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
Battery A, 1st Missouri Light Artillery on Jackson, Miss., July 5–10. Siege of Jackson July 10–17. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 6, then to Carrollton, and duty there until October. Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Bayou Cortableaux October 21. Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. At New Iberia until December 17. Moved to New Orleans, then to Madisonville January 7, 1864. Red River Campaign May 2–20. Moved to Alexandria, La., May 2. Attached to Army of the West and Department of the Missouri. Retreat to Morganza May 13–20. Expedition from Morganza to the Atchafalaya River May 30-June 6. Moved to Carrollton June. Duty there and