The Flood Protection Authority – East (FPA) continues to prepare for Tropical Storm Gordon.

As of noon today, the FPA has closed 21 floodgates, 9 valve gates and the concrete barge gate on the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. These gates are all in Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes, primarily along the Industrial Canal and susceptible to high-tide conditions if not closed. The FPA will continue to close key Industrial Canal floodgates the rest of today, 3 September.

The Bayou Bienvenue and Bayou Dupree floodgates are closed and we plan to keep them closed throughout the duration of this tropical event. The Caernarvon Sector Gate is scheduled to remain open until Tuesday morning, when we will likely close it due to rising tides. Boaters are encouraged to consider Caernarvon for safe harbor until that point.

At this time, the FPA does not anticipate that the three Pump Stations and Closure Structures at Lake Pontchartrain will be activated,  but it is prepared to do so if the forecast changes and water levels in Lake Pontchartrain reach key thresholds. The FPA has been coordinating with the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board throughout the weekend for that possibility and will continue to do so through the event.

The FPA has activated the Emergency Operations Center and will be monitoring conditions around the clock until this storm passes.

Gate closure alerts will continue to be sent out via the FPA alert system, which citizens can sign up for by following the AlertSense signup link at https://www.floodauthority.org