Technical Assessment of the Old, Mississippi, Atchafalaya, and Red (OMAR) Rivers: HEC-RAS Model, V8
Abstract
Upstream of the confluence of the Red River, Atchafalaya River, and ORCC Outflow Channel are vast low-lying flat areas on both sides of the Lower Red River. During times of high water on the Lower Red whether from upstream water in the Red or from the ORCC Outflow Channel enormous amounts of water flow over the natural riverbanks and flood this land. The loss of this water from the river into storage affects the operation of the ORCC, which in turn affects the stages and flows down the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers. An improved understanding of this area and how water is stored during flood events is required to inform ORCC water management operations. Hydraulic analyses provide a basis to assess the changes in water levels, current directions and velocities, and flow rates for the assessment area. The hydraulic model HEC-RAS is used to expand on existing models of the area and to help overcome gaps in data. Understanding the processes of how water leaves the Red River channel, the volume and timing of the water moving into storage, and when the storage area begins to drain, will greatly inform the water managers and operators of the ORCC.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 19, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1177820
Entities
People
- David A. Fertitta
- David A. Ramirez
- Maxwell E. Agnew
Organizations
- New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers