Here are this month’s latest news stories in local and national water policy. Propeller’s Impact Accelerator application is open – apply today!
In The News
Mother’s Day Flooding, Infrastructure Funding, and the Spillway Opening
Times-Picayune, The Advocate, Fox 8
Louisiana has seen its fair share of flooding in the past few weeks, between a rainy Mother’s Day and the record flooding in the Mississippi River, which prompted the second opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway this year. The Mother’s Day rainfall flooded cars and buildings, in what has become an all too familiar experience for residents. Questions surrounding whether the pumps were working properly and Entergy’s power supply are again being asked, as well as considering the limits of being able to pump our way out of the problem. While the Sewerage and Water Board initially reported that only one pump lost power during the deluge, later assessments revealed that five drainage pumps went offline. Operator logs obtained by NOLA.com indicate that even that number may be inaccurate. At a breakfast briefing hosted by the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) on Tuesday, May 14, Executive Director Ghassan Khorban was transparent about the challenges facing the Sewerage and Water Board. And while Mayor Cantrell secured a much needed infusion of funding for infrastructure by negotiating a deal for more hotel tax funding, more will be needed to keep pace with upgrades needed to the aging and poorly maintained drainage system.
Meanwhile, residents have been eyeing the Mississippi River as it reached flood stage. The Bonnet Carre Spillway was opened again on May 10th, partially in anticipation of heavier rainfall. High water comes with increased inspections from the Army Corps, seepage and sand boils, environmental impacts, and construction delays as work is banned within 1,500 feet of levees. For more on what’s happening on the Mississippi River, including flooding up north, see “More Water Headlines.” For more on the legal considerations of the Mississippi River management, check out the recent analysis from our friends over at the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy. And if you haven’t done so already, now might be a good time to buy flood insurance before the peak of hurricane season.
Louisiana Unveils Ambitious Plan to Help People Get Out of the Way of Climate Change
Bloomberg News, LA SAFE
The State of Louisiana and the Foundation for Louisiana released a set of climate adaptation strategies for six coastal parishes recently awarded more than $41 million for flood-resilience projects developed through Louisiana’s Strategic Adaptions for Future Environments (LA SAFE). The strategies provide place-based context for ten recently funded LA SAFE projects, addressing how various sectors – including housing, transportation, stormwater management, education and economic development – are part of an interconnected system to be considered as the state adapts to coastal and climate change as well as increasing flood risk across 10, 25, and 50-year timeframes. Championed by Gov. Edwards, the LA SAFE planning process began with the Office of Community Development (OCD) collaborating with the Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) to co-fund and co-manage a large scale, community-led planning effort throughout 2017. The process provided space for residents to speak to the impacts of environmental change on their communities and businesses, along with tangible ways to translate those challenges into opportunities.
One Million Species Are Threatened with Extinction Thanks to Humans, UN Report Says
Vice News, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
Human activities have put as many as one million other species at risk of extinction, according to the first comprehensive United Nations report on global biodiversity. The report emphasizes humanity’s devastating impact on the natural world, which is accelerating extinctions at an unprecedented rate in human history. People have altered or destroyed three-quarters of land environments, two-thirds of marine habitats, and 85 percent of the most important wetland regions. This leaves few areas unaffected by human activities like agriculture, commercial fishing, industrial pollution, and urbanization, according to the report.
New Reports from the Gulf Research Program
Annual Report, Building and Measuring Community Resilience
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program has released its Annual Report, which details how funding was spent in 2018, accomplishments, and progress on its goals. The Gulf Research Program has also released Building and Measuring Community Resilience, which provides an overview of community resilience and offers key actions that address gaps.
More Water Headlines
- Flooding wreaks havoc along Mississippi River, a transit hub for $1 billion in goods
- Lower Nine faces 13 years of hell if canal project rolls forward
- Lead-removal filter project drags on as school district deals with water pressure
- The Challenges And Opportunities Of The Mississippi River
- This Louisiana town is moving to higher ground as taxpayers foot the bill for growing climate crisis
- How old are New Orleans’ water pipes? Interactive S&WB graphic gives specifics, with half at least 80 years old
- Mayor Cantrell on poor S&WB decisions: ‘I’m owning them’
- Letters: Green New Deal would be good for Louisiana
- America’s Achilles’ Heel: the Mississippi River’s Old River Control Structure
- Only a third of world’s great rivers remain free flowing, analysis finds
- House passes bill to force U.S. to stay in Paris climate agreement
- Big ‘green’ mistake: dumping sewage in wetlands carries hidden costs
- Professor disputes column that declared dumping sewage in wetlands to be a big green mistake
Water Funding & Finance
- Funding: Louisiana Parishes to receive $6.4 million in FEMA grants
- Funding: No plan yet for $5M Entergy fine
- Coastal Projects: CPRA is moving to all electronic bids. Make sure you’re registered on LaGov as a vendor to be able to submit your bid and keep an eye on CPRA’s project hotlist for upcoming bids.
Water Events
- Historic Preservation in the Face of Climate Change, III: Persist | June 18, 2019 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM at Zulu Headquarters (732 N. Broad) | Attend
- Little Library of Water Launch Event | June 18, 2019 at 6 pm at New Orleans Public Library Main Branch | Attend
Q&A
Do you have water management policy and program questions for Propeller or Water Works? Let us know, and we’ll run them in upcoming newsletters. Email Allison or Miriam.
WaterMark is a monthly briefing on water programs and policies in Louisiana, brought to you by Propeller and Water Works.
