Watershed Rehabilitation in Louisiana

Congress established the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program through the Flood Control Act of 1944 and the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (Public Law 83-566). Under these authorizations, NRCS assisted watershed project sponsors in the construction of approximately 11,000 flood control dams in 47 states since 1948.

Louisiana has 35 USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) assisted project dams built under the Small Watershed Protection Program and Flood Prevention Act authority.

These dams were built with federal funds at the request of local sponsors, primarily Louisiana’s soil and water conservation districts, to protect areas in the watershed from flooding during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall. The primary purpose for the vast majority of the watershed projects has been flood prevention and watershed protection; there may also be many other benefits such as: recreation, water conservation, water management, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, municipal and industrial water supply, and water quality improvement.

Populations have grown; residential and commercial development has occurred upstream and downstream from the dams; land uses have changed; sediment pools have filled; and concrete and metal components have deteriorated. Many structures do not meet current State dam safety regulations that have either been enacted or revised with more stringent requirements than when the dams were first built.

Most of the dams were built with a 50 year life span.

In Louisiana these dams will reach their life span in the following years:

2008 - 3 dams 2009 - 11 dams 2010 - 3 dams 2011 - 2 dams 2012 - 2 dams 2013 - 3 dams 2014 - 2 dams 2015 - 1 dam Five of the dams are classified as “high hazard”. Seven of the dams are medium hazard. Insufficient annual funding, neglect and cumulative effects of aging over time has resulted in deterioration to the point the structures are not functioning safely. Breaching is not the answer. Breaching the dams would allow for flooding conditions and be counter productive to watershed protection. Rehabilitation Images Watershed Map of where dams are located. Select image to see larger size. Deteriorated Metal Components. Select Image to see larger size. Deteriorated Metal / Spalling on concrete risers. Select image to see larger size. Erosion on embankments. Select image to see larger size. Deteriorated principle spillway outlet pipes. Select image to see larger size. Deteriorated principle spillway outlet pipes. Select image to see larger size. Deteriorated Spillway, trash guard and metal components. Select image to see larger size. Trees on embankments. Select image to see larger size.   Watershed and Dam Identification  - Table Watershed No. of Dams Age Range Sponsors Upper West Fork Cypress 3 49-50 Bossier Parish Police Jury and Bodcau Soil and Water Conservation District Cypress - Black Bayou 2 31-34 Bossier Parish Police Jury and Bodcau Soil and Water Conservation District Lower Bayou Toulon 1 45 Bienville Parish Police Jury and Saline Soil and Water Conservation District Bayou Dupont 15 47-51 Natchitoches Parish Police Jury and Natchitoches Soil and Water Conservation District Sabine Parish Police Jury and Sabine Soil and Water Conservation District Bayou Rapides 1 44 Rapides Parish Police Jury and Rapides Soil and Water Conservation District Bayou Beouf 2 37 Rapides Parish Police Jury and Rapides Soil and Water Conservation District Upper Bayou Nezpique 3 35-50 Evangeline Parish Police Jury and Evangeline Soil and Water Conservation District Bear Creek 3 49-50 Allen Parish Police Jury and Calcasieu/ Allen Soil and Water Conservation District Pleasant Valley 5 45-46 Washington Parish Police Jury and Bogue Chitto-Pearl River Soil and Water Conservation District

Dams are given the following hazard classifications: High Failure may cause loss of life or serious damage to homes, industrial and commercial building, important public utilities, main highways or railroads    Significant Predominantly in rural or agricultural areas where failure may damage isolated homes, main highways, or minor railroads or interrupt service of relatively important public utilities   Low In rural or agricultural areas where failure may damage farm buildings, agricultural land or parish or country roads Of the NRCS-assisted project dams in Louisiana, five dams are classified as high, seven as significant, and 23 as low. 28 of these dams will reach their lifespan by 2017.

Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000

Congress passed the Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000, which amended the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act and authorized NRCS to provide technical and financial assistance to watershed project sponsors in rehabilitating their aging dams. The purpose of rehabilitation is to extend the service life of the dams and bring them into compliance with applicable safety and performance standards, or to decommission the dams so they no longer pose a threat to life and property. Under this program, NRCS provides up to 65 percent of funding for rehabilitation projects, with project sponsors providing the remaining 35 percent.

The 2008 Farm Bill adds $100 million in funding for rehabilitation through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for fiscal year 2009, until expended. The 2008 Farm Bill also adds appropriations authority of $85 million for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

Publications

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