Terrebonne readies for backwater flooding

Terrebonne officials are preparing for anticipated flooding in the western parts of the parish as heavy rain water from the Midwest makes its way downstream and threatens property along the Atchafalaya River.

Gauges on Monday showed that in and out barge levels were at 2.9 feet while water levels at Morgan City were listed at 5.58 feet.

Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said that landowners and residents along the Mississippi River, Atchafalaya River and Red River should use caution during the coming weeks because of anticipated increases in water levels. He advised residents to monitor information from local emergency management offices and prepare for taking alternative routes in the event of road flooding.

Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said steps have already been taken to prepare for expected flooding.

“It is something we are closely monitoring,” Claudet said. “I get reports from my staff every day concerning the floodgate at Gibson that we closed and the flooding that could be in Morgan City.”

Claudet said that the Gibson floodgate could be closed as backwater flooding is watched. “We’ve stockpiled dirt by the Gibson pump station. We have monitored and inspected levees that we have in that particular area. We will be putting up sand in sand bags,” he said.

“Understand, this is a much bigger problem than Terrebonne Parish would generally be able to handle,” Claudet said. “It requires a project to be put out by the Mississippi River Commission, which is the backwater flooding from the Atchafalaya River. When it gets this high it affects all the western part of our parish.”

The last time Terrebonne Parish had a problem with backwater flooding on the Atchafalaya River was in 2008.

Claudet said the parish is being proactive to face the inevitable. “We are very proactive right now,” he said. “If it gets high enough there is not a whole lot we can do to protect our citizens in this area.”

“The Mississippi River is expected to crest at historic levels,” Strain said.

For the Mississippi River and its outlets, Strain referred to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prediction that river crests could reach or exceed levels recorded during the great flood of 1927.