Governor John Bel Edwards and United States Senator Bill Cassidy announced $163 million in federal funding for several flood mitigation projects across Louisiana including along Bayou Cocodrie.
“Louisiana experienced devastating floods in recent years that accelerated the need to develop infrastructure projects for flood-prone communities,” said Senator Cassidy. “These funds deliver protection to residents and businesses and will considerably reduce the risk of flooding.”
The money released is part of the $1.2 billion in flood mitigation funding for Louisiana which Cassidy secured from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2019.
The state selected these projects because they align with the long-term resilience objectives of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative and the state’s $1.2 billion CDBG-MIT Action Plan, including natural flood management, flood control and critical infrastructure projects. The funding for these projects is part of the $1.2 billion in federal mitigation funds allocated to Louisiana.
“The 2016 floods were a devastating reminder that Louisiana’s historical approach to managing flood risk no longer works,” Governor Edwards said. “The Louisiana Watershed Initiative is bringing together local, regional and state agencies to improve regional watershed management through collaboration and coordination. This approach will leverage accurate science and data to identify projects for funding that significantly reduce flood risk. We are thrilled to begin putting these federal dollars to work and will continue to launch watershed projects and programs as quickly and effectively as possible to benefit all of Louisiana.”
Included in the allotment of funds is $2.2 million for Bayou Cocodrie runoff retention and critical infrastructure improvements in Evangeline and Rapides Parishes.
According to information from the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, “State agencies identified projects aligned with their missions, plans and LWI resilience objectives by submitting applications to Office of Community Development detailing project scopes, proposed budgets and implementation plans. Project types include dam, flood control, drainage, critical infrastructure, nonstructural mitigation and capital improvements.”
The projects, according too LWI, must meet the following criteria: reduces flood risk in a project benefit area or supports analysis to optimize flood risk reduction for projects in design stage, features an eligible activity and advances a national objective, does not increase flood risk in surrounding areas, and addresses project long-term operation and maintenance needs.
The project in Evangeline and Rapides Parishes includes Bayou Cocodrie runoff retention and critical infrastructure improvements, including replacement of an existing single-gate pipe structure with a multiple-gate pipe structure that allows for lake drawdown and provides for minimum flow during low-flow conditions.
Other area projects include Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project in Cameron and Vermilion Parishes; Vermilion Parish Residential Buyouts, Elevations, or Reconstructions in Vermilion Parish; LSU Alexandria Drainage Improvements in Rapides Parish; and Three Mile Lake Backwater Flood Reduction in St. Landry Parish.
For more information on this program or the projects listed, email watershed@la.gov.
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Staff Report