The project was authorized by the Fiscal 1996 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (Sec 108), and the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (Sec 533).

The proposed work is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Orleans Parish, and on the east and west banks of the river in the vicinity of the city of New Orleans in Jefferson Parish. Improvements in St. Tammany Parish are located in the cities/towns and outlying areas of Slidell, Mandeville, Madisonville, and Lacombe. In Orleans Parish, plans are to improve five major drainage lines, to add pumping capacity to two pump stations, and to add a new pump station. In Jefferson Parish, improvements will be made to about twenty-four drainage canals, pumping capacity will be added to four pump stations, and two new pump stations will be added. Improvements in St. Tammany Parish include channel enlargements, retention ponds, levees and/or elevation of structures.

Jefferson and OrleansParishes executed Project Cooperation Agreements on 16 January 1997 and 23 January 1997, respectively. Work in St. Tammany Parish will involve several different sponsors and Project Cooperation Agreements (PCA's). As sponsors are identified, PCA's will be prepared for execution.

A technical report detailing the first $25 million in project construction in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes was prepared in April, 1996. Two more technical reports, each detailing all remaining work in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes, were prepared in May 1996. HQ-USACE approved the reports in October 1996, clearing the way for construction in those two parishes to proceed. Four construction contracts were awarded in Fiscal Year 1997, three canals in Jefferson Parish and a major pump station improvement in Orleans Parish. In FY 1998, seventeen contracts, mostly in Jefferson Parish, are scheduled for award.

The total project cost is estimated to be $455 million.