We went on an early morning run on the Bonnet Carre Spillway upstream from New Orleans. This is a very interesting (and for some people, esp. those whose property was confiscated, controversial) project. It is a vast plot of land connecting the Mississippi to Lake Ponchetrain. A huge dam keeps the out the Mississippi. When flooding downstream threatens, the dam is opened, shunting billions of gallons of the Mighty Mississippi into the lake. It doesn't happen very often, but I imagine it's quite a sight -- and quite a cleanup effort.

Coleen http://www.pbase.com/septembermorn has some wonderful photos of the dam and spillway at http://www.pbase.com/septembermorn/bonnet_carre_spillway, where I first learned about the spillway.

Yesterday