River reaches 8.18 feet

The Atchafalaya River unofficially crested at 8.18 feet Friday in Morgan City, more than 2 feet above flood stage, and forecasters expect the river to stay close to 8 feet most of the week.
As of 9 a.m. today, the river was at 7.91 feet in Morgan City, and the National Weather Service expects the river to stay near that level through Thursday. The river stage is projected to fall slowly after Thursday, National Weather Service Senior Hydrologist Amanda Roberts said Saturday.
It’s unusual to see the river get to that height in “a regular high-water year,” especially in January, but isn’t unprecedented, St. Mary Levee District Executive Director Tim Matte said. The river has crested higher than 8 feet occasionally during tropical storms or hurricanes, he said.
The Atchafalaya still didn’t get near the 10.53-foot and 10.35-foot crests that occurred in 1973 and 2011.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Roger Erickson said the Atchafalaya may rise again this week to around 8.18 feet again if there’s a strong southerly wind the same time as high tide.
The river should stay above flood stage, which is 6 feet in Morgan City, for at least three more weeks, Erickson said.
St. Mary Levee District officials are monitoring the temporary Bayou Chene flood protection structure, which has been doing its job to block potential flood waters from reaching up to six parishes, Matte said. Workers were also repairing some levee leaks this morning in Amelia, but that work should be done soon, Matte said.
Morgan City officials closed 9 of the city’s 27 floodgates by Saturday, Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said. Two gates included in the count were already permanently closed. City officials planned to probably re-open one floodgate today, Grizzaffi said.
Berwick officials closed nine of the town’s 10 flood-gates leaving the Texas Street gate open.