Drainage in St. Tammany Parish depends on gravity flow to channel rainwater runoff into conveyances such as rivers, streams, bayous, and ponds, eventually reaching Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. These are all part of a vast natural wetland system that serves the entire Parish to prevent flooding by storing water runoff in flood plains, forests and water systems to meter the flow of runoff.

These storage areas are also very important filters that preserve the water quality of receiving streams as well as serving to recharge aquifers and provide critical habitat. Together, these natural systems not only drain St. Tammany and protect its citizens from flooding but also serve to maintain St. Tammany’s unique flora and fauna that make it such a desirable place to live.

Over the years, as St. Tammany Parish has grown, many of these natural systems have been modified, compromised, or obliterated, resulting in ever-increasing flooding problems. This is evidenced by the fact that St. Tammany ranks 8th on a list of the 25 most frequently flooded communities in the United States, as measured by the number of "repetitive loss properties" reported by FEMA ¹. Other negative effects include the degradation of water quality and loss of habitat.

In 2000 the Parish began the process of accurately defining the drainage basins across the Parish and developing plans to rectify many of the flooding problems caused by past development. However, Parish and municipal governing bodies continue to permit development that removes more wetlands from the natural system and replaces them with impervious materials such as pavement and buildings. The remaining conveyances are then overburdened, causing roads and houses to flood. Moreover, trees, which are worth millions of dollars of artificial drainage improvements, are no longer in place to absorb water and lessen the amount of water disposed.

If development that directly impacts the natural systems is allowed to continue, it will offset the expected gains from planned improvements, leaving the Parish with a continuing drainage problem. This will further imperil the homes, lives and safety of St. Tammany residents, who trust and expect their government to allow development only in a safe and planned manner.

It is therefore imperative that the land use regulations and decisions made by Parish and local governments preserve and protect those natural areas that serve to retain water, filter pollutants, serve as critical habitat, and maintain the eco-systems upon which citizens depend for flood protection.

1. Chu, Kathy (2007/08/22). Katrina renews calls for change in rebuilding rules. USA Today, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2007-08-21-repeat-losses_N.htm

REFERENCES

St. Tammany Parish’s plans:

"Drainage Improvement Update" - http://www.stpgov.org/newsletter_archives.php?id=359

"Ecology and Conservation" - http://www.stpgov.org/about_ecology.php

"2007 Drainage Projects" - http://www.stpgov.org/pdf/1190146080.pdf

Engineering Department's "10-Year Infrastructure Plan" - http://www.stpgov.org/departments_engineering_10year.php

St. Tammany Parish - Ordinance No. 92-1607 - Coastal Zone Management Regulations – http://www.stpgov.org/pdf/1178900915.pdf

Andres Duany – "Smart Code - A Comprehensive Form-Based Planning Ordinance" - http://www.tndtownpaper.com/images/SmartCode6.5.pdf

Dept. of Natural Resources "Louisiana Costal Facts" - http://www.americaswetland.com/assets/CoastalFacts.pdf

Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority of Louisiana (CPRA)"Integrated Ecosystem Restoration and Hurricane Protection: Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast" - http://www.lacpra.org/masterplanfinal

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF):

"A Citizens Guide to Protecting Wetlands in the Pontchartrain Basin" - http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/cg_book.pdf

"Habitat Protection Program - Development Review" (Permit Responses) - http://www.saveourlake.org/habitat_protection_dev.htm

"Sprawl Brochure" - http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/urban_full.pdf

(With the Nature Conservancy) "Priority Conservation Areas in the Lake Pontchartrain Estuary Zone" - http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/Estuary_zone_final_s.pdf

Habitat Protection Program – "Habitat Change in St. Tammany Parish’ - http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/Fact Sheet on Habitat Change in St. Tam.pdf

"Urbanization Effects On Habitat Change In St. Tammany Parish 1982 – 2000" - http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/St-Tamanystudy2000.pdf and http://www.saveourlake.org/pdfs/HabitatChangePrint.pdf

Trust For Public Lands "Greenprint" maps for St. Tammany - http://www.lwvstissues.info/