Vision Statement

n     To eliminate or reduce the flood risk from hurricane storm surge entering Lake Pontchartrain.

n     To create flood protection for all the parishes that touch the shores of lake Pontchartrain.

n     Boost the recovery effort in all the parishes by reducing the risk of flooding in this region.

Today’s Situation

n      St. Tammany Parish and the communities in the southeast, whose shores touch Lake Pontchartrain, are under a great risk from flooding.

n      The flood risk in these communities are affected by several issues:

n      1) Flood protection systems developed to our west.

n      2) The loss of wetlands to our south.

n      3) No flood protection system currently in place for the north shore.

n      4)Predictions by the National Weather Service of an increase in hurricane

         intensity for years to come.

n       Considering these factors, it is only logical to assume that flooding in

      St.  Tammany Parish and adjacent communities will be increased.

Who Is Effected by the Storm Surge

n     There are about 100,000 residents living in the flood plain along the North Shore and communities to the south.

n     Over 65,000 of these residents live in the southern portion of St. Tammany and areas outside the levees in eastern New Orleans.

n     In the past 25 years there has been a great shift in population to St. Tammany. A large portion of this population settled in the southern end of the parish.

 The southern region of St. Tammany Parish Affected by Hurricane Storm Surge but still does not have any Flood Protection

New Construction Along the ICW and MRGO

n     The new structure will stop storm surge waters from entering the lake through the Inter-coastal Waterway.

n     What has not been addressed is the build up of storm surge at this new barrier. 

n      All storm surge waters will be forced to enter through the Chef Pass and Rigolets waterways continuing into Lake Pontchartrain.

 

New Flood Protection System Where the ICW Meets the MRGO

  

How Did We Get Here?

n      In 1965 the Flood Act was commissioned by Congress.

n      The original plan was the Barrier Plan.

n      A law suit filed in 1977 by Save Our Wetlands stopped the development of flood gates.

n      The high level levee system plan was then adopted.

n       Prior to this levee system the flood plain was about 20 miles to the west of Slidell.

n      As a storm surge exits the lake, the levee system channels the surge along the south shore and into the five mile opening by the twin spans.

n      The surge then flows east into the communities along the north shore.

 

Flood Surge As the Water Exits the Lake.

Goals and Objectives

n     To have a flood control system in place along the Lake Borgne shoreline from eastern New Orleans to the Pearl River basin.

n     To have the Southeast Flood Authority, along with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, work with state and federal officials to fast track this project.

n     Have the plans implemented and completed with in five years.

 

  

How to Fund This Project

 

n     Estimated cost figures to build this flood control system would be about 5 billion dollars.

n     These figures are based on the cost of a T-wall at 4 to 5 thousand dollars per foot.

n     There is 14.8 billion dollars authorized for flood control projects in this region and adjoining parishes.

n     Some of these projects will not be necessary if the flood control system at Lake Borgne is built.

n     That funding could then be reallocated to the Lake Borgne project.

 

 

The use of the CSX rail system

n    The CSX rail system parallels the Lake Borgne shore line.

n    The system extends from New Orleans east through the coast of Mississippi.
     If approved the flood protection could be built along the rail right of way.

Levee at CSX rail system

CSX extends from New Orleans East to Mississippi

The Loss of Property From Storm Surge

n    The estimated loss of property from flooding along the north shore would be in the of billions.

n    Those losses would exceed the cost of building the flood project, thus making this a justifiable expense.

n    Consider the loss of property secondary to the potential loss of life.

 

Future Growth

n    Currently there are several new areas in this region which, when the developments are completed, will generate housing for about 20,000 additional people.

n    This will significantly add to the population in this area and will increase the property loss should a storm strike . 

  

Our Fate Is in the Hands of Political Officials and the Flood Control Authorities

n     As the public becomes more aware of this situation, decisions will have to be made. Waiting for a storm to strike and then dealing with the disaster is not the answer.

n     We have first hand knowledge of the grief we face during a recovery effort.

n      We roll the dice every hurricane season without full flood protection for this region.    

Before the Storm Surge

During the Storm Surge