No more sandbags? The upper Barataria levee project is approved. Let the building commence so congress do your thing.
The proposed 30.6-mile-long Upper Barataria hurricane levee system — designed as protection from storm surges for portions of seven parishes west of the existing West Bank and Vicinity levee system — has been approved by the head of the Army Corps of Engineers, clearing the way for Congress to potentially fund its construction. Lieutenant Gen. Scott Spellmon, chief of engineers for the Corps, told Army Secretary Christine Wormuth last week that the new system will cost $1.55 billion, with the federal government paying 65% of that cost and Louisiana paying 35%. Construction could begin as soon as 2026. In his report, Spellmon said the new levee would save an average $104 million a year in reduced flood damage, equal to an estimated $2 in reduced storm damage for each $1 of the levee system’s cost. “The Upper Barataria Basin Risk Reduction Project is one of the most important projects in the state’s coastal Master Plan,” said Chip Kline, chairman of the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which oversees coastal levee projects. “Today’s announcement marks a major milestone and moves us one step closer to congressional authorization and federal funding to provide hurricane protection to this region. CPRA worked hand-in-hand with (the Corps) and our congressional delegation to advance the project to this critical point.”
- This system will have the same protection level as New Orleans and the West Bank.
- There will be a cost as some homes will have to be bought to build the levees.
- There will be positive environmental aspects of this system and the Rep Garret Graves is supporting this system.
- There was a third assessment of the model which reduced the cost by a bit.
- More flood and water protection for the area, expanding the umbrella of levee protections.
