LAFAYETTE PARISH, La. (KLFY) – New information on where Lafayette stands when it comes to flooding concerns and drainage throughout the parish.
Earlier this year, Mayor-President Joel Robideaux released a list of nearly 70 backlogged coulee cleaning projects.

Out of those nearly 70 projects, with the fund balances from the tax rededication that was on the ballot in November 2017, the parish rededicated nearly $9.5 million.
The top 27 projects were selected to be funded with that money.

“Each project obtained a rating based on cost, analysis, the number of people that may have been flooded, the potential impact of the number of people, and the existing conditions of the channels,” said Fred Trahan, an engineer with LCG Public Works Department.

The 27 projects in the first phase were “divided” into four distinct “types” of work.

*Here’s a breakdown from Trahan on each phase:

A)  The removal of debris and siltation from four (4) concrete lined channels:
        
1.     These concrete channels were eventually included in a much broader scope of cleaning area lined channels involving 20 channels in total with an estimated length of 35,830’ .  These projects have been targeted by our Operations and Maintenance Department.
2.     This work was bid late last month at around $550,000.
3.     Public Works assisted in preparing plans and specifications and will further assist our Operations and Maintenance Department in the administration of the project.
4.     This project, weather permitting is expected to begin tomorrow (6/19/18) and is scheduled to be completed in about 4 months (October 2018 completion schedule).
 
B.    Four (4) channels were targeted for debris removal only.
 
1.     These channels are generally believed to be largely free of excess siltation and require, at this time, only debris removal.
2.     Personnel from our Operations and Maintenance Department have been cleaning debris from the channels at the roadway crossings and are approximately 35-40% complete with these crossings.
3.     In additional to the areas where the debris is readily removed within the rights of way of the roadways, we have located 48 additional sites within the channels reaches which require the removal of debris including items such as log jams, household appliances, beaver dams etc.  See photos attached. 
4.     Bids will be taken for the removal of debris in the areas away from the roadways.  We expect a bid being taken either in late July or early August.  Weather permitting, the project is expected to take about 3 months (October 2018 completion).
 
C)   Three (3) of the channels that will be integrated into larger drainage projects already ongoing and active within the Public Works Department.  I do not have a full timeframe on when we can expect this work to be performed as they are now outside the Drainage Maintenance Program.
 
D)  The remainder of the work contains the removal of debris along with excess vegetative material, trees and silt accumulations within the channels (16 channels).
 
1)   These channels require more than just isolated areas of debris removal.
2)   Due to the contemplated work, these channels also require survey work and environmental clearances to perform the necessary work.
3)   Contracted surveying is currently being performed on several channels to quantify the removal of accumulated silt in the channel.  This work involves over 40 miles of channels and is approximately 50% complete.
4)   All 16 wetland delineation reports on the channels have been completed and we are currently studying the affects the located wetlands will play in the design and construction of the projects. 
5)   It’s our goal that this work can be bid in groups (3 separate contracts) within an October through November 2018 timeframe with most of the work being completed by the end of the first quarter of 2019.  If we get weather delays, it will more than likely stretch into the second quarter for a few of the channels.
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“I know that people are wanting these projects to happen, but we’re finally at a point where all the preliminaries are done, and we can look forward to seeing a much accelerated portion of this work being done, in the last quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year,” said Trahan.