee. That's when water from underground starts bubbling up in the dry ground on the opposite side. It can happen under a road along the levee and cause a sudden collapse. They say so far, they have not seen that here.

Source: WAFB, Cheryl Mercedes