As Delta nears, Levee District shores up flood protection

The St. Mary Parish Levee District, already focused on flood control measures, raised the ante Tuesday as Hurricane Delta approached the Louisiana coast.
The district moved up its regular monthly meeting, scheduled for Thursday, to Tuesday and moved to prevent flooding in the Bayou Sale area southwest of Centerville, near La. 317.
The district’s board declared an emergency and approved about $118,000 to pay Frisco Industrial Contractors of Franklin to perform work designed to keep water from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from causing flooding in the Bayou Sale area.
Also, Director Tim Matte said Wednesday morning that the district will use sheet piles to close the Bayou Teche at the construction site of the Bayou Teche Flood Control Project near Baldwin.
The $11 million project consists of a wall with a 70-foot opening into which a gate can be placed to prevent storm surge water from moving into the bayou by way of the Charenton Canal.
The wall is in place, Matte said, but the gate hasn’t been installed. The sheet pilings will take its place.
The project was designed to offer flood protection in the Franklin-Garden City-Centerville area.
The National Weather Service is predicting 4-8 inches of rain and a storm surge of 8-10 feet along the Gulf Coast in Delta’s path.
St. Mary may get a break from some potential flooding because of low levels in area waterways.
At 6 a.m. Wednesday, the Atchafalaya River at Morgan City was at 2.9 feet, or more than 3 feet below the minor flood stage.
Lake Palourde, which often rises because of back-water flooding when the Atchafalaya is high, was at 3.43 feet Wednesday morning, more than 1.5 feet below the minor flood stage.
Also Tuesday:
—The district approved $25,800 in spending on preliminary survey work needed if the Yokeley Levee Extension can be altered to include protection for the Gulf Craft ship-building operation.
Gulf Craft originally opted out but has recently expressed interest in being included in the project.
—The district approved a $5,000 change order for the Bayou Teche Flood Control Structure.
The money would go for additional surveying and protective rip-rap to prevent scouring near the structure.
The project is being funding largely by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
Matte said the DOTD has agreed the additional work is needed.
—The board agreed to spend an extra $43,000 on the Bayou Chene Flood Control Structure.
The $80 million project, funded through the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, will create a gate that can be closed to prevent back-water flooding.
The spending approved Tuesday would protect levee construction associated with the project from erosion, at least partly with the use of reusable concrete mats.