Hurricane Delta forces LSU to change game location
October 7, 2020
Hurricane, Storm Surge Watches issued ahead of Delta; Track shifts more to the west
October 7, 2020
In preparation for Hurricane Delta, which is forecast to impact coastal Louisiana later this week, local officials are sinking a barge in Grand Bayou, an area of the levee system that is still under construction, to add further protection for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.
“Grand Bayou is in Lafourche Parish, southwest of Larose; it goes from Pointe-aux-Chenes towards Larose,” said Reggie Dupre, Executive Director of Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District. “There are levees under construction and a floodgate under construction that just started recently in Grand Bayou, and it will not be complete until late 2021.”
“So as an interim measure, we are working with the state to put a barge in that location,” said Dupre, who noted that the levee district is also working on enhancing the levees in lower Dularge before the storm hits. “By closing this off, we think we can maybe slow down the surge enough where we may avoid some flooding.”
The safety measure is a joint effort between the local levee districts and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA).
Tony Alford, Terrebonne Parish Levee and Conservation District Board President, told HTV 10 on Tuesday night that the barge is 250 feet by 80 feet.
“We’ve got a big load of rocks coming in so that doesn’t scour underneath. We’re driving pilings to make sure that the barge is anchored,” he said. “And we’ve got 24-hour, around-the-clock services taking place with light plants to make sure that we get this done before the storm gets here.”
Feature photo courtesy of Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove’s social media.
