Rather than fighting, were working with the parishes on solutions like the ones announced in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Iberville. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. This strain results in an increased risk that surrounding areas will experience catastrophic flooding during an intense rain event. "We had to pull all the floors and the insulation and cut the sheetrock," he. The funds advance flood protection, mitigation and resiliency, including: $50 million secured for Livingston Parish drainage projects $760 million secured for the West Shore Project $400 million secured for the Comite Diversion Project $255 million East Baton Rouge Flood Control Project $350 million for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding Along with dredging, the hope is that new projects will allow water to flow easier. "So," he said, "anything that we could you know add another outlet somewhere is worth looking at. Recently,more fundingwas announced for Louisiana flood protection projects. Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana)issued the following statement after East Baton Rouge (EBR) Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Iberville Parish President Mitchell Ourso announced their recommendation to improve drainage along Bayou Manchac at the border of the two parishes. 4 0 obj The aim was to control water levels in the Spanish Lake Basin to protect landowners, hardwood forests and to restore the flooded, 80-acre Cypress Flats to a . The path will allow more water to drain from the Bluff Swamp and greater Spanish Lake area. As of Wednesday, six pumps were operating with two more on the way. But what I think is that we haven't yet taken and addressed those means to determine whether or not it's going to be satisfactory to meet the requirements of any 100-year flood," Rosso said. Just praying for the rain to stop is not a valuable solution, says one female who lives near Bluff Swamp. John Rosso, a resident of the Belle Grove neighborhood in Prairieville, has been trying to gather support from surrounding neighborhood associations to press Graves and local officials on Manchac. Sharon Weston Broome, Iberville Parish President Mitchell Ourso, State Senator Eddie Lambert, State Representative Tony Bacala, Councilman Corey Orgeron and Prairieville homeowner associations to discuss the ongoing clearing and snagging and future plans. This project has been APPROVED. The ownership, management and staff are totally aligned and committed to the residents loving their lifestyle. THE FORECAST (WAFB) - New flood mitigation measures are being developed in parts of Ascension Parish that will hopefully prevent flooding in the . stream Nearly 15,000 homes in Ascension Parish were flooded, said Richard Webre, director of the parish's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Scotch on the Bayou Historic Flooding in Bayou Pigeon, Louisiana - May, 2021 In this video, witness the historic level of flooding in Bayou Sorrel and. As workers stand on a temporary bridge, high water from the Bluff Swamp flows Friday, May 28, 2021, into Bayou Manchac, bottom, through a new, temporary drainage channel, center, left, cut across. Copyright 2021 WAFB. Some of the worst flooding along Manchac happens from backwater in the Amite, which pushes water up the bayou and against its normal flow. "We do believe this project will provide an immediate benefit to Ascension Parish and the surrounding parishes as well," Monzon said. Widespread fllooding will inundate most roads in this area, including LA Highways 16, 42, 431, and 933. You have permission to edit this article. The project on Alligator Bayou Road is scheduled to be finished sometime this summer. "The problem is really understanding, you know, what drives the flood risk and where the flood risk is and what's going to change the flood risk is, obviously, complicated or people would have solved it long before now," Jacobsen said. But EBR says the dams could worsen flooding there. Have an idea for a future video? Flood of Record occurred on August 15, 2016. Reservoirs? As the driveway disappears under the water, a house is surrounded by sandbags and water on Bluff Road as Ascension and Iberville Parishes continue to deal with flooding problems Monday May 24, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. There was a problem saving your notification. Increased flow and strong current will affect river traffic. N. Ascension On The Bayou: Multifamily At 150 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. Details that might determine the future of the New River pump like construction cost, the amount of flood reduction and operations remain unknown. The new outlet and pump would also remove runoff from New River that now must travel 18 miles east through Geismar, Gonzales and St. Amant to Ascension's Marvin J. Braud Pumping Station, ultimately also keeping some water out of St. James and Livingston parishes downstream from those pumps. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. In 2016, an estimated 17 billion gallons of water flowed over the road and into the swamp basin until the high water could be stopped with large sandbags and other measures. According to the How do I know if I have a cold, the flu or COVID-19? Saint Amant Swamp will be inundated. Residents are urged to use the map as a. A houses reflects in the surrounding flood waters on Bluff Road as Ascension and Iberville Parishes continue to deal with flooding problems Monday May 24, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. You have permission to edit this article. A series of pumps are arrayed Tuesday, May 25, 2021, on Alligator Bayou Road to draw water from the Bluff Swamp, on right, into Bayou Manchac, on left. The high watermark on the tree shows where the. Vanessa, the new manager is great she is definitely taking things in the right direction. UPDATE: Ascension President Clint Cointment announced Monday the cut was reopened after it was closed over the weekend due to heavy rain. They want to see more work on the bayou itself that benefits northern Prairieville residents directly. Now, it has become, by necessity, a utilitarian drainage outlet for suburban growth. The East Baton Rouge