The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the Levee Board Office, 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana.
The President, Tim Larkin, called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL PRESENT: Commissioners – LARKIN, ALLEY, BANTLE, MONTGOMERY, & MOORE. Staff: Mark Long, Devan Jordan, Deanna Rabb, Josh Monroe with DOTD, and counsel for the Bossier Levee District, Calvin Combs.
ABSENT: STELLY
The first order of business was the opening prayer by Commissioner Montgomery and the Pledge of Allegiance by Commissioner Montgomery.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Alley, and unanimously passed, the Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes and approved the minutes of the regular Board Meeting previously held on November 7, 2024.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
French Engineering, Inc., on behalf of Elm Grove Aggregates, LLC was present to request a permit to construct a levee crossing, a 6-acre detention pond, composite sheet wall, and other site improvements and encroachments for an aggregate plant on a 111-acre tract on US highway No. 71 in section 8, T15N-R11W.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Bantle, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee the Board approved the proposed construction permit subject to approvals from the DOTD and CORPS. (PERMIT #2024 - 55)
OLD BUSINESS:
None.
NEW BUSINESS:
The Board received no plat from the MPC to be reviewed for approval and the issuance of a No Objection Letter.
On motion by Bantle, seconded by Montgomery, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the Secretary to transfer $150,000.00 from Huddleston/Smith Investments to the BLD operating checking account at Bonvenu Bank for upcoming projects and future expenditures.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Alley, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the Bossier Levee District to provide lunch during the December 19th , 2024 (end of the year) employee recognition and safety meeting.
LEVEE AND DRAINAGE REPORT:
Red Chute Bayou Channel Slope Repairs
- July 24, 2019 – Vicksburg Corps conducted a damage assessment of high-water damages on Red Chute Bayou; no determination as of November 11, 2019.
- December 9, 2019 – Donald Walker, Chief of Vicksburg Corps Emergency Management called and advised that the Vicksburg Corps would be providing funding for approximately 10 bank caving sites along the levee.
- December 10, 2019 – Captain Papia with the Vicksburg District made a site visit to assess the bank repair areas.
- March 30, 2020 – received letter dated March 24, 2020, from the colonel of the Vicksburg District Army Corps denying our request for PL 84-99 funding for bank caving repairs.
- Waiting for further direction from the Corps on repair requirements.
- July 8, 2021 – Lanny Barfield, with the USACE Vicksburg District, advised that the District recently requested approval from the MVD for funding approval to repair of the sites.
- May 10, 2022 – Received an email from Craig Prestwood, Senior Project Manager, with the USACE Vicksburg District advising that our request for bank stabilization repairs has been approved by the MVD and that they are getting ready to send in a funding request to MVD for design and data collection.
- July 21, 2022- BLD provided a right-of-entry to Patrick White with the Vicksburg District for surveying and site assessment needed for plan design for bank stabilization repairs.
- September 12, 2022 – Soil survey for bank stabilization design started.
- October 12, 2022 – Topo survey for bank stabilization design near completion.
- May 4, 2023 - PDT meeting conducted through WEBX; major topic was discussion of unexploded ordinances within project limits. It is anticipated that the project delivery date will be in the fall of this year.
- May 11, 2023 – submitted right-of-way authorization documents to Corps.
- January 9, 2024 – USACE awarded a contract for bank stabilization on (9) sites on Red Chute Bayou.
- May 2, 2024 – work delayed due to high water.
- Notice to proceed issued September 3, 2024.
- September 10, 2024 – Work began. Estimated completion date late-November weather permitting.
Red Chute Levee Raise Project
- Mitigation analysis for levee raise was conducted by Nixon Engineering and Dewberry Consultants.
- October 31, 2019 – Nixon Engineering delivered mitigation report.
- December 8, 2019 – Kurt Nixon and Jacob Lesue presented the board with mitigation study results.
- March 11, 2020 – Kurt Nixon submitted a revised mitigation study report with recommendations for a levee raise and mitigation.
Levee Inspection Compliance
- BLD has completed an inspection and report of deficiencies on the Red River Levee including items listed on the USACE 2019 and 2021 Levee Inspection Report.
- Work to remove encroaching items and the correction of deficiencies is ongoing.
Red River Levee Certification
- May 8, 2018 – sent letter to Corps requesting their services in providing new levee certification.
- February 7, 2020 – we received word from Craig McRaney with the Vicksburg Corps that the levee can be raised above elevation of Lock and Dam 5 Road; Mr. McRaney also advised that the levee district should submit a request for a 408 permit to raise the levee in the areas with insufficient freeboard.
- February 10, 2020 – a conference call was held with several members of the Vicksburg Corps; the purpose of the call was to seek guidance on how to expedite the permit for the levee raise and to request that the Corps provide assistance in obtaining the permit. Very little new information was obtained from the call; the Corps did say that they would research the Congressional Authorization for the levee to determine if any restrictions such as an additional congressional authorization would be needed to raise the levee.
- September 9, 2020 – hired Kurt Nixon to review options for levee certification.
- January 11, 2021 – held conference call with Vicksburg Corps and discussed 408 permit requirements for raising the areas with deficient free board on the Red River Levee north of Lock and Dam 5.
