Jindal: River moving slower than expected

BATON ROUGE, La., May 17 (UPI) -- The Mississippi River passing through the Morganza Floodway into the Atchafalaya River basin was moving more slowly than expected, Louisiana's governor said.

However, Gov. Bobby Jindal warned Louisianans living and working in potential flood areas not to let their guard down, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported.

"The crests have been lowered modestly in a number of places in Louisiana, but there is still a significant amount of water coming our way," Jindal said Monday during a news conference in Baton Rouge. "Even with the lower projections, we know this water will impact households and families and that is why the National Guard and local officials are working around the clock to keep our people safe."

Jindal also announced the Federal Emergency Management Administration expanded its coverage for the flooding disaster. Besides direct federal assistance, FEMA will reimburse Louisiana for emergency protective measures authorized under President Obama's emergency disaster declaration, and the state will pay a 25 percent match.

The declaration covers 22 parishes and Jindal requested 11 parishes be added, The Times-Picayune reported.

Through Monday afternoon, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened 11 of the 125 bays in the Morganza spillway, which allows about 110,000 cubic feet per second of water to enter the Atchafalaya basin.

The Louisiana National Guard mobilized 1,100 troops to help build temporary levees and participate in search-and-rescue missions, the newspaper said.

AccuWeather.com forecasters said the Mississippi Valley could get another dose of heavy rain later this week as a weather system now over the west moves eastward

The latest track indicates rain may hit portions of Arkansas and Missouri during the weekend, forecasters said.

The Mississippi River at Memphis likely will remain above flood stage until early June, even without significant rainfall, AccuWeather.com forecasters said.