NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Mississippi River at the Carrollton Gage in New Orleans has climbed above 11 feet once again, prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, to re-enter Phase I of their flood fight response. That rising water level means stricter rules for residents and contractors: no heavy loads, digging, or subsurface construction within 1,500 feet of a levee unless a waiver has been granted. Even backyard projects like pools are off-limits without approval. Gov. Jeff Landry outlines priorities for Louisiana legislative session “And then for a lot of residents, you know, people use the levees everyday for recreation,” Matt Roe with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. “They live by them, anything like that. If they see anything out of the out of the ordinary, that's unusual, give us a call. We’ll send an inspector out to take a look at it." Currently, the Carrollton Gage has surpassed 11 feet. Forecasts predict the river will crest at 16.5 feet by April 25, holding steady for about a day before slowly receding. Man accused in Slidell vehicle theft arrested after jumping into Lake Pontchartrain: STPSO “We’ve seen quite a few floods over the past decade. At this stage, we’re conducting patrols twice a week, along with our local partners, we're in constant, coordination and communication with them to let them know what we're seeing,” Roe said. While there’s no immediate flood threat, a continued rise could trigger Phase Two of flood protocol. That would mean daily levee patrols, increased vehicle traffic along recreational paths, and continued enforcement of construction restrictions. “If Phase Two is activated, our inspectors and local partners will be out daily. We ask the public to stay aware and respect the increased activity around the levees,” Roe said. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts White House on tariff deal with Beijing: 'The ball is in China's court' Suspect in arson attacks at Tesla showroom, New Mexico GOP headquarters facing 40 years in prison White House: Abrego Garcia deportation to El Salvador 'always going to be end result' Why every MLB player will wear the same number Tuesday Trump not expected to attend White House Correspondents' dinner ...read more read less