NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Draft General Re-evaluation Reports for the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity (LPV) and West Bank and Vicinity (WBV), which comprise the post-Katrina risk reduction system. The Notice of Availability will be published in the Federal Register Friday, beginning a 55-day public review and comment period.
The purpose of the two General Re-Evaluation Reports is to evaluate whether federal participation to carry out measures that address consolidation, settlement, subsidence, sea level rise, and new datum that would sustain the Hurricane and Storm Damage and Risk Reduction System are economically justified, technically feasible and environmentally acceptable.
Each report has a Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) of system-wide periodic levee lifts, floodwall modification, and floodwall replacement to the projected 100-year level of risk reduction through the year 2073. Construction of the TSPs would generally occur in the same footprint as the existing levees and structures.
The Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity TSP consists of 50 miles of levee lifts along the existing levee alignment and 18.6 miles of floodwall modification and replacement. Additionally, the TSP includes targeted areas of foreshore protection, which would be placed on the existing foreshore protection footprint to bring it up to the required elevation for levee protection. The estimated total cost of the LPV project would be $2.6 billion
The West Bank and Vicinity TSP consist of 65.6 miles of levee lifts along the existing levee alignment and 0.8 miles of floodwall modifications and replacements. The total cost of the WBV project is estimated to be $600 million.
Through both TSPs, existing levees would be lifted as-needed before the combined effects of consolidation, settlement, subsidence and sea level rise reduce the levee elevations below the required design elevation. In some reaches, levee lifts may need to occur more than once through the period of analysis in the future. Floodwalls that will need to be higher in the future to address those same effects will either be modified or replaced.
The general public, interested parties, and stakeholders are invited to comment on the TSPs. The draft reports contain descriptions of the projects, evaluation of the alternatives under consideration, and analysis of potential environmental impacts. All public comments received will be addressed and considered accordingly as part of the continued development of the TSPs into more detailed Recommended Plans.
The reports and supporting information are available online at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District website:
LPV: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/BBA-2018/studies/LPV-GRR/
WBV: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/BBA-2018/studies/WBV-GRR/
The Corps will host public meetings to receive public comments; time and location to follow in subsequent media release and advertisements. Written comments on the general re-evaluation reports will be accepted through February 7, 2020.
These comments should be directed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District
C/O Mr. Bradley Drouant, P.E.
CEMVN-PMO-L, Room 361
7400 Leake Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
Comments can also be submitted electronically to the following:
Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity: CEMVN-LPVGRR@usace.army.mil
West Bank and Vicinity: CEMVN-WBVGRR@usace.army.mil
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