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The Mission, Organization and Nominations Process of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority
Presented at the 2012 Joint Engineering Society Conference
Overview of theSoutheast Louisiana Flood Protection
Authority
by J. Madison Drake PE CSP CQE F.NSPE
Louisiana Engineering Society representative to the SLFPA Nominating Committee
Objectives of Presentation
1. To convey the urgency and importance of
coordinated coastal protection planning,
project development and execution
2. Familiarize attendees with the selection
process of the Southeast Louisiana Flood
Protection Authority (SLFPA)
3. Encourage local engineers to serve on the
flood protection boards and participate in the
coastal planning and restoration process
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA2
Agenda
Flood Threats to Louisiana
Mississippi River Flooding
Severe Weather
Flood Protection Response
Levee Reform Legislation
Mission, Organization and Nomination
process of SLFPA
The Challenge of going forward
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA3
Mississippi River
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA4
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA5
Mississippi River Floods
19th Century Engineers- Struggled to
Control the Mississippi River
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA6
General Andrew
Humphreys
James Buchanan Eads
Charles Ellet, Jr.
Control of the River
Levee‟s Only Policy Pursued by Gen Humphreys and the early Corps of
Engineers prevalent in 1800s until proved inadequate in the Great Flood of 1927
Based on early hydraulic research performed in 1700s by European Engineer Guglielmini:
The theory held that confining a river to a channel increases its velocity and ability to carry more sediment, which in turn scours out the river bed making it deeper and therefore capable of carrying more water
By 1927 levees were built as high as 38 feet (12 meters)-the height of a four story building
Numerous levee‟s failed some with the power of a bursting dam destroying everything within its path
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA7
Great Flood of 1927
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA8
The Mississippi and its swollen tributaries reached peak levels in April
1927 with flow rates estimated to be 2,500,000 cfs (71k m3/s) and
overflowing its banks. Levees failed in 145 locations sending a walls of
water across Midwestern farmlands up to 40 miles wide. The flood
covered 27,000 miles2, (70,000 km2) destroyed 137,000 buildings, cost
$347 million ($25.3 billion in 2010 dollars). The water remained above
flood stage for 2 months, displacing 700,000 people from their homes.
Three Basic Methods to Lower Flood Levels
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA9
Reservoirs on Tributaries Allows water to spread out into large land/lake areas
Cut lines thru “S” Curves
Straighten the river and increase its velocity “speeding the flood to the sea”
Outlets and Spillways Divides flow into separate paths providing more capacity
Spillways were proposed at Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Borne as early as 1816
Recommended by Charles Ellet in his studies of the river published in October 1851
Currently there are three primary outlets in the Lower Mississippi
River Control Outlets- Lower Mississippi
Old River Control Structure Permanent structure diverts ~30% of River‟s flow down the
Atchafalaya river and ~70% down the Mississippi River
Built in stages from 1831 to early 1990s
Morganza Spillway Redirects flow to the Atchafalaya Basin
Completed in 1954
Designed for 600k cfs (17,000 m3/s)
Protections Baton Rouge and below
Bonnet Carre Spillway Diverts River to Lake Ponchartrain
Completed in 1931 to protect city of
New Orleans and communities below
Designed for 250k cfs (7,080 m3/s)
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA10
Mississippi River Flooding, Spring 2011
The Bonnet Carre Spillway was opened for the first time in 11
years. 160 bays were opened for 31 days
The River had the highest flow rates in the modern era (post
1930), above 1,600,000 cfs at the Tarbert Landing in May 2011
Red River Landing crested at 60.7 feet (18.5m) on April 24
Areas along the Mississippi experiencing flooding included
Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas,
Mississippi, and Louisiana
Estimated economic losses range from $3 – $4 billion
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA11
Persistent rainfall (nearly 300 % normal
amounts in the Ohio Valley) and melting
snowpack caused historical flooding
For the first time in 38 years, the Morganza
Spillway was opened, flooding 4,600 square
miles (12,000 km2) of rural LA
Comparison of 1927 to 2011 Floods
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA12
Mississippi River System-
Flood Design Flow Rates
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA13
Old River Control Structures
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA14
Features include Hydro Electric Plant,
Outfall Channel, Auxiliary Channel,
River Navigation Lock and old River
dam
Geomorphology of the Old River Control
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA15
Morganza Spillway
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA16
Completed in 1954 and
first opened in 1973, the
Morganza Spillway‟s was
opened on May 14, 2011
with diversion of 125,000
cfs (3,500 m3/s) of water
from the Mississippi River
to the Atchafalaya Basin,
21% of its capacity. All
bays were closed by July
7, 2011.
