Rising Tide

It seems that the Atchafalaya Basin is soaking up the flood water released into it by the Morganza spillway.

When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first bay of the Morganza control structure Saturday, Col. Ed Fleming, commander of the New Orleans District, said the floodwaters would reach Interstate 10 near Butte LaRose in St. Martin Parish within 24 hours.

The water still hasn't arrived there. At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, the floodwater was reported three miles south of U.S. 190 on the east side of the Atchafalaya River levee, according to Sgt. Jimmy Hankins, Corps public affairs.

Gov. Bobby Jindal credits the slow movement to the drought. The thirsty ground's absorbing the water faster than anyone expected.

Ain't that a hell of a note? Butte LaRose is still on the map for flooding, but the water is slowly making its way down the basin.

I'll take that as a good thing.