ST. MARTIN PARISH — An 80-year-old canal structure in St. Martin Parish that helps regulate water flow between Bayou Teche and the Vermilion River is moving closer to replacement as officials prepare to send the project out for bid this fall.
The Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District is leading an estimated $8 million effort to replace the Ruth Canal structure, which was originally built in 1946 and continues to operate as it nears the end of its service life.
“We found that it was not safe to replace these gates without de-watering the whole structure,” said Donald Sagrera with the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District.
That finding helped shape the next phase of planning for the project, which now focuses on how crews will safely access and replace the aging gates while maintaining water movement through the system.
When asked what has changed since earlier stages of the project, Sagrera pointed to ongoing design work and preparation for construction.
“Designing the new structure and working on a plan to de-water this structure,” Sagrera said.
De-watering refers to the process of removing water from the immediate work area so crews can safely complete construction. Officials say cofferdams will be used to isolate the site during work, temporarily blocking water flow around the structure.
Because the canal connects Bayou Teche and the Vermilion River, maintaining water movement during construction remains a priority. To address that, officials say a bypass channel will be installed to carry freshwater around the work zone while the structure is out of service.
“We have to install a bypass channel around the existing structure. That way we will still be able to send a flow of freshwater from Bayou Teche,” Sagrera said. He adds that the bypass is also expected to serve a long-term purpose after construction is complete, allowing continued operation during future maintenance.
“If there would happen to be the need to do some maintenance work on the new structure, then the bypass will be in place to do that work,” Sagrera said.
The project is expected to go out for bid in the fall, marking a key step before construction begins on the decades-old system that remains central to water management in the region.
