Floodway System News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

No, i think we all live with this potential and this is what this whole floodway system is for. i wouldn't want to live any place else, but that's part of what comes with it. certainly, this is a floodway and built as a floodway. no, there was no, that decision was made way back in 1928 and the '30s all of those after the '27 flood. this was the design. from that perspective, that's what it is here for. it's here to provide that relieve valve for the river. >> this is where the water level reached in '73. >> '73. >> this is part of the wall that held it back. >> that's correct. >> and, t.j., t...

flood walls. those walls could fail. the city's mayor talked about his concerns with our ed lavandera. >> are you worried about it flooding? this is the heart of the city right here. >> it is the heart of the city, primarily protected by that wall right there. it would take a failure of that wall before this would be at risk. what we're really concerned about is that high river stage raising the water level back where the lake is, and if that got topped, because that level of protection is not nearly as high as that, if that got topped, the water is going to flow throughout the city....

they're going to have to sacrifice some homes and businesses in order to save many, many more. the army corps expected to open louisiana's huge morganza spillway when the river flow hits 1.5 million cubic feet per second. what does that mean? all you need to know is that rate continues to go up and getting closer and closer to that point. the spillway was last opened in 1973, but we are expecting it today and maybe in the next few hours. now, doing that, what does that do? it takes the pressure off levees in baton rouge and new orleans and it will also flood seven louisiana parishes ...

u.s. army corps of engineers is expected to open the floodgates on the morganza spillway. the plan is to slowly divert floodwaters away from baton rouge and new orleans. the spillway has not been opened in nearly 40 years. the move will flood other areas in south central louisiana. and this map right here you're about to see it, it says it all. areas in yellow could get up to 20 feet of water and green up to 15 feet. we'll have live coverage of a briefing by the u.s. army corps of engineers at 2:00 eastern time. in areas like morgan city, louisiana, could get disastrous flooding. m...

So the water is just now getting here. >> it will be water all the way. it will touch this wall and extend all the way to that wall over there. those buildings right there that you see across the way, those will be under water. >> it's just a staggering amount of water. >> it is. when you looked at it from this perspective. like i said, our people, nosh has anyone else seen anything like this, not here. >> you're confident about these walls holding up? >> i have to be, yes. i have to be. >> if for whatever reason they fail -- >> total catastrophe. this entire city would flood without a doubt. ...