Photo courtesy of City of New Orleans GIS Department

The National Weather Service is predicting locally heavy rains Tuesday through Thursday this week. In New Orleans, heavy rain always carries the potential for street flooding, but concerns are even higher given drainage concerns at the Sewerage and Water Board.

“We are in a fragile state regarding the power we have to operate our system,” the utility posted on its website Monday. “While we have enough power, we don’t have backup power in the event we lose a power source.”

Parking restrictions on neutral grounds will be suspended at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday until further notice. Please remember not to block intersections, streetcar tracks, sidewalks, or bike paths. To help you avoid parking in a potential high-risk flood zone, the City of New Orleans GIS Department has created a helpful tool to show you where NOT to park.

On the map, people who live in the blue areas are encouraged to park cars on higher ground when heavy rain is expected. The map was created using information provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding high-risk flood zones.

In the event that flooding occurs, it’s important to remember “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” - never drive through water on the road. Residents can visit streetwise.nola.gov for real-time street flooding reports. Should street flooding occur in your area, residents are asked to call 9-1-1 to report it and other life-threatening emergencies.

To help reduce the risk for potential flooding, the City is asking all residents to prepare their homes and neighborhoods by removing any debris from gutters and downspouts and clearing the front of any catch basins. To report a catch basin that is clogged or not fully functional, please call 3-1-1.

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