After experiencing massive flooding across the parish over the last two years, it was announced on Wednesday that Evangeline Parish was awarded $1.9 million to fund a local retention project.
Evangeline Parish Police Jury President Ryan LeDay Williams made the announcement of the reception of the grant after a meeting of the Acadiana Planning Commission. “A total of 20 projects were submitted from seven Acadiana Parishes totaling $94.5 million,” Williams said in a statement. “Evangeline Parish submitted one of the nine projects that were approved by the Acadiana Planning Commission.”
“This award stems from the Louisiana Resilient Recovery Initiative that Governor John Bel Edwards announced in August of 2017,” Williams’ statement continued. “A total of $25 million for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds for regional drainage projects in Acadiana was awarded. Evangeline Parish’s $1.9 million project as approved would create a water retention area located northwest of Ville Platte. The purpose of the project is to create an area which will retain water flowing south from the most northern portion of Bayou Joe Marcel. The purpose of this retainage is to reduce the amount of water flowing south down Bayou Joe Marcel during large rain events. The goal of the project is to allow the water level in Bayou Joe Marcel to be maintained at the optimal level during a 100 year storm, thus preventing flooding in the areas drained by the canals. There would then be a controlled release of water after the flooding event. The reduction in downstream water during large rain events will benefit all areas south of the structure. The project timeline is setup to be completed within 36 months.
Williams wished to thank past Police Jury President Ryan Ardoin; Donald Bergeron, Secretary-Treasurer; Engineering Firm Landreneau & Associates especially Ronnie Landreneau and Justin Fontenot; Acadiana Planning Commision (APC); Public Works Director Chester Granger; Juror Bryan Vidrine; and the entire police jury board for their due Diligence.
“It wasn’t an easy task, but we were able to secure this grant to mitigate flooding in our Parish,”concluded Williams. “Not only will this help the mitigation of flooding in our parish, we will look at this as a Regional Flood Mitigation Project to assist with the flooding throughout our region which encompasses also St. Martin Parish, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, St. Landry Parish, Vermilion Parish, and Acadia Parish.”
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TONY MARKS