Heavy rainfall to the north during February could soon lead to the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway this month. The Mississippi River is on the rise and could crest at 17 feet in the New Orleans area before the end of March. "The New Orleans Advocate" reports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and levee officials are currently carrying out twice-weekly levee inspections that will become daily when the river climbs to 15 feet at the Carrolton gauge around March 10th.