If you click on each small photo you will get a larger photo with a narrative underneath the photo, so please scroll down under the photo and enjoy.

LOCATION: In St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, some 33 miles above Canal Street in New Orleans.

I chose to begin this gallery while the River was near flood stage in January 2005, otherwise the full impact of the structure could not be realized.
The word "Bonnet Carre'" means Square Bonnet symbolizing the bonnets that the ladies in the area wore. The area where the Spillway lies is part of the original German Coast in Louisiana. It is in St. Charles Parish.

The Bonnet Carre' Spillway was carved out of the towns of MONTZ, LOUISIANA and SELLARS, LOUISIANA in 1928 and completed in 1931. Several plantations and smaller properties were expropriated by the federal government for this project--the four plantations being Delhommer, Hermitage, Roseland and Myrtle Land. The Kugler families owned Hermitage and Delhommer at the time of the displacement. The Trepagnier Family built Myrtle Land. Our family friends, the Kugler family, lost their land, house and cemetery to the Spillway. The Corps was supposed to move the remains of the people buried in the two cemeteries in the Spillway, however, in the 1950's a backhoe hit a casket while digging in the Spillway and it was discovered that the cemeteries had been left as is. Most of the people buried in the cemeteries were black, people who had lived and worked on the plantations all their lives and preferred to be buried there.
The Spillway was considered a design marvel in its time. 135,000 cubic yards of concrete of sufficient strength to fight the forces of the Mississippi River was used. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers designed a special concrete that would handle just over 5,000 pounds per square inch to use in the sructure. The product has seen little if no change from when it was built. The total cost was $14,212,200.
The length of the Spillway from the River to Lake Pontchartrain is 5.7 miles. From Lake Pontchartrain the water flows into the Rigolets into the Gulf of Mexico.
The structure itself is 7000 feet long and contains 350 bays which are filled with pine "needles" that are lifted out by 2 cranes. The Spillway has been opened 8 times--in 1937, 1945, 1950, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1983, and 1997. It is opened when the river gauge at Carrolton in New Orleans threatens to top 20 feet. The Spillway was built to prevent the City of New Orleans from flooding.
It is a habitat and nesting grounds for thousands of birds and also a site for migrating birds.
When the Spillway is dry it is used for many recreational events including dog trials, model airplane competition, fishing, hunting, birdwatching, photography, running and motorcycle riding.
If you click on the small image you will get a full screen. Be certain to scroll down and read under each photo as I usually write a story or history.
April 11, 2008 - The Spillway was opened for the ninth time in its history.

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