Why is it important to have a drainage plan?
One of the biggest investments families make is in their
home. This large commitment has short term and long term impacts not only to
the family making the investment, but to the community as a whole. Public
infrastructure is built to provide and support urban amenities required in
modern city environments. Building and investing resources of time, energy,
and money, both by families and by the public community that is at risk is
neither wise nor prudent. Increasing urbanization covers the surface of the
land with impermeable materials that accelerate stormwater flow into drainage
systems woefully inadequate. A drainage plan is critical to making sound urban
infrastructure investments both by families and businesses and by the community
as a whole. The LINC Drainage and Stormwater Plan is intended to improve and
organize drainage efforts that facilitate both private and public sectors as
efficiently as possible.
How does a drainage plan affect me?
Any section or area of Lafayette Parish should be evaluated
for historic, current and future drainage and stormwater impact. Lafayette has a
semitropical climate. Rainfall events of 50 and 75 year intensity occur in some
part of the parish every eight years on average. To view a subdivision with curb
and gutter streets and sidewalks should not be assumed to be out of harms way for
stormwater. It is important to know how high to build where. What are the flood
elevations? What public infrastructure improvements are built and what is planned?
When are improvements scheduled? What is the base floor elevation of the structure
being built? There are many land "bowls" in Lafayette parish. The drainage plan
has a direct impact on private investment and should be referenced when making decisions.
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The Comprehensive Master PlanDRAINAGE PLAN |
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The topography of Lafayette Parish is unique even for Louisiana.
The northern, southeastern and southwestern areas of the parish
each have land formation patterns distinctive from the others.
Due to rapid urbanization drainage is a primary concern in the
growth and development scenario for each of the parish areas
mentioned. The parish, in partnership with other local
governments, state agencies and departments and federal agencies
and departments has initiated the Drainage and Stormwater
Element of the Comprehensive Master Plan as recommended by the
LINC Steering Committee. Primarily, the Drainage Element calls
for the establishment of a lead agency to implement the drainage
plan. Once a lead agency is chosen, the element suggests launching
a method to rate drainage projects that will help prioritize
drainage problems and determine which to construct first. In the
meantime, a comprehensive parish drainage study should be
conducted. Already, a two-foot contour map of Lafayette Parish and
a complete hydrologic model of the parish have been created to
help identify floodways and floodplains. The drainage element also
calls for continuous investigation and participation in various
flood zone mitigation measures. In particular, the recommendations
suggest gaining participation in the Community Rating System (CRS)
that will help in flood zone mitigation and lower flood insurance
costs. The element also advises adopting a floodplain ordinance
that ensures post construction runoff not exceed pre-construction
runoff. As well, a base floor elevation for all new structures
within the flood zone should be established. Such ordinances have
already been adopted, but are still in need of being updated to
reflect more stringent mitigation measures.
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| Text Documents
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| Maps
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Scheduled Meetings:
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Thursday, September 9, 2010
Le Centre Coterie
6:00 PM at the St Paul Community Center
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