May 2011 Flood Levels- Worst Case
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA17
Bonnet Carre Spillway Completed 1931
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA18
2011 Mississippi River Flow Rates
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA19
The River at
New Orleans- May 2011
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA20
Bonnet Carre Spillway May 2011
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA21
Severe Weather Threats to Louisiana
Hurricanes
Tropical Storm Surges
High Winds & Torrential
Rains
Sea Level Rise & Land Loss
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA22
Hurricanes- 25 or More Deaths1851-2010
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA23
Population Density South LA- 2000 Census
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA24
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation- Multiple Lines
of Defense (MLOD) Strategy for Sustainable Coast
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA25
There are 11 Lines of Defense: 5 natural and 6 manmade
Comprehensive Evaluation of Projects
based on MLOD strategy
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA26
Governmental and Political Reform
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA27
In the aftermath of Katrina, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers upgraded and armored the levees, however,
discredited local entities were still responsible for maintenance
The Citizen’s for One Greater New Orleans focused on the
balkanized New Orleans area levee system, which were under
the jurisdiction of no fewer than eight separate levee boards
Politicized levee board members had expanded their authority
far beyond inspection and maintenance of floodwalls
The multitasking Orleans Levee Board managed casinos,
developed real estate, owned a lakefront airport, two marinas,
and employed a separate security force
Journal of American History, 94 (Dec. 2007), 780–88The Post-Katrina, Semi-Separate World of Gender Politics by Pamela Tyler
Levee Board Consolidation
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA28
Then- State Senator Walter Boasso from
St. Bernard Parish, the New Orleans
Business Council, and the Citizens for One Greater
New Orleans combined their efforts to craft new
“Authority” legislation
The outcome was nothing short of amazing. A majority in
the legislature voted to present to the state electorate
measures that would consolidate the levee boards
In Sep 2006, 81% of the voters statewide approved a
constitutional amendment for levee board consolidation,
while an enthusiastic 97% of Orleans Parish voters
agreed.
Journal of American History - continued
Post Katrina Levee Board Reform Legislation
Objectives of Governor Blanco’s letter dated Dec 10, 2005
1. To demand that focus be on flood related duties
2. To remove opportunities for patronage3. To create regional levee protection4. To provide constitutional protection
for the new reforms
“Provided further, That none of the $12,000,0000 provided for theLouisiana Hurricane Protection [and subsequent authorizations] shall beexpended until the State establishes a single state entity to act as a localsponsor for construction, operation, and maintenance of all of thehurricane, storm damage reduction, and flood control projects…”
LA Appropriations Conference Report – Dec 2005
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA29
The LA Legislative Solution
And under the CPRA the Legislation created the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority
(SLFPA) to affect levee board consolidation:
SLFPA – East
SLFPA – West Bank
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority was established to be the Single State Entity
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA30
Act 1 of the 2006 First Extraordinary Session created the two flood
protections boards, LA Constitutional Amendment #3 and legislation
Act 43 is also significant parts of the levee reform legislation. (R.S.
