The level of water in the Mississippi River continues to rise, and with it so does the anxiety of those who live along the corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Opening the Morganza Spillway, which is slated to happen sometime this weekend, will go a long way toward easing fears that levees will be topped or fail altogether.

Opening of the Morganza is a bit of a double-edged sword. The influx of water into the Atchafalaya Basin could flood the homes and property of 25,000 residents, but if the structure were kept closed, it would affect as many as 2.5 million.

It is a clear-cut case of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few. And while the decision to inflict harm on any citizen in the state is not an easy one, the state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers waited as long as they could in an effort to make sure all in harms way were prepared.

As high as the floodwaters could get, this does not have to be a disaster of Hurricane Katrina proportions, but residents had to be given ample time to prepare.

Endangering the main population center and economic engine of the state would certainly not help anyone in the long run. Yes, many in the path of waters from the Morganza may lose much, and no, this is not a perfect solution, but at least by ensuring the safety of the Baton Rouge-New Orleans area, the state will still be able to provide for those in the Atchafalaya Basin who are put in harm’s way.