| ; , LA AREA: |
| 06/01/2006 60 Months |
| Current Status |
Effective Date |
Comments |
| Included in Recovery Plan |
04/07/2006 |
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Upon completion, the study will result in substantial cleaning and repair the ditch system enabling it to accommodate anticipated drainage demands, provision of irrigation water and protection of associated habitat.
The study is divided into several discrete and sequential components:
Coordination
As described above, currently there is severe jurisdictional fragmentation that impacts the ability to initiate a systematic approach to the restoration of the parish drainage system. There are 9 separate districts each with their own geographic boundaries and revenue streams. To tackle the parish-wide issues, the Jeff-Davis Police Jury will need to appoint the chairman of each district and municipality to sit on a coordinated super-drainage board. Participation from the State and Federal agencies will also be required. This super board would coordinate the project under the guidance of the Police Jury. (3 months).
Assessment
The second element will be a study of drainage facility conditions within each participating jurisdiction and the development of a strategy for remediation. The individual Districts would work with State and Federal agency partners to develop a study scope. Ultimately, a comprehensive assessment of conditions and needs would be developed through a consultant study. Based on discussions with NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation District staff, a study could be completed in a period of approximately 4-6 months at a cost of approximately $65,000 that would provide needed information. The study would provide mapping of the entire system, assessment conditions including an impediments, silting and funding of the system, flow capacity, wetland habitat areas, downstream impacts and mitigation alternatives and costs. Evaluation of mitigation funding sources would also be provided. The USDA/NRCS provides a Watershed Surveys and Planning service to states and local governments that this study could be funded through (CFDA: 10.906 (6 months) (Use of CDBG funds as local match could provide additional monies to provide a more comprehensive study. Strong consideration should be given to a regional, multi-drainage system/watershed study.)
Capacity
Upon completion of the study, the super board, with the assistance of local, state and federal partners, would evaluate alternatives, determine a strategy and pursue funding. Agreement would need to be made as to facilitating ongoing organizational capacity to see the project through to completion. Fostering state or regional agency commitments to provide ongoing support and oversight would help ensure success and investigate funding sources and related mechanisms that can be used to implement the project. (The timetable for securing of funding, which would be anticipated from multiple sources including the individual drainage districts, is not yet determined. (It is important to note that the regular maintenance efforts of the individual drainage districts would continue throughout the process. The districts function effectively within their individual jurisdictions but they do not have the resources, financially and otherwise to develop a comprehensive approach to this regional issue.)
Funding Notes: Currently, individual Drainage Districts have applied for NRCS/EWP funds for removal of downed trees and related debris for portions of the impacted drainage facilities. It is expected that use of this study will continue, along with efforts by the individual districts and municipalities to continue strategic and routine drainage facility cleaning. The USDA/NRCS has a Watershed Surveys and Planning program available for various watershed and flood hazard assessments. The study of this drainage system, as proposed, would be eligible for assistance under this program, CFDA 10.906.
The purpose of this project is to evaluate, repair and restore the multi-functional drainage system that serves the entire parish of Jefferson Davis. The drainage system is critical to the entire parish and beyond, enabling water to enter into the parish, pass through it and into the connecting drainage and coastal system immediately to the south. The system performs multiple functions, conveying water, providing flood protection, making water available for farm irrigation needs, and providing critical wildlife habitat—with much of the system being designated as wetland.
In the course of Hurricane Rita and related rains, the system sustained clogging and choking due to downed trees from hurricane-force winds, compounded by the addition of vegetative and non-vegetative debris that entered the ditches and canals. This circumstance slowed drainage, caused localized flooding and resulted in additional silt build-up within the system. As a result, the system has been compromised in terms of its capacity to ensure drainage and fulfill other needs. While some effort has been made to mitigate the most urgent problems through tree removal and cleaning in order to prevent flooding, the system has not been repaired. Repair of the system far exceeds the capacity of the individual Drainage Districts and impacted Municipalities, therefore the need for a coordinated, programmatic effort.
The parish drainage system is controlled by nine independent drainage districts and several incorporated municipalities which control drainage within their boundaries. While the system functions similarly across the parish, the districts and areas within the districts have differing characteristics and needs. Some portions of the system include relatively small, narrow and heavily wooded ditches. Others are relatively open to access and without a considerable deciduous component. Still other portions of the system include will canals like Bayou Chene and Lacassine Bayou in the SW section of the parish. Consequently, the system is fragmented politically and functionally, even though there is a clear and acknowledged inter-relationship between the individual jurisdictions.
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