38:330.1)
The People
Governor Louisiana Legislature
CPRA
SLFPA East
SLFPA
West
Bank
Plaquemines
Parish
Government
Grand Isle
Independent
District
South
Lafourche
Levee
District
Lafourche
Basin
Levee
District
North
Lafourche
Levee
District
Pontchartrain
Levee District
Atchafalaya
Basin Levee
District
Terrebonne
Levee &
Conservation
District
St. Mary
Parish
Government
Southwestern
Louisiana - TBD
Cameron,
Vermilion, & Iberia
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA31
State Government Organizations-
CPRA and SLFPA
Hurricane Protection Coastal Restoration
Community Development Block Grant
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Single Responsible State Entity for Coastal Protection and Restoration
Overview of the SLFPA 1/16/201232
2012 Draft Master Plan
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA33
Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection
Authority Boards
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA34
SLFPA-W SLFPA-E
7 Commissioners
First Convened Feb 2007
9 Commissioners
First Convened Jan 2007Staggered 4 Year Terms
Two Term Limitation
The Flood Authorities were established using the 'good governance„ model.
Members are appointed by a “Qualification Based Process” and receive no
compensated for their service. Members reside in each of the represented
Parishes or At-Large. These restrictions and others produce a truly regional board
largely free of political pressure
US Army Corps of Engineers- Hurricane and Storm
Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS)
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA35
SLFPA – East:Public Affairs Research Council (PAR)
Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL)
Louisiana Geological Survey- LSU
Assoc of State Floodplain Managers
National Society of Black Engineers
UNO - College of Engineering
Tulane - School of Science &
Engineering
SU – College of Engineering
LSU – College of Engineering
American Society of Civil Engineers
Louisiana Engineering Society
Nominating
Committee
Submit Nominations to the
Governor for Appointment(2 Nominees for professional appointment)
Senate Confirmation
SLFPA – West Bank:In addition to all of the above
Harvey Canal Industrial Association
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA36
SLFPA Nomination Process
Residency and Professional
QualificationsWest Bank Board- 7 Members
East Bank Board- 9
members
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA37
Residency Requirements 2 members West Jefferson
2 members West Orleans
3 members outside these parishes
Professional Qualifications 3 members shall be either an engineer or
a professional in a related fields of geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental science. At least 1of these 3 members shall be a civil engineer
3 members shall be a professional in a discipline other than those identified above, shall at a minimum hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with at least ten years of professional experience in that discipline
And 1 member shall possess the qualifications set forth in either of these categories
Residency Requirements 1and only 1 member from each
parish: Jefferson, Orleans, St
Bernard, St Tammy, and
Tangipahoa
4 members outside these parishes
Professional Qualifications 5 shall be either an engineer or a
professional in a related field such as geotechnical, hydrological or environmental science. At least 1 of these 5 members shall be a civil engineer
2 members shall be a professional in a discipline other than listed previously with at least 10 years of professional experience and
2 members will be at-large
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA38
1. Vacancies are announced publicly by the Secretary of State
2. Applicants are received and forwarded to the nominating
committee
3. The committee votes to nominate a person(s) to a position on
the board using a “qualification based process”
4. The nominee(s) is submitted to the Governor for Appointment
5. The Senate confirms the Appointment• Application forms and listing of the current board members is maintained
on the Louisiana Secretary of State Website:
http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/
• State employees cannot serve on either board due to potential conflict of
interest
• As trustee and fiduciary of all public interests before the Authority, Board
members are subject to the Code of Governmental Ethics of Louisiana
Qualification Based Selection Process
Civil Engineer Position on SLFPA-W
The West Bank Board has an immediate opening for
a CE to join the Technical, Maintenance and
Operations Committee
This non-voting committee position will contribute to
the Boards work and has been authorized in the
Board‟s by-laws
Opportunity to become familiar with the Board‟s work
which could lead to future application to a full
Commissioner's position.
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA39
The Challenge Going Forward
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA40
Projected Sea Level Rise
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA41
Roberts (2009), Drowning of the Mississippi Delta Due to Insufficient Sediment and Global Sea-level Rise, Nat. Geoscience, 2, 488–491.
Projected Land Loss
Overview of the SLFPA 1/16/2012
Summary of Topics
Flood Threats to Louisiana
Mississippi River
Severe Weather
Flood Protection Response
Levee Reform Legislation
Mission, Organization and
Nomination process of SLFPA
The Challenge Going Forward
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA43
Questions and Comments
1/16/2012Overview of the SLFPA44
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