Metro Council also recentlyapproveda $20 million budget for drainage projects from federal funding. Ascension on the Bayou has created not just a high-end apartment complex, but a wonderful community experience which makes it a truly unique and desirable place to live. Nearly a week after heavy rain doused the Baton Rouge region, houses remained surrounded by flood water on Monday and stood as islands in the . ASCENSION PARISH - On Tuesday morning, a number of Ascension Parish Roads are closed due to area flooding overnight . Others say Ascension is leaving too many other stones unturned. A home is protected by an AquaDam on Bluff Road in Ascension Parish as the area continues to deal with flooding problems on Monday May 24, 2021. Fax: (202) 225-7313, Phone: (225) 442-1731 We never had anything done back here to help us with the water ever. However, help is on the way with a new drainage project on Alligator Bayou Road in Ascension Parish. The La. Rosso, 69, who spent a career in industry and doesn't like to hear what can't be done, said he doesn't understand why more hasn't happened on Manchac in the five years since the August 2016 flood sent nine inches of water into his house. Until the water goes down, Gonzales says he and his neighbors are stuck in a waiting game. The plan already has received mixed reviews from some Ascension officials. SLIDELL - Two men were shot and killed in St. Tammany Parish late Saturday morning. All rights reserved. Ascension Parish officials say they cant wait any longer, on Nash Road, this is just one of many small projects that is going to make a big difference for folks who had tons of flooding within the past couple of weeks. This property is perfect for the professional in Houston on a temporary stay. Streets will flood in Port Vincent. Scott Nesbit, who manages the 4,000-acre Spanish Lake Restoration wetlands bank in the Bluff Swamp, agreed with Kemp, saying the land bank would support the idea as long as the proposed Bluff and Willow Glen pumps are managed properly. Clint Cointment, EBR Mayor-President. So, with previous storms- in 2016 as well as in May 2021- we had to cut the road to let the water out. Recently, Broome and Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment announced a similar recommendation for the Ascension portion of Bayou Manchac. The maintenance staff is very responsive, and grounds are always beautiful and well maintained. NOTE: River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Instead, efforts need to be focused on getting the water out and these announcements are the first steps in that process. %PDF-1.5 The Flood Event Viewer provides access to USGS monitoring activities for the August 2016 floods in Louisiana. Work that improves the efficiency of Manchac to drain to the Amite will likewise improve the efficiency of Amite to send water back upstream, Kemp said. We absolutely love it here. 2 0 obj RAl^!.>B,3U7 [r#X7!TBOVH+m=n2U\ak|*Q&- w.az President Clint Cointment said his office is monitoring the river gauges along Bayou Manchac. Officials in both parishes have seen having larger floodgates as a way to speed up drainage of the basin, but permitting for the gates took a significant amount of time. Fax: (225) 442-1736, Phone: (225) 686-4413 You must be of legal drinking age in your country to watch this channel. Winds will ease into the evening. BATON ROUGE, La. Thibodaux, LA 70301 For years, as East Baton Rouge has sprawled south and Ascension and Iberville parishes have reached north, people have searched for ways to unclog the scenic bottleneck that is Bayou Manchac. On the other hand, people who study and manage the ecology of the Spanish Lake region said, at first blush, a New River pump might provide an important benefit that has been unrecognized in recent talks. But in order to get to his house he has to drive through high water. Port Allen Pelicans basketball team soaring toward fourth-straight state title, Sample duo leading Scotlandville into playoffs, For help accessing the WBRZ-TV Public File, contact: Joey Verrett at. These communities in Iberville Parish are close knit and self dependent. They noticed the water getting lower immediately once the pumps were active, but it will take several weeks to move the volume of water from the basin. Port Allen Pelicans basketball team soaring toward fourth-straight state title, Sample duo leading Scotlandville into playoffs, For help accessing the WBRZ-TV Public File, contact: Joey Verrett at, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills. Stream LIVE news here. Say that much water. % x[[o6~7,lEH]EN] E }PdG[y4v_BJNP(og?z'"TEg\'2tf9+z~&D But one would think they could get some help during this natural disaster. Though the plans have raised worries in downstream parishes, like Ascension, the Corps of Engineers has said analyses show the work won't worsen flooding. The eastern swamp of the huge Spanish Lake region receives runoff from Dutchtown, Geismar and Prairieville and is susceptible to high water from Manchac when it overtops a levee road. Grays Creek and the main channel of the Amite River will merge. Ascension officials will likely have to come up with an operational plan regimenting the pump's operation, Corps officials added. Major investments Graves successfully pushed for during the funding process: Morganza to the Gulf: $31 million for the Bayou Terrebonne floodgate and Highway 55 road gate design, as well as designing the levee and control structure for two critical segments of the project. Utilizing federal funding opportunities, information from constituents, and ideas from discussions will move us toward solutions faster. Recent leadership and electoral turmoil on the East Ascension drainage panel that would pursue the project likely through Louisiana Watershed Initiative funding may also call into question what the body ultimate decides once HNTB finishes its analysis of the concept. Itll be two two-by-twelves- which equals basically a cut in the road. As workers stand on a temporary bridge, high water from the Bluff Swamp flows Friday, May 28, 2021, into Bayou Manchac, bottom, through a new, temporary drainage channel, center, left, cut across Alligator Bayou Road. One plan to lessen such flooding would drain nearby swamps in the Spanish Lake area into the Mississippi River instead. Elevate your experience and lifestyle in Houston with our incomparable community features, wonderfully endless amenities and exemplary service. FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers not showing? provided to the NWS by the gauge owner. