Steve Bandy /Crowley Post-Signal
The Acadia Parish Police Jury is considering how to take advantage of $1.2 billion in federal funding for watershed planning, flood protection and such provided through the Louisiana Watershed Initiative.
President David Savoy told jurors that he and Juror Joseph Pete had recently attended the inaugural meting of the Mermentau River Watershed Coalition and that “about $100 million is earmarked for the Mermentau River Basin.”
“There’s some money coming down for watershed projects that affect the whole basin,” he added. “I urge all drainage boards, cities, anyone with ideas, to sit down and talk about it.”
He said the projects should be “shovel-ready” and should have an impact on the basin area as a whole.
Some jurors suggested the long-proposed replacement of the pontoon bridge at Estherwood as a possible project.
“It definitely affects the basin and would benefit the population as a whole,” said Richard Faul.
Savoy said previous estimates place replacement of the bridge at “around $10 million, then you can add another $3 million of $4 million for wetlands mitigation.”
Wetland Mitigation is wetland enhancement, restoration, creation and/or preservation project that serves to offset unavoidable wetland impacts. It may also be referred to as compensatory mitigation.
Mitigation is required as a condition of many permits issued under state and federal law.
“Everything is preliminary right now,” said Joseph. “More study will be necessary before the parishes get back together to look at projects.”
The Mermentau Watershed included all of Acadia Parish and parts of eight other parishes — Allen, Evangeline, St. Landry, Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, Lafayette, Cameron and Vermilion. It includes about 5,200 square miles, or 3.3 million acres.
The northernmost watershed limit is less than 2 miles from Rapides Parish.
The Louisiana Watershed Initiative is administered through the State Office of Community Development.