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Minor flooding expected as Atchafalaya rises

As of Tuesday morning, the Atchafalaya River stage in Morgan City was 5.65 feet, according to the National Weather Service. Officials expect the river to continue rising through mid- to late-January with a projected crest possibly as high as 6½ feet. Flood stage in Morgan City is 6 feet, but that level doesn’t cause much of an issue for the area.
A crest of 6½ feet may require closure of a floodgate or two in Morgan City and Berwick, but that’s about it, said Tim Matte, executive director of the St. Mary Levee District.
The river stage has to at least be projected to reach 7 feet for officials to take additional precautions against potential flooding. Officials don’t expect a crest past 6½ feet at this point, Matte said.
Looking upriver, the gauge at Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers meet, crested Monday or early Tuesday and is projected to start dropping. Typically a drop in the water level upriver means the Atchafalaya will start falling a couple of weeks later, he said. However, local rainfall can also affect the river stage.

ST. MARY NOW

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