Mississippi River back from the river, it is normally dry on both sides. Even if it failed at the crest during a severe flood, the flood waters would have to erode to normal water levels before the Mississippi could permanently jump channel at this location. During the 2011 floods, the Corps of Engineers opened the Morganza Spillway to 1/4 of its capacity to allow 150,000 ft/sec of water to flood the Morganza and Atchafalaya floodways and continue directly to the Gulf of Mexico, bypassing Baton Rouge and New Orleans. In addition to reducing the Mississippi River crest downstream, this diversion reduced the
156th New York Volunteer Infantry to Baton Rouge, then to Donaldsonville, July 11-15, and duty there until August 15. At Baton Rouge until March 1864. Red River Campaign March 23-May 22. At Alexandria March 25-April 12. Cane River April 23-24. Construction of dam at Alexandria April 30-May 10. Actions at Alexandria May 2 and 9. Retreat to Morganza May 13-20. Mansura May 16. At Morganza until July. Expedition from Morganza to the Atchafalaya May 30-June 5. Atchafalaya River June 1. Moved to Fort Monroe, Va., then to Washington, D.C., July 5-29. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 5-November 28. Third Battle of Winchester September 19. Fisher's