St. Mary flood projects move forward

FRANKLIN — Work is winding down on the Bayou Teche floodgate, the Bayou Chene structure is moving ahead and soon, the Yokely Levee Extension project will go out for bid.
Nicole Cutforth, market sector director of flood control for APTIM, told the St. Mary Parish Levee District during its monthly meeting Thursday that work should be complete on a change order on the Bayou Teche floodgate structure soon. In a few weeks, quotes will be received for Phase 2 of the project, which will include moving some dirt, realigning the levee road to provide access for a fuel truck and installing gates, fencing and cameras.
“After that is complete, we will be having a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Cutforth said.
As for the Bayou Chene floodgate, Cutforth said they are working on multiple phases of the project. She said construction of the floodwall is ongoing.
“We’ve had meetings with the Coast Guard to discuss the channel reduction in width,” Cutforth said, explaining “a 200 or more foot opening” will be available for travel in the next few months.
She said that the Tabor Canal and weir portion, the project’s last phase, is in the design phase. Currently, engineering firm T. Baker Smith is addressing comments on the project, and their responses will be sent to the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority for review before the project is bid. Cutforth said bidding should occur within a month.
Videos of the project’s progress also have been posted on the levee district’s website.
“In the next month or so, we talked about getting some trips out there arranged so that y’all can see the magnitude of the structure,” Cutforth said. “The videos are awesome, but until you get out there and really see how large this is, it’s amazing. It really is.”
As for the Yokely Levee Extension project, the board learned from Nick Molaison of Miller Engineers & Associates in Franklin that comments have been received from the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and will be returned this week for a final review.
Levee District Executive Director Tim Matte said he has learned from Reid Miller of Miller Engineers & Associates that advertisement could begin in roughly three weeks. During Thursday’s meeting, the board granted permission to do so when they are ready.
Also during Thursday’s meeting, Matte reported that the Atchafalaya River was at 6.2 feet Thursday, making a slight jump from what he attributed to rain Wednesday evening.
“It is falling at the Ohio, and so gauges coming down, they’re all falling,” Matte said. “Basically what the Corps is saying is you’re going to be stuck at this level probably through April, and then we should see some relief after that.”
As of 7 a.m. Monday, the river was at 6.29 feet, according to the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service.
During Thursday’s meeting, the board also elected Kenneth Arceneaux as its secretary/treasurer. He replaces Barry Broussard, who passed away in January.