The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in special session on Monday, August 7, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the Levee Board Office, 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana.
The President, Tim Larkin, called the meeting to order
PRESENT: ALLEY, LARKIN, STELLY, WEBB, TOM ARCENEAUX, ATTORNEY AND ROBERT TOMASEK, DOTD ENGINEER.
ABSENT: BANTLE, MONTGOMERY, AND MOORE.
Attending: Representative Raymond Crews, Bob Brotherton, Wanda Bennett, Bump Skaggs, Bill Altimus; Bossier Police Jury, Butch Ford - Parish Engineer, Randy Denmon - Denmon Engineering, Marcus Long, Mary Jane Easterly, Deanna Rabb; Bossier Levee District, Kurt Nixon - Nixon Engineering, Ben Rauschenbach - Machac Consulting, Mark Hudson, Engineer, City of Bossier City, Emily Jones – DOTD, Matt Mixon and Jeffrey McBride; Wetlands Unlimited, LLC, Jake Lesue’- Dewberry, James Ross, Henry Dulaney, Neil Lewis, Lannie Barfield, Johnny Kiser, Mike Sorrels, Leighton Janes; Vicksburg Corps.
The first order of business was opening prayer by Commissioner Webb and the pledge of allegiance by Commissioner Larkin.
Mr. Larkin thanked everyone for coming and gave a brief description of the Red Chute Levee Raising/Widening Project.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
Henry Dulaney USA Corps of Engineers, and James Ross Chief of Operations, Vicksburg District gave a summary of the current status of the Red Chute Widening/Raising projects.
The Corps discussed previous letters sent to them in regards to seeking approval to widen and to raise the Red Chute Levee. Mr. Dulaney referenced the ongoing permit request to raise the levee. He communicated that the Vicksburg District cannot approve a levee widening knowing that the Bossier Levee Board ‘s reason for widening was to prepare for the raising of the levee.
Mr. Dulaney stated that upon their review of our report titled “Red Chute Bayou Levee Analysis and Section 408 Review” that additional information would be required to fulfill the H & H (Hydrolic and Hydraulics) systems performance analysis requirements. Inundation mapping comparing the proposed levee height with the authorized levee height need to be provided. They would then need to be mapped for the frequency flows already provided to the surface of the top of the proposed levee with no overtopping, compared to the authorized levee. The project should then be considered to be stable and functional to the top of the proposed containment without consideration to the designed gaps that would be flood fought.
It was also proposed that the Bossier Levee Board establish a PDT (Project Delivery Team) to consist of members of the Corps, appointees chosen by the BLD, and our hydraulic modeler (Dewberry Consultants, LLC).
Mr. Dulaney and Mr. Ross mentioned that there were also more environmental requirements that will have to be satisfied for the Vicksburg Corps. to approve the proposal to alter the levee. The Corps stated that they would work with BLD’s PDT and help guide them through the NEPA and environmental requirements.
Mr. Butch Ford, Parish Engineer asked questions regarding timeline of the project, H & H studies, PDT, and mentioned 408 permit(s).
Mr. Ross stated that due to the complexity of this Levee Project, they anticipate the need to require additional funds by securing a section 214 agreement to process the 408 request. He then stated that Mr. Neal Lewis is the 408 coordinator with the Vicksburg Corps. and that he would help the Bossier Levee Board with the 408 process.
Mr. Dulaney stated that the if either project is approved that such approval would most likely have to come from the District Commander.
State Representative Raymond Crews posed questions and comments to the Corps regarding the 408 review and stated that his office would help with any steps necessary to expedite this process.
The Vicksburg Corps also stated that they would like to see a Flood Fight Plan for the Red Chute Bayou Levee. The Bossier Levee Board stated that we usually receive information and strategy from the Vicksburg Corps regarding a plan for the flood fight and we usually follow their protocol. The Bossier Levee District stated that they would provide them with this documentation.
The meeting concluded with the hope that this Red Chute Bayou Project would hopefully see some type of outcome and see some closure by next summer, because the Bossier Levee District does not want to loose any funding due to the lack of project approval. Mr. Larkin concluded by asking if there were any comments and or concerns on the failure of inaction.
On motion by Webb, seconded by Alley the meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m.
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Tim Larkin, President Mary Jane Easterly, Secretary