| Current Poll |
Should members of the LSU Board of Supervisors disclose who receives their scholarships?
View Results
|
|
Story Archives: High water remains threat to parish
- 2013 - 961 articles
- 2012 - 1954 articles
- 2011 - 2029 articles
- 2010 - 2139 articles
- 2009 - 2066 articles
- December 2009 - 163 articles
- November 2009 - 166 articles
- November 30th, 2009 (Monday) - 1 articles
- November 29th, 2009 (Sunday) - 2 articles
- November 25th, 2009 (Wednesday) - 29 articles
- November 24th, 2009 (Tuesday) - 1 articles
- November 19th, 2009 (Thursday) - 33 articles
- November 18th, 2009 (Wednesday) - 1 articles
- November 17th, 2009 (Tuesday) - 3 articles
- November 15th, 2009 (Sunday) - 2 articles
- November 13th, 2009 (Friday) - 1 articles
- November 12th, 2009 (Thursday) - 38 articles
- November 11th, 2009 (Wednesday) - 2 articles
- November 8th, 2009 (Sunday) - 2 articles
- November 6th, 2009 (Friday) - 1 articles
- November 5th, 2009 (Thursday) - 40 articles
- November 3rd, 2009 (Tuesday) - 8 articles
- November 1st, 2009 (Sunday) - 2 articles
- October 2009 - 231 articles
- September 2009 - 161 articles
- August 2009 - 136 articles
- July 2009 - 153 articles
- June 2009 - 126 articles
- May 2009 - 164 articles
- April 2009 - 242 articles
- March 2009 - 204 articles
- February 2009 - 163 articles
- January 2009 - 157 articles
- 2008 - 1757 articles
|
High water remains threat to parish
Flooding concerns topped the Ouachita Parish Police Jury meeting Tuesday as some residents continue to battle rising water that threatens their homes.
Police juror Mack Calhoun said some homes in his district have already flooded, and if Cheniere Lake continues to rise, more homes will be flooded as well.
The police jury partnered with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office to provide additional sandbags for people who need them.
"People started sandbagging Tuesday and Wednesday at houses around Cheniere Lake," Calhoun said. "We're still using bags on the west side, and if the river keeps coming up, we will need more."
Residents along Jim Reeves Road in western Ouachita Parish are now using boats to access their homes, Calhoun said.
The parish public works department closed 22 roads due to high water. The majority of those roads are located in western Ouachita Parish.
Terry Taylor lives on Bayou D'Arbonne Drive where several homes have flooded. He spoke to the police jury about flooding.
He also asked Entergy officials to explain the company's policy of turning off power to residents in flooded areas. He was afraid some residents who haven't flooded could have their power turned off.
Taylor said most of the homes in his area are built off the ground and a majority of the meters are "built up far enough even to exceed the flood stage of 50.5 feet. In our opinion, Entergy should recognize that and not disconnect electrical service because we're living in these two story homes on the second floor."
Entergy spokesman Kenny Solley said Entergy looks at the situation for each residence and the company would disconnect power only if there is an immediate threat.
Ouachita Parish Homeland Security director Butch Beckham said parish officials would continue to monitor the Ouachita River, which on late Tuesday rose to just over 47 feet.
The river is expected to crest at 48.5 feet on Nov. 12.
Entergy dispatched boat patrols most of Wednesday to look for any residents whose homes flooded, Beckham said.
"We're receiving calls from people who have not yet flooded, but say their homes will be flooded," Beckham said.
If enough people are displaced from their homes, Beckham said the Red Cross will open shelters here.
"People who are forced out of their homes should let us know and we will open shelters," he said.
Meanwhile, police juror Pat Moore said the parish has "major problems" with flooding that need to be addressed. She said the issue will be discussed at future police jury meetings.
"I was out there when it was raining last week and there were lots of streets that were very full, so we could possibly have some drainage problems," Moore said. "I didn't get any reports of any water in homes and I'm very grateful for that."
Police jury president Shane Smiley said the parish isn't "out of the woods yet."
"We just need to pray for sunshine and hope we can get some of this water out of here," he said.
Police jury vice president Walt Caldwell added, "We dodged a bullet because we didn't get as much rain as we expected, but we must remain vigilant because the greater problem now is the backflow of water. We still have the possibility that parts of our community will flood due to backwater flooding."
He said the parish should continue holding flood taskforce meetings until the water subsides. |
|
|
E-mail Story
Print Story
