ST. MARTIN PARISH — An 80-year-old canal structure that plays a quiet but crucial role in managing water flow between Bayou Teche and the Vermilion River is finally set to be replaced. Officials with the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District have launched an $8 million project to upgrade the aging Ruth Canal structure, which was first constructed in 1945.
The structure remains functional for now, Donald Sagrera, executive director of the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District says it’s nearing the end of its usable life and needs to be replaced before it fails. The funding comes from the district’s long-accumulated reserves for major repairs and replacements.
“This is Bayou Teche, and which begins in Port Barre, and Bayou Teche meanders through St. Landry Parish and St. Martin Parish and down through Iberia Parish,” said Sagrera. “It’s very important to maintain a flow of water in these water bodies, and one of the canals that helps us do that is the Ruth Canal.”
He explains the Ruth Canal structure helps prevent stagnation in the bayou, reduces pollution by introducing clean freshwater into the system, and stops saltwater from creeping into the lower parts of the watershed.
When asked how it reduces pollution, he explained, “Because the water that is being pumped in is good clean water, so it reduces it by introducing this clean water into the watershed.”
Many nearby residents say they never realized the structure existed, nor its role in maintaining healthy water levels. Sagrera noted the canal currently holds the Bayou Teche at a level about four feet higher than it would be otherwise.
“If this structure would not be in place, the Bayou Teche would have four feet less water in it right now, which would not be adequate for the upper reaches of the Teche,” he said.
Replacing the structure will take several years, but the plan is designed to maintain water flow throughout construction. Crews will build a bypass channel so that water can continue moving while the original structure is decommissioned.
“It’s gonna take the water from the upstream side of the structure, bring it around to the downstream side and the water will flow through that bypass while the structure is being replaced,” Sagrera said.
While some residents were surprised to learn about the structure’s existence, many said they support the project—so long as it’s completed in a timely fashion and delivers the promised benefits.
Donald Sagrera tells me the work is critical to the health and function of the watershed and expects it to reach completion in four years.
