By LEONARD GRAY – Managing Editor

HAHNVILLE – The project manager for the East Bank Hurricane Protection Levee in St. Charles Parish gave an update Monday to parish officials.

Al Naomi of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that he had good news, with cooperation from the East Jefferson Levee District and continued funding from local sources.

However, he added, the federal well is running dry. Of the $9 millon needed for the project, only $3.9 million is in the federal budget, which will force delays on the project.

Meanwhile, Naomi said, the levee work done so far, north of Ailine Drive in St. Charles Parish, is sinking into the marsh.

Naomi said of the $738 million project, $59 million is coming from the federal budget, but only $50 millon of that is spent. Altogether, $605 million has been spent on the project, and four major gaps remain.

“There’s no problem with the local money; the federal match is the problem,” Naomi said.

The gaps are at the Canadian National Railroad passage near the airport, where a $2 million floodgate is planned; the Gulf South Pipeline gap, where a $500,000 floodwall is planned; and at the Almedia and Walker canals, the only projects nowunder construction.

Councilman Clayton Faucheux said the East Jefferson Levee District agrees that the work in St. Charles Parish must take priority over their own work. Faucheux said during a major storm event, 2.5 million evacuees will use Airline Drive.

Naomi said stopgap measures will be taken at the gaps to help protect the parish during this year’s hurricane season, by using fill to the elevation of the railroad bed, at six feet above sea level.

Naomi added, though, that will only be suffiicient for a ttropical storm or a minimal hurricane.

In other activity at Monday’s meeting of the St. Charles Parish Council, it was agreed to place 25 decorative light fixtues along River Road in Destrehan, from Interstate 310 nearly to Ormond Plantation, at a cost of nearly $149,000.

The project is to esthetically enhance the historical nature of that mile, which includes St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

More poles to reach the Farmer’s Market and Destrehan Plantation may be added at a later date.

Marilyn Richoux of Destrehan said that 80 trees have been donated and planted to beautify the area, especially around the East Bank Bridge Park, and a new welcome sign has been erected.