La. government gets role in Mississippi spillway lawsuit

Louisiana will now play a bigger role in Mississippi lawsuits over when and under what circumstances the Bonnet Carré Spillway is opened, lawsuits that could have an impact on flood control and water transportation in St. Mary Parish.
A federal judge in Mississippi has agreed to add Louisiana as a defendant, at the state’s request, in lawsuits challenging the way the Mississippi River Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operate the spillway, which has been opened more frequently and for longer periods in recent years.
Mississippi local governments and business interests say the diversion causes flooding and damages the fisheries harvest by diluting the Mississippi Sound with fresh water.
A lawsuit filed by the Mississippi state government seeks an order to use the Morganza Floodway as an alternative to opening the Bonnet Carré.
That’s where the potential impact to St. Mary comes in. The amount of Mississippi River water diverted into the Atchafalaya system is currently set by Congress. Local officials say a great diversion could mean more flooding and more sediment and shoaling in waterways local governments are already struggling to keep open.
“The current operation of these structures is paramount to the safety and security of hundreds of thousands of Louisianans, their property, and their livelihoods,” the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday in an unsigned, emailed statement to The Associated Press. “Attorney General Jeff Landry is intervening in the suits in order to ensure that, should any changes occur to the management of the spillways, Louisiana has a seat at the table and is able to protect our State’s people and resources.”