14-year-old Lao among THS’s Class of 2011
May 17, 2011Thursday, May 19
May 19, 2011
The National Weather Service has revised its original projected crest of the Atchafalaya River and the outcome is a dose of good news to St. Mary Parish.
Initial forecasts showed a 13 foot crest. That number has now been revised to 11 feet.
Still, St. Mary is preparing for battle, and its leaders have called in the troops, all 250 of them.
Thanks to the Louisiana National Guard, more than 12,000 feet of HESCO baskets, sand and aqua bags are being placed in position, seemingly at attention and waiting for the enemy, water.
In Morgan City, Mayor Tim Matte said efforts to raise the backwater levees at Justa Street, La. Highway 70 and the Auburn Subdivision are 90 percent complete.
Matte said the city and the guard are also installing 8,000 feet of HESCO on the Siracusaville levee, which he said is now 50 percent complete.
Also, additional protection along backwater levees in the rear of private properties will be complete by today.
The city has also closed 21 of its 27 flood gates which keep the river water away. The mayor said the remaining gates are well above the projected crest of the river and no closure is scheduled at this time.
“While we are excited at the new projection of the river, the figure of 11 feet is still a record. In 1973, that number was at 10 feet,” Matte said.
On evacuations, the mayor said that although no evacuation of the community appears to be necessary, “just as when you are anticipating a hurricane, you should plan ahead for the possibility.”
On sandbags, he said as soon as the back water levee system is shored to protect the community, sand will be made available for individual use.
“There is also closed access to the city wharf. Motorists are not allowed on the unprotected side of the levee wall, also, no swimming is allowed in the river, the currents are very strong,” Matte said.
Meanwhile, St. Mary Parish President Paul Naquin, along with Councilmen Gary Duhon and Chuck Walters have targeted the Amelia area, raising levees along vulnerable areas like Bayou Boeuf and the PHI heliport runway in Amelia.
Naquin said roughly 1,500 residents live in Amelia, with 75 small businesses, in addition to The Amelia Belle Casino.
“We started placing 4,000 feet of HESCO baskets there, which should reinforce our fight against backwater from the Atchafalaya River,” he said.
In West St Mary, Parish Director of Emergency Preparedness Duval Arthur is ordering final shoring and inspections of more than 100 levees from Berwick to Jeanerette, with the help of the St. Mary Parish Levee District.
“We’re taking care of potential flooding now in the Franklin Canal and the Hanson Canals,” Arthur said. “Over the weekend, we finished Yellow Bayou. These areas were problems for us in the wake of Hurricane Ike and Rita.
“Also at present, there are no plans for any sort of evacuation of St. Mary Parish. But we are expecting folks from St. Martin and Assumption Parishes, so we’re going to be ready.”
Arthur said the parish will make use of the West St Mary Civic Center, as well as the Franklin and Broussard Harris recreation centers.
Matte held a citywide flood advisory meeting Thursday that drew a crowd of more than 1,000.
During that meeting, he announced Morgan City will begin generating its own electricity sometime this week, to thwart any possible interruptions from its outside carrier, LEPA, who gets its some of its service from CLECO.
Also at that meeting, Duval said anyone caught riding on the parish levees will not only be cited with a $500 ticket, but they will have to repair any damage they create.
At the parish council meeting, a citizen asked why the parish did not have the levee protection it has now, when Hurricane Ike hit the Franklin area.
Councilman Ken Singleton replied, saying it’s because St. Mary Parish has a Levee District that works, and they all volunteer their time to be on the job as a commissioner. He said the levee board is only 2 years old, and wasn’t in existence when Ike, or even Hurricane Rita, hit the area.
In the wake of the pending potential flooding, Bruce Woods, General Manager of the Amelia Belle Casino said he has no plans to temporarily close. “The Amelia Belle will be working closely with Parish and State officials to determine a closing timeline if it becomes necessary.”
City of Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan said in his area, he wanted to assure and inform his constituents last week, called a meeting last Friday, in the City Council Chambers.
“Our levees are fine,” Grogan said. “This city is safe from flooding.
“I received a call from the State and Patterson is being eyed as a possible evacuation site for folks from St. Martin and Assumption parishes.”
“The City of Patterson is one of the safest places, if not the safest place in St. Mary Parish,” Parish President Paul Naquin added.
“What we need to do is pray for our neighbors and family to the east, in Morgan City, in Siracusaville and in Amelia,” Grogan said.
Executive Director of the St. Mary Parish Levee District Allen Kelly addresses citizens at a meeting this week. Kelly discussed the precautions the parish has made to prepare for the rising river waters about to flow through the area. HOWARD J. CASTAY JR.
