Sunset Drainage president says lack of Des Allemands floodwall a ‘major issue’

The president of the Sunset Drainage District said that even though the area experienced 75 inches of rain in 2008, mostly due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, there was very little flooding or damage thanks to the elevation and reinforcement of the levee system.

The district logged 1,769 hours of work last year to elevate and reinforce three miles of the levee system along the mud lake levee, while also maintaining 40 miles of canals, at a cost of $428,242.

The district’s budget for 2008 was $401,842.53.

“The reason we were able to do all this was because of the funding we have received from the parish over the years,” Eric Matherne, president of the Sunset Drainage District, said. “We exceeded our budget, but that was attributed to a rise in insurance premiums, fuel costs and the hurricanes.”

Now, Matherne says the Sunset Drainage District would like the parish to construct a floodwall in Des Allemands to help the district stay as dry as possible.

“Our major issue we have in the district is the area in Des Allemands that tubes were put in,” Matherne said. “I know Paul (Hogan) has brought up putting up a floodwall in that area, and we are in support of that.”

In January, Councilman Paul Hogan asked Parish President V.J. St. Pierre for priority projects such as sealing gaps in the Sunset Drainage District levee, building a floodwall along Bayou Des Allemands, and raising both U.S. 90 at the Paradis Canal and Early Street in Paradis.

Hogan said those improvements would cost between $5 million and $6 million.

“The area where the floodwall should be built is not in the Sunset Drainage District and it’s actually the parish’s responsibility, but if there is anything we can do as a board, we would 100 percent support it,” Matherne said. “That is our most vulnerable part and if it would flood, the whole area would flood.”

Vulnerability was a key word when FEMA unveiled its revised flood maps last month. Residents who live in the Sunset Drainage District currently reside in a low-risk X-zone. The new maps, however, would greatly increase flood insurance rates for most existing homes.

While FEMA has not required the parish to adopt the revised maps, new flood zones are expected to be in place within the next three years after additional work is completed on the East Bank Hurricane Protection Levee. The St. Charles Parish Council at its most recent meeting opted to continue enforcement of the current flood maps, keeping premiums at a standstill.