Corps to hold public meeting to discuss re-burial of remains disinterred from Bonnet Carré Spillway’s historic cemeteries

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District will host a public meeting on February 8, 2012, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, to provide community members the opportunity to comment on long-term management of the Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries Archeological District, which is located within the Bonnet Carré Spillway project site in St. Charles Parish.

"The 1975 operation of the Bonnet Carré Spillway inadvertently disinterred remains from the Kenner and Kugler cemeteries," said Chris Brantley, Bonnet Carré Spillway project manager. "This public meeting will provide community members the opportunity to comment on the proposed plans to preserve and interpret these historic properties as well as re-bury the disturbed remains."

The Feb. 8 public meeting is a venue for open communication between the Corps and key stakeholders, including the descendants of those buried in the cemeteries. The Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries Archeological District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The cemeteries were established prior to the Civil War as burial places for enslaved people of African de scent from surrounding plantations. Documentation shows that African-American Civil War veterans of the Union Army are buried in the cemetery. The cemeteries were in use until 1928.

Long-term management of the cemeteries includes re-burial of the remains disturbed during the 1985 Bonnet Carré Spillway opening. The actions described in the plan of the cemeteries constitute an undertaking that will be the subject of Section 106/110 consultation between the Corps and the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer.

Public meeting details are:

When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Informational Open House to view project details 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.

*Note – please notice new public meeting location

Where: St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Borromeo Room

13396 River Road; Destrehan, LA 70047

Questions or comments should be addressed to:

                U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                c/o Public Affairs

                PO Box 60267

                New Orleans, LA 70160-0267

                Phone: 504-862-2201

                Fax: 504-862-1724

                E-mail: BonnetCarre@usace.army.mil

NEW ORLEANS –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, will detour west bound travel lanes on Highway 90 beginning on Monday, Feb. 6 2012. The detour is necessary to accommodate ongoing construction of a bridge crossing over the floodwall. East bound travel lanes will be detoured within one week of the west bound transition. 

As part of the detour, the speed limit will be reduced from 55 to 45 miles per hour in that area.  Travelers are reminded to be aware of construction activity and workers, as well as to comply with all traffic signs and reduced speed limits.  The west and east bound detours will be in place until construction of this project is complete in October 2012.

The Western Tie-In (WTI), part of the West Bank & Vicinity Project, consists of approximately four and half miles of levees and floodwalls along the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Canal and Outer Cataouatche Canal, as well as a navigable closure structure across Bayou Verret, an elevated bridge crossing at Hwy 90, two railroad gates and a second highway crossing that ties into the Mississippi River Levee.  The structural features reduce the risk associated with a storm surge event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year. The total construction value of the WTI project is an estimated $140 million. 

Corps public meeting to discuss long-term management of Bonnet Carré Spillway’s historic cemeteries

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District will host a public meeting on February 8, 2012 to provide community members the opportunity to comment on long-term management of the Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries Archeological District, which is located within the Bonnet Carré Spillway project site in St. Charles Parish.

“The Corps intends to preserve and interpret these historic properties as well as improve public access to the sites,” said Chris Brantley, Bonnet Carré Spillway project manager. “This public meeting will provide a venue for open communication between the Corps and key stakeholders, including the descendants of those buried in the cemeteries.”

The Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries Archeological District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The longterm management plan for the cemeteries will also include reburial of cemetery remains inadvertently disinterred from the Kenner Cemetery. The actions described in the long-term management plan of the cemeteries constitute an undertaking that will be the subject of Section 106/110 consultation between the Corps and the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer. Known descendants of the Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries will also receive a letter informing them of the upcoming public meeting.

Public meeting details are:

When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Informational Open House to view project details 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Destrehan Plantation Mule Barn
13034 River Road; Destrehan, LA 70047

Questions or comments should be addressed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
c/o Public Affairs
PO Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-2201
Fax: 504-862-1724
E-mail: BonnetCarre@usace.army.mil

Mississippi Valley Division prepares for 2012 flood season, continues Operation Watershed recovery work

NEW ORLEANS – After the monumental flood of 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Mississippi Valley Division carefully inspected and completed damage assessments reports for all levees, channel improvements, navigation channels and structures associated with the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) project, one of this country’s most comprehensive and successful flood control systems.  From the damage assessments, a prioritized list of critical repairs was developed based on threat to human life and safety, as well as economic impacts. The recently approved Disaster Relief Appropriations Act has designated $802 million for repairs to the MR&T.

“In eager anticipation of these much needed flood recovery funds our teams, partners and contractors are rapidly mobilizing to aggressively implement a broad array of repairs in the coming months” said Scott Whitney, Regional Flood Risk Manager for MVD. With the coming flood season fast approaching and winter site conditions unsuitable for active construction, there will be many areas not fully repaired, resulting in increased risk within the system. This increased risk will require extra vigilance and advance preparedness in the coming months given the post-flood condition of MR&T levees, floodwalls, water control structures and navigation channels.   

Flood repair work continues in the New Orleans District’s area of responsibility with work underway or completed at several projects in Louisiana including Third District revetment work (downtown New Orleans), Morganza Control Structure, Baton Rouge Front (downtown Baton Rouge), Chalmette and Duncan Point (near Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge).

“It is vitally important, not only to South Louisiana but to the nation, that we repair damages to the MR&T system,” said Col. Ed Fleming, New Orleans District Commander. “With the safety of the public our top priority, we will work efficiently and effectively to repair as much of the system as we can while at the same time preparing our flood fight defenses for the 2012 high water season.”

Taking into account the vulnerable condition of the MR&T project and projected National Weather Service Spring forecast, the Corps mobilized a Regional 2012 Flood Preparedness Team in mid December to develop plans to manage, mitigate and communicate flood risks throughout the MR&T system. This regional effort will identify key risks within the MR&T, ways to minimize risk, and effectively communicate this information to partners, stakeholders and the public. An interagency workshop is scheduled for February 22-23 in Memphis to carefully coordinate, refine and communicate this team’s findings, tools and recommendations across the broad array of those public officials with shared responsibility for the protection of the lives and livelihoods from flooding events.