State, local, and federal officials today broke ground on the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain flood damage risk reduction project.
"When the hurricanes of tomorrow come this way, current and future generations in our river parishes are going to be better protected," said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. "The structures we begin today will stand between them and the storm surge."
The Army Corps of Engineers will extend Lake Pontchartrain's levee system past Jefferson Parish, to reduce the risk of flooding in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes.
The project is the result of several studies done after Hurricane Isaac in 2012 inundated areas around LaPlace, including I-10.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2024.
