charge of the army corps of engineers described this as an off ramp of the mississippi river highway. this is one of the few places where water can come off the river. even though it has to come off the river basin, it makes its way to the gulf of mexico. >> i don't want you to go far away because we're going to come back toia. right there in louisiana, right where it's happening in morganza. stand by because you mentioned the army corps of engineers. i'm going to go to ed fleming. i know it's a difficult decision to open the morganza spillway after 40 years of not having to use it and the heartbreak for people who know they're going to get flooded. >> the amount of water that is coming down the mississippi river all the way from cairo, illinois, all the way through louisiana is record-setting, and we operate this as the system, this is one of those that ed mentioned, and we operated it started today, and we're thinking this is a successful operation going on right now. >> i have been telling our