Louisiana – The U.S. Corps of Engineers has been given an additional 16 months and $1.77 million more to further refine the St. Tammany Parish Feasibility Study. The three-year study initially concluded that it would cost $4 billion to address chronic flooding across St. Tammany Parish.
The Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP), released in June 2021, recommended building approximately 14 miles of levees and 2 miles of floodwalls in Slidell, clearing Bayou Passat. Channel improvements in Mile Branch were also recommended, as well as elevations and floodproofing for about 8,500 structures in the parish.The study aims to develop alternatives to reduce the flood damage caused by hurricanes and rainfall in the parish. Major communities within the study area include Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Abita Springs, Pearl River, and Madisonville. Hurricane Katrina caused $1.4 billion in damages and led to significant disruptions and economic impacts to the area. The study coincides with several other studies throughout the state focused on mitigating flood damage.