Greetings from DNR Secretary Scott Angelle and the Department of Natural Resources Atchafalaya Basin Program

Latest News:
Daily World: Environment Festival Moves to Morgan City
The Republic: Estuary Program: 'flood fight 2011' prompts moves ecology fest move to Morgan City

Public Meetings Begin TODAY:
The first public meeting to receive and solicit Water Management Projects for inclusion in the FY2013 Atchafalaya Basin Annual Plan will take place TODAY in St. Mary Parish at 6:00 PM. An update on the FY2012 Atchafalaya Basin Plan will also be given.  Water Management Projects proposed for inclusion may be presented at Public Meetings on the following dates:

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 - 6:00 p.m.
St. Mary Parish
Morgan City Auditorium
728 Myrtle Street
Morgan City, Louisiana 70380

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 - 6:00 p.m.
Iberville Parish
Council Chambers
5850 Meriam Street
Plaquemine, Louisiana 70765

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - 6:00 p.m.
St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish Council Chambers
301 West Port St.
St. Martinville, Louisiana 70582

New Water Project Nominations:
The New Water Project Nomination Form for water projects to be proposed for the FY2013 Annual Atchafalaya Basin Program Plan is now available at http://dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/OCM/ABP/ABP_PROJECTNOMINATIONFORM_REVISED_032411.pdf

Please return this form by mail to the address below, fax to (225) 342-6887, email to Atchafalaya@dnr.com or bring in person to an Atchafalaya Basin Water Management Project Nomination meeting.

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
Atchafalaya Basin Program
P O Box 94396
Baton Rouge, LA 70804 

Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System:  
The Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System (ABNRIAS) is now available online at http://abp.cr.usgs.gov/   

FY2011-2012 Atchafalaya Basin Program Annual Plan:  
HCR 34 by Representative Karen St. Germain,  a concurrent resolution to approve the FY2011-2012 Atchafalaya Basin Program Annual Plan has been passed by both houses of the legislature. To view the Plan, go to DNR Facebook site and click the Basin line or go directly to Atchafalaya Basin Program site at www.basin.louisiana.gov.

Checking the water:
The information below is obtained from the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and has been compiled by DNR into this format to allow a quick look at information pertinent to the Atchafalaya Basin.Data is for 8/9/2011

ALL STAGE FORECASTS INCLUDE 24 HOURS OF FUTURE RAINFALL.

Mississippi River at Cairo
Location: Southern most gauge on the Ohio River in Illinois Reading significance - used to forecast rises on the Mississippi. Lag time, 4 to 6 days.
Flood Stage: 40'
Stage: 27.8'
Forecast: expect to FALL to 25.6' by 8/13

Mississippi River, just south of ORCS, at Red River Landing
Reading: Mississippi River south of ORCS, after the diversion into the Atchafalaya Flood Stage: 48'
Stage: 32.9'
Forecast: expect to FALL to 32.5' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River, just south of ORCS, at Simmesport
Reading: The combined latitudinal flows of the Red, Black, Ouachita, and ORCS flow from the Mississippi
Flood Stage: 47'
Stage: 13.65'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 13.6' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River at Melville
Flood Stage: 41'
Stage: 9.32'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 9.3' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River at Krotz Springs
Flood Stage: 37'
Stage: 8.24'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 8.2' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River above Butte Larose
Flood Stage: 25'
Stage: 6.41'
Forecast: expect to FALL to 6.3' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River at Bayou Sorrell Locks on the GIWW Flood Stage: 12'
Flood Stage: 12'
Stage: 4.6'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 4.6' by 8/13

Atchafalaya at Millet (Myette) Point
Flood Stage: 15'
Stage: 3.91'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 3.9' by 8/13

Atchafalaya River at Morgan City
Flood Stage: 4'
Stage: 3.21'
Forecast: expect to HOLD at 3.2' by 8/13
NOTE: Gauge reading affected by ocean tides.

Murphy Lake near Bayou Sorrel
Stage: 10.16'

Lower Grand River at Bayou Sorrel
Stage: 5.33'

Bayou Courtableau
Stage: 18.35'

Buffalo Cove at Round Island
Stage: 5.25'

Arm of Grand Lake near Crook Chene
Stage: 7.33'

Middle Fork, Bayou Long
Stage: 3.68'

Pontoon Bridge at Butte Larose
Stage: 5.11'

Beau Bayou Swamp
Stage: 15.11'

Lake Pelba at I-10, Henderson
Stage: 9.86'

Instrumentation for real-time data collection at following sites have been removed in anticipation of water levels that could submerge and damage the equipment. During this time, we will continue to collect water level data using temporarily installed instrumentation that can withstand submersion, but cannot transmit in real-time. These devices will be collected after the water recedes, and the data captured during the flood event will be made available. Real-time data will resume after water levels have receded.

Bayou Darby at Fausse Pt. Cut