Atchafalaya stage inches upward

The Review/Bill Decker
The sun sets Monday beyond the western end of the U.S. 90 bridge over Berwick Bay. After months of low water, the Atchafalaya stage at Morgan City was 3.42 feet early Wednesday, just below the 4-foot "action level" and well below the 6-foot stage that causes flooding inside the Morgan City and Berwick flood walls. Elsewhere on local waterways, Port of Morgan City Executive Director Raymond "Mac" Wade reported that dredging on the Bayou Chene is underway by the Crosby Corp. dredge Susan Crosby. Since Jan. 10, the dredge had removed about 300,000 cubic yards of material, Wade said.