Updated Aug. 18, 2004

PURPOSE.  Provide protection from hurricane tidal overflow for 100-year frequency storms in the lower Mississippi River delta region. It protects about 75 percent of the population and 75 percent of the improved lands in the project area.

LOCATION. The project straddles the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish. On the east bank, the project extends 16 miles from Phoenix down to Bohemia. On the west bank it extends 34 miles from St. Jude to Venice. Maps, by levee district: http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/response/amaps.asp

SPONSOR. Plaquemines Parish Government. Costs are shared 70 percent federal, 30 percent non-federal. Map of Louisiana levee districts: http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/response/LeveeDistrictMap.asp

AUTHORITY. The project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962 (PL 87-874) as the Mississippi River Delta at and below New Orleans, La. Later it was changed to the New Orleans to Venice, La., Hurricane Protection Project.

WEST BANK FEATURES:

St. Jude to City Price. Three miles of enlarged back levees

Reach A. 13 miles of enlarged back levees from City Price to Tropical Bend and two 54-Iinch" flap-gated culverts

Reach B-1. 12 miles of enlarged back levees from Tropical Bend to Fort Jackson and a floodgate at Empire

Reach B-2. Nine miles of enlarged back levees from Fort Jackson to Venice

West Bank River Levee (WBRL). 34 miles of enlarged west bank Mississippi River levees from City Price to  Venice

 EAST BANK FEATURES:

 Reach C. 16 miles of enlarged back levees from Phoenix to Bohemia and 10 flap-gated culverts

COSTS:

Total                       $254 million
Federal                     177 million
Non-federal                77 million

STATUS. The project is about 80 percent physically complete. The estimated completion date is September 2018.  Status and estimated completion date of each reach are:

       Reach               Percent complete       Physical completion

St. Jude-City Price              60              December 2005
      Reach A                               99              October 2012
      Reach B-1                            92             September 2013
      Reach B-2                            99             January 2011
      Reach C                               90             February 2008
      West Bank River Levee      60             September 2018

 We awarded the West Bank River Levee, Station 1319-1797, 2^nd Enlargement contract in September 2002.

 FUNDING. For fiscal year 05, the President’s budget is $2.97 million, and our capability is $6.6 million.  Funding constraints will continue to slow down work on the project and extend the project completion date.

 BACKGROUND. Construction was accelerated at the request of Plaquemines Parish Government so that the levee could be raised sufficiently that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would grant relief on the base slab elevation requirements for flood insurance. As a result, flood insurance may now be obtained for property in some areas with a slab elevation as low as ‑4.5 feet NGVD, instead of the previously required +13.5 feet NGVD.

  The area between St. Jude and City Price was incorporated into the project at the request of Plaquemines Parish. The area provides a tie-in levee at St. Jude in lieu of City Price. Costs for this work are 100 percent non-federal and do not count towards the parish’s 30 percent contribution. However, Plaquemines Parish was given credit for the part of the authorized project that was not constructed.

 Mitigation to compensate for project-associated wetland losses on Reach B has been constructed. This consists of five crevasses in the Mississippi River Delta to promote marsh creation (one constructed in 1986 and the other four in 1995).  The remaining mitigation, for Reaches A, C, and WBRL, consisted of creating and preserving marsh in the Pass à Loutre State Waterfowl Management Area and was completed in 1997.

 In 1987,the New Orleans District redesigned Reach A to incorporate the use of geotextile fabric in levee construction. The redesign reduced right of way and construction costs and resulted in savings of $35 million to $40 million of the total project cost.