Vermilion Parish:   Disaster Impact and Needs Assessment

Economic and Workforce Development

During the hurricane, the economic base of the parish was undermined with a total loss of agricultural production nearing $50 million.(1) The devastation to the rice and cane harvests, and the huge loss of cattle during the storm made clear that the economy of the parish is much too dependant on agricultural produce. More than 75 percent of the parish was flooded by two storm surges. The surges inundated fields with salt water and killed an estimated 9,500 head of cattle. 60,000 acres of pastureland were inundated with saltwater and 350 miles of fencing necessary for cattle herding was destroyed. At least one third of all parish herds required winter feed due to the loss of available grazing land. Available estimates are that $10 million in lost income will result from the 25,000 acres of rice which cannot be planted in 2006 due to high levels of salt in parish soils.(2) During the hurricane, the Twin Parish port at Delcambre was silted due to the flooding. The Delcambre canal only drafts 8 to 12 feet, making the port off limits to larger fishing vessels.(3)

Environmental Management and Coastal Restoration

Hurricane Rita exacerbated an already tenuous condition in Vermilion Parish’s coastal marshlands. The combination of regional and localized hydrologic alterations associated with numerous access canals and board roads, plus the failure and abandonment of former forced drainage areas, resulted in extensive marsh loss. (4) Although input of suspended sediment is currently rebuilding deteriorated marshes in the westernmost portion of the basin, marshes within the highly altered middle and upper portions of the basin are continuing to experience losses. Natural freshwater inputs from the lakes sub basin into marshes of the Chenier Sub Basin were virtually eliminated with the construction of Louisiana Highways 27 and 82. The problem is compounded by dredging projects that create additional connections between the Gulf and sub basin marshes, facilitating saltwater intrusion. The natural salinity and tidal regime of the sub basin was altered by the construction of the Freshwater Bayou Channel, Mermentau River-Gulf of Mexico Navigation Channel, and numerous access canals. Prior to these alterations, fresh and intermediate marshes were isolated from tidal exchange and associated high salinities. The introduction of high-salinity water destroyed much of the vegetation, exposing the underlying organic soils to tidal exchange, which resulted in extensive marsh loss. (5)

Human Services

Fire protection services are needed throughout the parish. Five fire stations were destroyed in the hurricane; Intracoastal City Fire District and Henry Fire District had flood insurance but three did not. The Forked Island Fire District did not have flood insurance and has submitted a grant proposal. Pecan Island Police District did not have food insurance and has two stations damaged; they are seeking a grant to repair these facilities and replace substation equipment. Erath Fire District has proposed a mitigation project in combination with the Erath Police District for a combined facility. 7th Ward Fire District did not have flood insurance and is seeking funding for a project that would mitigate their situation.(6)

School buildings in Erath are located in the flood plain and, absent another plan, will not be mitigated after repairs because they cannot be elevated. Additionally, the future economic development of the parish will be greatly advanced with the movement of two schools off the flood plain and mitigation of the schools on the flood plain. The schools on the flood plain will solidify those communities as the citizens mitigate their housing. Erath Middle School and High School were flooded with 32" of water in the storm surge. Electrical and HVAC systems were significantly damaged; buildings are repairable.(7)

Dozier Elementary in Erath was flooded with 26" of water in the storm surge. Electrical and HVAC systems were significantly damaged. Major buildings are repairable; several portable buildings are greater than 50 percent damaged. Henry Elementary, which flooded with 6 feet of water in the storm surge, is located deep in the floodplain and the school board has elected to close rather than repair and mitigate the building. The main school building is greater than 50 percent damaged. The gym is repairable. Seventh Ward also is located deep in the floodplain. Despite being flooded with 24" of water in the storm surge, damages did not exceed 50 percent of the value of the building. It would remain unmitigated under current repair plans. Forked Island E. Broussard School, which flooded with 24" of water in the storm surge, is located deep in the floodplain but damages did not exceed 50 percent of the value of the building. It also would remain unmitigated under current repair plans.(8)

Response time in the southern part of the parish is unacceptably long for emergency medical services. Tremendous gaps exist in the skilled trades and vocational workforce to rebuild and adjust to the new economy expansion contained in the economic development and transportation areas. Damage to the existing canal and levee systems and the extent of the surge waters inland require extensive rebuilding of the canal and levee structure in the parish. This damage and vast damage to housing and public facilities will require high numbers of individuals required in the skilled construction trades over the next decade.(9)

Transportation and Infrastructure

There is a need for flood protection in the vulnerable areas of the parish. The storm surge from Hurricane Rita penetrated 25-30 miles within the coastline of Vermilion Parish.(10) Although almost the entire population of Vermilion south of Louisiana Highway 14 responded to a mandatory evacuation order in advance of Hurricane Rita, parish cities of refuge located north of the floodplain (Maurice, Kaplan, and Gueydan) lacked power for essential services (sewer, water) during the storm. There is currently no public transportation available in Vermilion for evacuating residents without motorized vehicles. Additionally during the hurricane, some emergency facilities were unable to function because of a lack of generators. Drainage problems are serious in some areas of the parish. During the rains associated with the hurricane, drainage problems created non-storm surge flooding and hindered drainage of the storm surge. The freight rail tracks between Abbeville and New Iberia were undermined in the flooding near Erath and the resulting lack of freight access has resulted in increased cost of shipping rice for packaging in Memphis. (11)

Housing and Community Development

More than 2,700 homes had serious damage upon inspection by FEMA as of Dec. 4, 2005. Better planning and zoning would have helped to prevent loss of property in the floodplain by encouraging mitigated development in that area. Better maintenance of infrastructure would reduce the total impact of a future hurricane. Lack of building codes has allowed building practices that are not sufficient for hurricane protection. The parish will adopt building codes, but has no trained staff and no capacity currently to enforce building codes. Homes not built to withstand hurricanes were significantly damaged, at great loss to personal and real property. Many of those affected are low- and moderate-income households.(12)

(1) Andrew Granger, “Economic Impact of Hurricane Rita on Agriculture in Vermilion Parish”, Memo, October 27, 2005.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Anecdote, Vietnamese fisherman of Delcambre
(4) Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Comprehensive Ecosystem Restoration Study, 2001
(5) Ibid.
(6) Anecdotal, Vermilion Parish School Board
(7) Ibid
(8) Ibid
(9) Anecdote, Paul A. Bourgeios, Director of Acadiana Tech Prep/Louisiana Technical College Gulf Area Campus
(10) NOAA, Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness
(11) Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency
(12) FEMA-1603, Geospatial Intelligence Unit, Damage as of December 4, 2005.