By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / March 10, 1999

HAHNVILLE – The St. Charles Parish Council heard three reports from theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers on projects having to do with recreation anddrainage.

An update on a drainage study in progress by the Corps on the Donaldsonville to Gulf of Mexico project was delivered by Howard Gonzales. This is a project aimed at developing an overall drainage planfor the region bounded by Bayou Lafourche and the Mississippi River, capped at Donaldsonville.

The study was authorized by Congress in 1998 and is reviewing flood control, wetlands preservation, wildlife preservation, saltwater intrusion and fishing.

Alternatives under consideration include constructing a levee on the south side of U.S. Highway 90 from the Davis Pond West Guide Levee, west toBayou Lafourche, including the developed areas; possibly extending that same levee down Bayou Lafourche to Larose; elevating all or portions of U.S. 90 from Davis Pond West Guide Levee to Bayou Lafourche; constructingring levees around developed areas; raising houses and businesses; and implementing “locally-preferred alternatives.

A financing plan from a local, non-federal sponsor is also being sought for implementation of one or more of the alternatives.

Councilman Brian Champagne asked if this project would have any impact on the West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee project being sought for permitting. Gonzales said it did not.”Given these perimeters, in what lifetime will we see this?” Councilman Ron Phillips asked.

“Unfortunately, that’s the process we have to deal with,” Gonzales responded.

In another Corps’ activity, an update on the Bonnet Carre Spillway’s master plan for recreation management was given by Corps planner Michael Stout.

Stout said the Corps is cracking down on illegal firearms use and trash dumping, aided by on-site park ranger Debra Stokes.

Plans for using certain areas of the spillway for particular purposes, such as ATV or motorcycle operation, camping and fishing, are being slowly implemented.

Phillips asked if motorcycle helmet laws are being enforced, and Stout said at present there are no federal, state or local laws calling for that.

“We can help with the enforcement, but it could be a large problem,” he added.

Finally, Corps landscape architect Steve Finnegan reported on the levee bicycle paths under development in the parish.

Each will be 10 feet wide at the crown of the levees, east and west banks, and the projects include two rest areas or parks. One is planned nearCharlestown Subdivision in St. Rose and the other at the Luling BridgePark. The paths will link with ones already built in Jefferson Parish.

Return To News Stories