Morganza to open "sometime after 2:30"

But first, the obligatory press conference. Then maybe a blessing or someone could sing the national anthem or something.

The Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled news conferences at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. today to discuss opening the Morganza Floodway to divert water from the swollen Mississippi River into the Atchafalaya Basin, greatly reducing the risk of catastrophic flooding downriver in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

No time has been set for opening the spillway about 45 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, but it is not expected to happen until after both news conferences, a corps spokeswoman said.

Update: Front of NOLA.com right now:



Note the "Morganza is open" bit is a broken link.