River may go below 2 feet

Hard as it is to believe in this rainy year, the Atchafalaya River at Morgan City is on its way down, possibly to a stage below 2 feet.
Port of Morgan City Director Raymond “Mac” Wade told the port board Monday that predictions call for the river to fall to 1.5 feet later this month.
At 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported that the river stage was at 2.72 feet, more than 3 feet below the stage at which minor flooding occurs outside the Morgan City and Berwick flood walls.
The river will drop to 2.1 feet by Aug. 24, according to the service’s forecast.
That’s far above the record low. The National Weather Service’s records say the river dropped to -5.4 feet on Aug. 28, 1926, the year before the great Mississippi River flood.
Expect to see visible sandbars in Berwick Bay soon, Wade said Tuesday.
The buildup of sediment has been a headache for vessel traffic and the port since a series of high water events began in 2016. Six of the 15 highest crests ever recorded for the Atchafalaya at Morgan City have happened since then.
The combination of sediment deposited by high water followed by low water could be a challenge for vessel traffic. But Wade said recent dredging is expected to prevent problems, even near the Morgan City side from the city dock to Conrad Shipyard, where businesses rely on access to the water.