BATON ROUGE, La. – Gov. John Bel Edwards announced $163 million in federal funding for 15 state projects and programs designed to reduce flood risk for communities throughout the state.
The state selected these projects because they align with the long-term resilience objectives of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative and the state’s $1.2 billion CDBG-MIT Action Plan, including natural flood management, flood control and critical infrastructure projects, according to a release from the Governor's Office. The funding for these projects is part of the $1.2 billion in federal mitigation funds allocated to Louisiana.
“The 2016 floods were a devastating reminder that Louisiana’s historical approach to managing flood risk no longer works,” Gov. Edwards said. “The Louisiana Watershed Initiative is bringing together local, regional and state agencies to improve regional watershed management through collaboration and coordination. This approach will leverage accurate science and data to identify projects for funding that significantly reduce flood risk. We are thrilled to begin putting these federal dollars to work and will continue to launch watershed projects and programs as quickly and effectively as possible to benefit all of Louisiana.”
The 15 projects to receive the federal mitigation funding are:
- Ascension and Livingston parishes: $42 million for La. Hwy 22 bridge construction and drainage improvements
- Cameron and Vermilion parishes: $25 million for the Mermentau Basin inundation relief project
- Livingston Parish: $15 million for parish drainage improvements
- Vernon Parish: $14.3 million for Anacoco Creek watershed improvements
- Beauregard Parish: $12.8 million for Bundick Lake flood surcharge management
- Franklin Parish: $10.2 million for Turkey Creek retention improvements and critical infrastructure hardening
- St. Tammany Parish: $10 million for residential elevations and buyouts
- Vermilion Parish: $10 million for residential elevations and buyouts
- Caddo Parish: $6.6 million for Black Bayou structure hardening and runoff retention improvements
- East Baton Rouge Parish: $5 million for the University Lakes flood risk reduction project
- Rapides Parish: $3.7 million for LSU Alexandria drainage improvements
- St. Landry Parish: $2.9 million for Three Mile Lake backwater flood reduction
- Jackson Parish: $2.7 million for Caney Lake flood surcharge management
- Rapides and Evangeline parishes: $2.2 million for Bayou Cocodrie runoff retention and critical infrastructure improvements
- Grant Parish: $1.1 million for Iatt Lake drawdown improvements
For more information about these projects and their locations, click here.
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