Project Goals: The goal of the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Feasibility Study is to reduce the severity of flood damages and risk to public health and safety, caused by heavy rainfall, riverine flooding, tropical storms and hurricanes.
Problems
St. Tammany Parish has experienced repeated widespread flooding from rainfall and riverine bank overtopping, waves, and storm surge, including historic impacts during Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 and recently with the flood of August of 2016. Hurricane Katrina damaged over 48,000 residential structures, causing $1.45 billion in damages. These flood events caused major disruptions, damages, and economic impacts to St. Tammany Parish.
Study Area
The Study Area encompasses all of St. Tammany Parish, which is approximately 1,124 square miles in size and is located in southeastern Louisiana. St. Tammany Parish is located on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain and is home to over 258,111 residents.The Parish is uniquely located at the crossroads of three Interstates, I-10, I-12 and I-59 with adjacent transportation waterways to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The study area consists of many residential and commercial structures and industries that have experienced the damaging and costly effects of repeated flood events.
The study area is located along the border with the state of Mississippi, with the Pearl River along the eastern boundary of the parish. Lake Pontchartrain serves as the southern border, and is one of the largest estuaries in the United States and the site of the Southeastern Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex Headquarters in Lacombe. Tangipahoa Parish is located along the western boundary, and Washington Parish is located to the north. The majority of the parish’s population resides along the edge of Lake Pontchartrain, and many commute into New Orleans with Mandeville, Slidell, and others serving as popular bedroom communities. Major communities in the Study Area include: Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Abita Springs, Pearl River and Madisonville.