- March 3, 2021 – Kurt Nixon provided progress letter on status of the 408 permit.
- April 12, 2021 – conference call held with Katy Breaux and members of the Vicksburg Army Corps of Engineers to discuss a Risk Assessment to be used for levee certification.
- April 22, 2021 – conference call with Vicksburg Corps to discuss Risk Assessment; Katy Breaux advised that the Corps has obtained funding for the Hydraulic Analysis portion of a Risk Assessment
- June 8, 2021 – spoke with Katy Breaux, Project Manager with Vicksburg Corps and she advised that work on the Hydraulic Analysis portion of the Risk Assessment should be completed by the end of July 2021.
- On August 17, 2021, Raley and Associates completed work on cross sectioning and topo survey of a 6.0-mile segment of the levee from lock and Dam 5 road north.
- January 4, 2022 – received a status update on the CORPS H&H Analysis for the Red River Levee; the H&H Analysis is complete however they are waiting on new risk assessment classification guidance before issuing a report.
- March 28, 2022 – a meeting with the Vicksburg Corps and local officials was held; Will McRae with the Vicksburg Corps Levee Safety Center presented Corps recommendations for a path forward on levee accreditation and discussed an in-depth levee risk assessment to be cost shared with the Corps and local entities; estimated cost range between $250,000.00 and $750,000.00.
- July 6, 2022 – re-submitted letter of request to the Vicksburg Army Corps of Engineers for a Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment on the Red River Levee.
- December 13, 2022 – conference call with Will McCrae, Brandon Cummins, Lanny Barfield and other members of the Vicksburg Corps concerning the Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment. Will McCrae advised that new guidance for evaluating a risk assessment would be coming out in February of 2023; he advised waiting for the new guidance before starting the risk assessment.
- March 8, 2023 – Vicksburg Corps met with board and provide updates and recommendations for an NFIP Risk Assessment.
- April 29, 2023 – mailed letter of request for an Accelerated Levee Evaluation (Risk Assessment) for NFIP Purposes to the Vicksburg USACE.
- June 6, 2023 – received cost share agreement and scope of work for the levee risk assessment.
- July 12, 2023 – cost share funding in the amount of $433,000.00 was mailed to USACE this date.
- September 13, 2023 – hired Kurt Nixon to provide a cost estimate to raise an approximate 6-mile segment of the Red River Levee for the purpose of applying for capital outlay funding from the State.
- October 13, 2023 - Kurt Nixon provided a cost for raising a 6-mile segment of the Red River Levee with an estimated cost of $10,376,768.00.
- December 12, 2023, through December 15, 2023 – Risk assessment team made field observations of the levee; also performed tabletop discussion on potential failure modes.
- July 8, 2024 - Risk assessment ongoing.
Levee Surfacing
- August 14, 2024 – levee surfacing planned on Red River Levee from levee station 2095+00 near Elm Grove to station 2239+00 near McDade Road; approximate length 2.73 miles; estimated cost $250,000.00.
- September 9, 2024 – currently working to resolve utility levee crossing conflicts.
- October 9, 2024 – Received approval for levee surfacing work between levee station 2131+75 south of Elm Grove and levee station 2239+00 near McDade. Approximate length 2.03 miles estimated cost $230,000.00. Utility conflict delaying work on 0.7-mile segment of original planned work.
- November 25, 2024 – Completed work on levee surfacing between levee station 2131+75 and 2239+00 at total cost of $244,223.25.
- December 2, 2024 - Began work on levee segment station 2095+00 to 2121+75, work completed on 12/4/24, total cost $67,641.63.
Flat River Culvert Replacement
- October 9, 2024 – Requesting approval to hire contractor to replace 42-inch diameter by 80-foot CMP outfall culvert on Ninock Ditch to Flat River Cut-off Ditch.
Levee and Drainage Crews
- Inspecting various construction activities near levees and drainage channels.
- Made temporary repairs to two drainage culverts one on Flat River and the other on Stinson Slough Lateral.
- Removing downed trees from Red Chute Bayou.
- Mowing at various locations on levees and drainage channels.
- Herbicide application on drainage channels and levees.
- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures.
- Servicing and repairing equipment.
Equipment Purchases
- July 11, 2024 – Ordered two 16-yard dump trucks. Expected delivery is February 2025.
Surplus Equipment
- The following equipment is to be sold as surplus.
1) 2003 Case MX 110 with 5313 hours; Equipment # 205.
2) 2016 John Deere 6135E with 520 hours; Equipment # 380.
3) 2016 John Deere 6135E with 326 hours; Equipment # 381.
4) 2009 John Deere 7230 with 4975 hours; Equipment # 207.
5) 2009 John Deere 7230 with 4705 hours: Equipment # 208.
6) 2007 Ford F-450 with 103,566 miles; Equipment # 108.
7) 2000 John Deere Track Excavator with 4790 hours; Equipment # 203.
On mottion by Moore, seconded by Bantle, and unanimously approved, the Board authorized the secretary on behalf of the Bossier Levee District to process all payments in the amount of $428,610.01, as set forth in the materials provided for the Board. The Board Meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:15 a.m.
__________________________ _____________________________
Tim Larkin, President Deanna S. Rabb, Secretary