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WATERSHED MANAGEMENT<br />
LOUISIANA WATERSHED INITIATIVE (LWI)<br />
The historic flood of August 2016 produced 20-30 inches of rainfall across South Louisiana, resulting in<br />
more than $10 billion in damages to property and even resulting in loss of life. In 2018, the State created the<br />
Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) to coordinate floodplain management responsibilities across all levels of<br />
government and develop long-term solutions for sustainability and resilience. LWI consists of State officials<br />
involved in the planning and execution of watershed management solutions and local officials throughout<br />
Acadiana who are working with their counterparts across the state to address the need for additional data<br />
and planning to adequately address Louisiana’s stormwater and flood-risk management needs.<br />
DESCRIPTION<br />
LWI is designing and deploying a holistic, watershed-based approach to reducing flood risk in Louisiana,<br />
guided by the following principles: using scientific tools and data; enabling transparent, objective decisionmaking;<br />
maximizing the natural function of floodplains; and establishing regional, watershed-based<br />
management of flood risk. LWI will coordinate and optimize State and federal funding sources for floodplain<br />
management and flood-risk reduction.<br />
PURPOSE AND NEED<br />
Having a single entity focused on developing watershed management solutions and strategically managing<br />
funds ensures greater coordination and leveraging of individual projects and initiatives and provides<br />
maximum benefit for local jurisdictions that typically do not have staff capacity to comprehensively address<br />
watershed management issues. In particular, experts have indicated that capacity-building around monitoring<br />
and modeling can improve resilience in the wake of flood events. LWI is leveraging resources to develop<br />
regional hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) models that will aggregate data into a statewide model to produce<br />
needed, actionable data on Louisiana’s watersheds.<br />
STATUS<br />
LWI has established eight provisional watershed regions throughout the state to implement program<br />
activities. Acadiana lies within LWI Region 5, which is being managed by the Acadiana Planning Commission<br />
(APC). APC is currently executing tasks established in the LWI Region 5 Action Plan, including adopting a<br />
governance structure and developing a regional watershed project list. HDR Engineering, Inc. has been<br />
selected to begin developing the Region 5 H&H model.<br />
ESTIMATED COST<br />
LWI projects will be funded through the $1.2 billion in HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster<br />
Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds allocated to Louisiana for long-term disaster recovery efforts in parishes affected<br />
by the 2016 floods. Uses include approximately $570 million for local and regional watershed projects and<br />
programs; $145 million for monitoring, mapping, and modeling; and $24 million for policy, planning, and local<br />
capacity assistance. Approximately $20 million will be spent on the LWI Region 5 H&H model.<br />
POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES AND PARTNERS<br />
Guided by a federally-approved Action Plan, LWI will utilize the $1.2 billion in HUD funding to support<br />
statewide planning, watershed modeling, data collection, and projects that reduce flood risk.<br />
ASSESSMENT<br />
•<br />
REGIONAL STORMWATER RETENTION / DETENTION<br />
DESCRIPTION<br />
Advance stormwater retention / detention projects throughout the region, including those recently identified<br />
by the APC for funding.<br />
PURPOSE AND NEED<br />
Following the historic flood of August 2016, Acadiana was allocated $25 million in FEMA Hazard Mitigation<br />
Grant Program (HMGP) funding to help mitigate flooding impacts in the region. Parish Presidents pooled<br />
this funding and worked together to identify the most regionally impactful projects to fund, including several<br />
retention / detention projects.<br />
STATUS<br />
The APC worked with local governments in the region to secure HMGP funding for the following retention<br />
/ detention projects, which were identified through a rigorous selection process: Coulee LaSalle Detention<br />
Pond, Coulee Ile des Cannes detention ponds, Bayou Parc Perdu regional detention and improvements at<br />
Lake Peigneur, and a series of regional detention ponds at Bailey Grove. The Coulee LaSalle Detention Pond<br />
and the series of regional detention ponds at Bailey Grove have each received approval from FEMA to move<br />
into the engineering phase. Construction can begin once engineering plans are completed and approved<br />
by FEMA.<br />
ESTIMATED COST<br />
Projects listed have applications pending with FEMA totaling approximately $15.5 million. Remaining HMGP<br />
funds were allocated to non-retention / detention flood-control projects throughout the region.<br />
POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES AND PARTNERS<br />
FEMA's HMGP funds 75% of project cost, with a 25% match requirement. Matching funds will be<br />
provided by the State’s Office of Community Development (OCD) through the Louisiana Watershed<br />
Initiative (LWI) program.<br />
Status of Retention / Detention Projects<br />
1A REGION<br />
Coulee Ile des Cannes<br />
<strong>Regional</strong> Detention Facility<br />
•<br />
Bailey Grove<br />
<strong>Regional</strong> Detention<br />
Bayou Parc Perdu<br />
<strong>Regional</strong> Detention<br />
Coulee LaSalle<br />
• •<br />
Detention Pond<br />
•<br />
Pending benefit cost analysis (BCA)<br />
Underway<br />
LEGEND<br />
Promote<br />
economic<br />
development<br />
Improve<br />
regional<br />
connectivity<br />
Improve<br />
quality<br />
of life<br />
Enhance<br />
disaster<br />
resilience<br />
Feasible<br />
and<br />
fundable<br />
Sources: APC, One Acadiana<br />
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