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How did the Bonnet Carre Spillway help protect New Orleans during the 2011 flood?

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Map of the United States showing the Mississippi River and its major tributaries flowing south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. A shaded area marks the Mississippi River basin, and New Orleans is labeled near the river's mouth.
Mississippi River

During the Mississippi River flood of 2011, the Bonnet Carre Spillway played a critical role in protecting New Orleans from catastrophic inundation. As river levels approached a dangerous flow rate of 1.25 million cubic feet per second, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partially opened the spillway on May 9, 2011.1

Located approximately 30 miles upstream from the city, the structure allowed excess water to be diverted from the Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain, which subsequently drains into the Gulf of Mexico. By reducing the volume of water passing through the river channel near the city, the spillway helped mitigate the risk of levee breaches that threatened both residential areas and vital petroleum refineries. This controlled diversion was part of a broader flood-management strategy that enabled officials to manage the torrent and protect major settlements.21