NEW ORLEANS- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to open more bays at the Bonnet Carre Spillway on Monday.

Engineers opened 20 bays over the weekend to help deal with the Mississipi River's high water level.

The almost 80-year-old structure has only been opened 11 times. Two of those times came within the last five years, most recently in 2011.

Opening the spillway helps water to flow in another direction to keep areas near New Orleans dry.