River to crest at 7.5 feet March 18

More high water is headed down the Atchafalaya River with a 7.5-foot crest in Morgan City projected March 18, St. Mary Levee District Executive Director Tim Matte said Thursday.
The St. Mary Levee District Commission held its monthly meeting Thursday at Berwick Town Hall. National Weather Service forecasters made the river crest prediction.
Matte expected the river to rise, but didn’t realize how high forecasters were projecting the river to crest until Thursday afternoon, he said.
Both rainfall up north and local rainfall have modified the forecasted crest “quite a bit,” Matte said.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Roger Erickson said the recent 12 to 20 inches of rain in north Louisiana contributed to raising the Atchafalaya River crest.
The Morgan City area got 1 to 2 inches of rain Thursday, and is expected to get another 1 to 1½ inches today and Saturday, Erickson said.
Berwick officials plan to close floodgates on First Street and Pacific Street today due to the projected rising Atchafalaya River levels, Ratcliff said. The town plans to close the Gus Street gate Monday.
Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said city officials plan to close three gates in the next week based on the expected river rise.
The temporary structure blocking Bayou Chene near Amelia, which the levee district installed in anticipation of the 8.2-foot crest Jan. 23, is still in place. It protected up to six parishes from flooding by installing a barge, sheet pilings and rocks.
Levee district officials expect to receive 75 percent reimbursement from Federal Emergency Management Agency for installing the temporary structure on Bayou Chene. The district will probably spend about $1 million of its own funds, Matte said.
The Louisiana National Guard also placed HESCO baskets on Avoca Island to prevent floodwaters from bypassing the Bayou Chene structure. Officials closed Tabor Canal in Terrebonne Parish as well to prevent flooding.
Engineers are working on plans to remove the temporary Bayou Chene structure, Jeff Peña of CB&I engineering firm said. Engineers hope the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allows the levee district to leave a 250-foot opening at the site of the Bayou Chene temporary structure, Peña said.
Keeping that 250-foot opening would allow levee district officials to save work time and expenses if Bayou Chene needs to be blocked again for temporary flood protection, Peña said.
The permanent Bayou Chene Flood Control and Diversion Project will be located 500 feet south of the temporary structure, but officials could use some of the materials from the temporary structure on the permanent project.
Also during the meeting, the commission held an executive session to discuss pending litigation Avoca Inc. filed against the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources relating to the Bayou Chene Flood Control and Diversion Project.
Avoca Inc., which owns property on Avoca Island, is asking a district judge to revoke the permit that the Department of Natural Resources issued to the levee district for the Bayou Chene permanent structure.
That litigation is delaying the levee district from being able to get a Corps of Engineers permit for the project, Matte said.
That roughly $100 million project involves installing a permanent structure on Bayou Chene to protect parts of St. Mary, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption, Lower St. Martin and Iberville parishes from flooding. The levee district expects to receive Restore Act money to help fund the project beginning in February 2017.
In other business, the commission:
—Approved submitting the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire for audit purposes.
—Approved a $5,000 contribution to the Flood Insurance Reform Coalition.
—Approved its 2016 meeting schedule.
—Approved getting $226,742 in reimbursement from St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 6 in Amelia for emergency backwater levee repairs.
—Authorized going to bid for the leasing of facilities to store Bayou Chene project materials.
—Approved the purchase of a replacement truck and a drone for levee monitoring.
—Renewed the Cloutier Children Trust property lease on Avoca Island for 60 days.
—Approved an agreement with St. Mary Parish Government to use Avoca Road for flood protection.