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Those living around Bluff and Ridge Road saw it all when it came to flooding, Had we had this under control back in the beginning of May or late April, we wouldnt be here talking about this right now, says one man who lives off Shadow Ridge Lane. 4 LSU women's basketball Watch the 2 Your Health report for Friday, March 3, 2023. Under the leadership of U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, officials in Ascension, Iberville and East Baton Rouge also have agreed to look at other ideas to alleviate Manchac flooding. Map Help Disclaimer Map Overlays County Boundaries WFO Boundary Reset Overlays The new pump would also keep that water from having to get through Manchac in the first place, allowing water to drain more quickly out of Bayou Fountain in East Baton Rouge, Monzon said. He installed an AquaDam around his home to keep it from flooding. The weekend BATON ROUGE - The Southern University men's Senior Night basketball game was postponed Saturday afternoon when the lights in the gym cut off. View the Enhanced Operating Capability Products and Services StoryMap here. So, we are able to establish capacity beforehand and able to take that volume from that basin giving us another option, says Cointment. PRAIRIEVILLE - Ascension officials cut into Alligator Bayou Road Friday to help alleviate high water left behind by last week's downpour. Welcome to our Memorial apartments for rent, an amplified style of luxury apartment living in this prestigious area of Houston, Texas. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Ascension On The Bayou: Multifamily At 150 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. After the 2016 Flood, Graves secured over $3 billion in federal funding to protect our homes, businesses, law enforcement, livelihoods, schools and the communities of South Louisiana. "I'm not overly stressed, but I got to bed at night thinking about it," said Mike Gonzales, who lives on Ridge Road. Dredging? Also, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials said the idea would also likely prompt an extensive permitting review because it will affect the hydrology of a large wetland area containing federal land banks set up to compensate for wetlands loss elsewhere in Louisiana. "What does that do for those districts that are residing along the Bayou Manchac? Now of course even with all of this new flood mitigation construction, the parish is still considering a moratorium. If they can keep that much more water out than what we had last time by doing that then we wouldnt have had water in our house, Braud said. An ant colony displaced by the flood waters floats near Alligator Bayou Road Wednesday May 19, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. For a second time in less than five years, high, slow-draining floodwater in the Bluff Swamp will force Ascension Parish workers to cut a drainage path through Alligator Bayou Road, shutting it potentially for weeks longer. This is a breaking update. "I wouldn't expect that road to be open any time soon," said John Connelly, a parish spokesman. BATON ROUGE - One week into Lent and the crawfish market is seeing one of its first significant drops of the season. ASCENSION PARISH - On Tuesday morning, a number of Ascension Parish Roads are closed due to area flooding overnight Monday. 10, 2021 at 3:03 PM PDT. The weekend Friday AM Forecast: Wind Advisory this morning, clear and sunny this afternoon. The community here is incredible and the amenities are beyond expectation. So, we are just taking a proactive stand on our weir system works here, and what we are going to do is we are going to go ahead and install 42 inches pipes with gate valves. Three pumps, red objections on right, background, siphon water from the Bluff Swamp and send into Bayou Manchac early Monday, May 24, 2021, in an attempt to lower high water levels in the swamp basin. Backwater flooding occurs along the lower reaches of these streams and along Bayou Manchac. THE FORECAST All rights reserved. Fax: (225) 442-1736, 908 East 1st Street Parish officials announced Wednesday that crews plan to cut the drainage route where the road crosses over Fish Bayou either Friday or Saturday. Connect with Lee Ann via Social MediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/scotchonthebayou Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scotchonthebayou Subscribe to Scotch on the Bayou YouTube Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbSH41hQXaIQMFndEH5-MmA QUESTION Have a question about scotch, whisky, Louisiana? What's the best way to control Baton Rouge-area rivers? The drugstore Southern University loses power before men's Senior Night basketball game. Why aren't the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers showing on the ESRI Map?Possible reasons: Note: Your zoom level may have changed. Councilman Corey Orgeron, who represents northern Prairieville west of Airline Highway, had a basic question for Monzon. Bonifay presented Ascension Parish with a comprehensive plan for new locks at Alligator and Frog bayous and the dredging of the sediment to increase the outflow during seasonal flooding. BATON ROUGE - The Tigers win the Podium Watch the 2 Your Health report for Friday, March 3, 2023. The latest bout of high water stems from heavy rains that caused severe flash flooding in Baton Rouge and Ascension parishes last week and the subsequent drainage from those areas -- where rain approached 14 inches in a short span -- into the Bayou Manchac area. We appreciate our three parish leaders taking this first step and we look forward to more announcements over the coming months. LIVINGSTON PARISH - The parents of a high Saturday PM Forecast: The comfortable weather is sticking around. We're still going to get all this water from EBR, so there's no plan to protect the northern part of the parish with this effort," Orgeron asked last week.