11 a.m. briefing Monday, Sept. 5, 2005
Monday, September 05, 2005 at 12:00:00 AM
11 a.m. briefing
Monday, September 05, 2005
- Breach
DOTD, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and West Jefferson Levee District (helping out Orleans levee district), has completed repairs to the levee breach at the 17th Street Canal.
DOTD Secretary Johnny Bradberry and Brigadier Gen. Robert Crear of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were on site this morning to assess progress and conditions there and at the London Street Canal, where work remains to be done on the breach. (The London Street Canal is already blocked off from the lake by sheet pilings.) The problem with repairing the breach at this point is the lack of access because of flooding.
- Pumping stations
The next important step is to remove the floodwaters. DOTD expects the Mounds pumping station near Interstate 10 would be the first to go online because it has power; this is expected sometime this evening. The smaller (60-hertz) pumps are expected to start first, which would help dry out the larger ones (25-hertz). Once all are in operation, the pumps at total capacity could move 750 cfs (cubic feet per second).
As for pumps at the 17th Street Canal, the Corps is performing an analysis to see if the outfall canal walls are stable. This is necessary before pumps can be started at Pumping Station No. 6. Power for those pumps also is an issue. The pumps here have considerably more capacity. Once these are operating at full capacity, the pumps can move 9,000-10,000 cfs (cubic feet per second).
- Debris clearing
DOTD crews have been involved in clearing roadways in St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa parishes. The department also is gearing up to have the massive amounts of debris (trees, etc.) cleared from the rights-of-way by an emergency contractor.
- Ferries
DOTD ferry operators are moving material and emergency personnel on the Belle Chasse ferry (in Plaquemines Parish) from Belle Chasse to Scarsdale on the east bank.
The Chalmette to Algiers Point ferry has switched from moving evacuees to moving material and emergency personnel as well. DOTD estimates that roughly 5,000 to 6,000 people were ferried from Chalmette to Algiers Point over a three- to four-day period.