Terrebonne watching rivers’ rise with a keen eye

Terrebonne Parish is — technically — under a declaration of emergency ordered by Parish President Gordon Dove die to rising waters in the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers. But parish officials also said they are not expecting any big problems from the spring swelling of both rivers, which can make the going difficult in local communities like Gibson, where bayous and canals are fed by tributaries.

“Terrebonne has already requested and received 10,000 feet of sand baskets from the state,” Dove said “My administration will be monitoring and are keeping in constant contact with the Army Corp of Engineers on this potential flood event and will be keeping you posted.”

Parish emergency director Earl Eues said Monday that there is little to be directly concernred with.

Although there could be some backwater flooding, temporary levees built in past years by the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District should protect local areas.

If anything, Eues said, residents should expect some flooding of lawns but little else. Nonetheless, he said, the situation is being closely watched.

There is a potential if water gets high enough that the Morganza spillway could be opened up north of Terrebonne. But Dove said he does not except that to happen.

A technicality associated with declarations of emergency is that penalties are provided for anyone interfering with the operation of parish government. But officials said it is just that, a technicality of the order that is required to be there, and to their knowledge it has never been employed.

With less than expected snowfall occurring in the upper Midwestern United States this winter, officials with the National Weather Service contend that the threat of flooding on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers is minimal for the spring. MIKE NIXON