WDSU: Congress considering proposal to bolster protections along Mississippi River

NEW ORLEANS —

After news broke April 23 of three kids swept away by the Mississippi River's current, emotions overwhelmed U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.

Carter is from Algiers, where the kids — 8-year-old Ally Wilson-Berry, 14-year-old Brandy Wilson and 15-year-old Kevin Poole — lived. As a child, he occasionally dipped into the river, just like those kids did, underestimating the river's might.

"It's something we shouldn't have done, something that no one should ever do," Carter said in an interview Thursday. "It's important that we get that message out now."

The three kids' deaths inspired the congressman's latest piece of legislation. His amendment to the annual Water Resources and Development Act funding bill would bolster protections along the river's banks. It would task the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the river's levee systems, with reviewing potential safety threats and installing technology to bolster protections.

"This gives us an opportunity to be equipped with siren systems that will alert us if someone should fall in, plus fencing where appropriate to make sure people don't get too close," Carter said. "We have to do better."

The extent of the Army Corps' work and projected costs remain unclear. But the mother of Ally and Brandy hopes Congress will act.

"It's time for us to change," Octavia Wilson said. "It's time for us to come together."