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Spillway of swollen Mississippi River open near New Orleans

CORRECTS TO REFLECT POOL STATUS OF PHOTO - Workers with the U.S. Army Corps of engineers pull wooden pins to drain water from the Mississippi River into the Bonnet Carre Spillway Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Norco, La. The Mississippi River water levels are rising because of heavy December rain in the Midwest. The opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway helps relieve pressure on New Orleans-area levees by making sure the water doesn’t flow faster than 1.25 million cubic feet per second through the city. (Scott Threlkeld/The Advocate via AP, Pool)
CORRECTS TO REFLECT POOL STATUS OF PHOTO - Workers with the U.S. Army Corps of engineers pull wooden pins to drain water from the Mississippi River into the Bonnet Carre Spillway Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Norco, La. The Mississippi River water levels are rising because of heavy December rain in the Midwest. The opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway helps relieve pressure on New Orleans-area levees by making sure the water doesn’t flow faster than 1.25 million cubic feet per second through the city. (Scott Threlkeld/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

By Associated Press 3 min read

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened a major spillway Sunday near New Orleans for the first time in nearly five years, seeking to decrease the vast flow of the swollen Mississippi River as a safeguard to the low-lying city.

Heavy Mississippi Valley rain has propelled the river to its highest levels since record flooding in 2011, the last time the Bonnet Carre spillway was opened as a key relief valve in south Louisiana.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu praised the spillway for protecting the city, the NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reported (http://bit.ly/1Zlu1vl ). The spillway was built 28 miles upriver from New Orleans after a devastating 1927 flood.

“What we’re witnessing right now is really an engineering miracle,” Landrieu said at a news conference Sunday, lauding the spillway and other river defenses near the city. “So many of us for so long wanted to make sure our homes and our lives were protected by creating a levee system.”

The Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District commander had said Tuesday that he was confident the high Mississippi River will pass safely through Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico. Col. Rick Hansen then announced he was recommending the weekend opening of the spillway.