West Bank and Vicinity, New Orleans, La., Hurricane Protection Project

Updated May 28, 2007

 PURPOSE. The project will provide damage reduction to the 250,000 residents of the west bank of the New Orleans metro area from storm surges from Lakes Cataouatche and Salvador, and waterways leading from the Gulf of Mexico.

 LOCATION. The project is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Jefferson, Orleans and Plaquemines parishes, Louisiana.

 SPONSORS.  The Louisiana Department of Transportation for construction and the West Jefferson Levee District represented by the president of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, West Bank, for operations and maintenance.

 AUTHORITY.  The Westwego to Harvey Canal Hurricane Protection Project was authorized by the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986 (PL 99-662).  The WRDA of 1996 (PL 104-303) modified the project and added the Lake Cataouatche area to the project.  WRDA 1996 also authorized the East of Harvey Canal Hurricane Protection Project.  WRDA 1999 (PL 106-53) combined the three projects under the current name.  Due to Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (PL 109-148) appropriated $148 million to accelerate completion of the West Bank project at full federal expense. 

DESCRIPTION.  The project provides hurricane storm-damage reduction to the urban area from Lake Cataouatche to Oakville, Louisiana along the west bank of the Mississippi River, in the vicinity of New Orleans. The project area has high-density residential and commercial development. As a result of extremely low elevations and the inadequacy of existing local levees, much of the area is subject to flooding during moderate tropical storms. To protect residents and businesses about 66 miles of levees and floodwalls and a sector gate are being constructed. In the Westwego to Harvey Area about 22 miles of levee and 2 miles of floodwall will be constructed. In the West of Algiers Canal Area about 11 miles of levee and 5 miles of floodwalls will be constructed, including the construction of a navigable sector flood gate.  In the East of Algiers Canal Area about 14 miles of levee and about ½ mile of floodwall will be constructed, and in the Lake Cataouatche Area about 10 miles of levee and 2.5 miles of floodwall will be constructed.  The features of these plans will provide protection to vulnerable areas from the standard project hurricane events and will avert catastrophic loss of life and property during such events. 

 Engineering, design, and construction efforts are underway on all three areas of the project. The authorized project was about 50 percent complete when Hurricane Katrina made landfall.  Prior to Katrina, the project was scheduled to be completed in 2018, dependent on funding.  Emergency Supplemental Funding Bills 3 and 4 have provided additional funds and authority to accelerate the project and raise the project to the 100-year level of protection.   

 COST, in millions

Pre Katrina        $157
Post Katrina        799
Non-federal           54
Total through
   FY 2006        $l,010

 PROJECT total cost: To be determined                  

 MAJOR FEATURES. The Harvey Hurricane Flood Gate is a major navigable floodgate located in the Harvey Canal at Lapalco Boulevard. Floodgate installation is complete and work continues on the adjacent Cousins Pump Station discharge wall.  Floodgate and discharge walls are scheduled to be complete to elevation +11.5 NGVD by summer 2008. However, an interim closure across the canal to elevation +8 will be in place by the peak of hurricane season 2007 and will provide hurricane surge protection to residents and businesses north of the gate. This gate closes when water levels in the canal reach + 3.0 NGVD. To complete the flood protection to the south of this gate, about 3.5 miles of floodwalls and 1 mile of levee will be constructed along the east bank of the canal.  Currently, no federal protection exists along the east bank of Harvey Canal.  A levee constructed to 9.5 NGVD, completed in FY 06, protects the west side of the canal.  The first of these critical floodwall contracts was awarded in March, with 4 subsequent contract awards in the weeks following.  Completion of all floodwall contracts is scheduled for late 2008.  The attached map shows the sector gate and the floodwall and levee alignment along the canal.