Friday, September 12, 2008

Hurricane Ike Statement #4

ST. CHARLES PARISH WAITING ON RISING WATER; 
WASTEWATER SYSTEM GIVEN ALL-CLEAR

Hurricane Ike Update #4 - 5:10 p.m. 9/12/08

Wind-driven water from Hurricane Ike today covered parts of Bayou Gauche Island as St. Charles Parish Public Works crews continue to shore up flood protection around Des Allemands and Paradis.

Flood control tubes and temporary earthen levees made of plastic-wrapped sand lined Bayou Des Allemands, while residents and officials continue to keep a close watch on rising water. 

As southerly tropical storm force winds continue to hammer St. Charles Parish, the water is expected to rise, especially in the parish's southernmost areas. There remains the possibility of street flooding in Luling's Willowdale and Willowridge subdivisions, and levees elsewhere could be tested.

The St. Charles Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness continues to ask that residents of Bayou Gauche and Des Allemands remain vigilant in paying attention to water levels. Due to the potential of rising water, isolated evacuations in areas south of Highway 90 may be necessary if conditions exist for an imminent flood.

Officials with the Pontchartrain Levee District, which oversees the hurricane protection levee on the East Bank along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, expects storm surge from the lake to reach the levee itself. But water levels are expected to be relatively low and out of overtopping range. 

Entergy reports 445 customers remain without power in St. Charles this evening. These outages will persist overnight. Power restoration crews are standing down because of high winds. The outages are concentrated in Destrehan, Luling, Norco and Paradis.

Department of Wastewater officials this afternoon gave an all-clear with regard to the sewer system. Residents may resume normal water usage.

Sandbags continue to be available at Badeaux Lane in Bayou Gauche and under the bridge in Des Allemands. Please bring your own shovel.

The parish remains under a tropical storm warning, tornado watch and coastal flood warning. Weather conditions related to Ike are expected to subside Saturday evening.

St. Charles Parish residents are urged to stay tuned to Cable Channel 6, http://www.stcharlesgov.net/ and 1370 AM for further updates.

5 comments:

8275 said...

I heard some rumors that Hwy 90 by Sparhs Restraunt, in Des Allemands, is flooded. Does anyone know if this is fact or just people talking?

wishin said...

How bad did water rise in willowdale/willowridge before? Should the new subdivision off of lakewood drive be ok?

chabert141 said...

I sure hope the name Lakewood and North Lake Drive (my street)does not hold the true definition. Anyone have any new info on the water around here??? I know the wind is whipping over here!

me-maw said...

Does anyone know anything new about the water that may come up in Bayou Gauche? I live on Dixie Drive and have concerns about water rising over night. Could this mean my street as well if water was to rise?

St. Charles Parish said...

Keep an eye on the levees...