Many in water’s path uninsured for flooding
May 25, 2011Friday, May 27
May 27, 2011
Despite recent reports that flood levels in the area are not as high as once expected, local officials are on high alert as crest dates near.
In Morgan City, the news has been promising throughout the week, as the $4 million backwater flood control system involving a sunken barge, three others and 1,000 feet of sheet piling, is now working, according to city officials.
Charts from the U.S. Coast Guard show lower than expected water levels in the Bayou Boeuf, Amelia and also Lake Palourde in Stephensville.
And it all came to completion within seven days, with the blessing of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Because of its immediate success, HTV’s Martin Folse has nicknamed it “the bayou barricade.”
Former Morgan City Mayor Cedric LaFleur said he plans to sit back and watch it work, protecting Terrebonne, East St. Mary Parish and Stephensville, from large amounts of backwater flooding.
Another official, former long time Morgan City Port Commissioner Larry Doiron took it a step deeper and said it should have been in position years ago.
Under the direction of St. Mary Levee Board President Bill Hidalgo, the system is now in place from Avoca Island, just off Morgan City’s Coast, stretching all the way to Terrebonne Parish. He said it was created all with help from local vendors, except for 1,000 feet of sheet piling which came from Houston.
The project came about from its earliest roots during the 1973 flood when former Morgan City Mayor Doc Brownell (now deceased), and others implemented it and saw some success. This time around, Hidalgo said much has been considered, including a bigger-sized main barge, coupled the three additional barges to hold the sunken barge in place with additional piling there. The newer version also considers the shoring of the system between the two parishes with rocks, among other things.
“We went with our own plans. We could hardly find any supporting documents on what they did earlier, although both barges were turned over to us by J. Ray McDermott officials,” Hidalgo said.
LaFleur, who was a Morgan City councilman when Brownell was in office, agreed and said this version of the barge is more than sufficient for to keep up with the rising waters.
“For one thing, this barge is a lot higher. And the depth doesn’t even compare,” LaFleur said. “Also, they put the barge straight across the bayou. We had to put ours at an angle, and that created a lot of seepage.
“What Bill and those other guys are doing, doesn’t even compare to what we did. I haven’t seen it I’ve heard and read about the plans. This will be secure. I will be surprised if there is any seepage at all.”
The former mayor added that another factor working in Morgan City’s favor is this year’s drought.
LaFleur said one of the reasons why the 1973 flood was troubling was because it was compounded by close to two feet of rain.
“That’s why parts of Morgan City saw water,” he said.
He added that he doesn’t urge anyone to evacuate and he will not be doing so this time around.
“I’m over 80 years old. I’m going sit here in my house, and drive around town, and shake my head at those folks who are evacuating, or who are even thinking about it,” LaFleur said.
Doiron also served on the Morgan City Council when Brownell was mayor.
Additionally, he served as a Morgan City Port Commissioner from 1982 through 2009.
Doiron believes so strongly in the barge system of 1973, he said, “there should have been a permanent structure put there years ago.”
“I told the Corp’ Colonel Fleming when I met him, you don’t need to question whether or not this barge system will work,” Doiron said. “I saw it with my own eyes, and what we had is nothing in comparison to what these guys have built.
“If that barge was not in place, right now, we’d be looking 6 to 7 feet of water in Lake Palourde, instead of the 3 feet something reading we’re at now. The crest on the river isn’t supposed to get to Morgan City now, until May 30th, and they’re predicting an 11-foot crest. So now, I ask you, do the math. Do the math and figure out where we would be then. Hell would be just about loose around here.”
Soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment work with the Black Bayou Fire Department to lay Tiger Dam flood-control tubing near a river bank in. U.S. ARMY
