ST. MARTIN PARISH — As floodwaters continue moving south from areas impacted upstream, St. Martin Parish officials are monitoring how that water will move through the parish and what residents should expect in the days ahead.
St. Martin Parish President Pete Delcambre explained that the movement of water is tied to the area’s watershed and how the existing levee system affects where that water can go.
“To describe how this rain and how things move, we call it watersheds; the watershed of this area typically wants to go into the Atchafalaya Basin, and due to the levee system that was put in, it doesn't allow that to happen,” Delcambre said.
With the water unable to follow its natural path, Delcambre explained that the water will move through several waterways before eventually making its way toward the Gulf.
“Comes all the way past the lakes, Catahoula, Dauterive, and Lake Fausse Pointe, and it's funneled through the Charenton Canal and back further down into Calumet and down. So once it gets into these areas, it's able to be diverted into the bays and then back into the Gulf of Mexico,” Delcambre said.
Delcambre said he has remained in daily communication with the Teche Vermilion Fresh Water District and the National Weather Service while monitoring conditions. He said the lack of additional heavy rain in St. Martin Parish could help area lakes act as retention areas, allowing the system to handle the water moving through.
“So the water is able to get all the way down into the bay and then back into the Gulf. Hopefully, over the next couple of days, we continue the sunshine. There's no more inundation of rain, and we'll be able to get over this and get on with life,” Delcambre said.
While the parish continues watching water levels and staying in contact with experts, Delcambre said he does not expect St. Martin Parish to experience the same level of flooding seen in parts of St. Landry Parish.
“We do not see a need to initiate any emergency evacs or anything with the water levels continuing to level off on the northern end and continuing to flow on the southern end. We do not feel at this point in time. We take it one day at a time,” Delcambre said.
Delcambre said officials will continue monitoring conditions as the water continues moving through the parish and will adjust plans if needed.
