St. Tammany Hurricane Ida Debris Removal Round 2
In 2022, St. Tammany Parish Received a grant from the National Resource Conservation Service Emergency Watershed Protection Program to remove “Hurricane Ida Debris from local waterways, including Scenic Rivers. Round 1 was completed in 2023. The projects went way beyound just “Ida Debris Removal” and damaged many aspects of the rivers’ ecological regimes.
A Scenic River Program Public Hearing will be held February 22, 2024, 5pm at St. Tammany Parish Council Chambers on Koop Drive. Please attend and ask for less destructive methods and identification of debris needed to be removed.
Below are the Public Documents we have acquired for Round 2 damage to our rivers.
In September 2023, Northshore Riverwatch was contacted by landowners along the Bogue Falaya asking for information on a “Letter of Access” from the company doing the debris removal. We were surprised because we had not seen the Scenic River Public Notice. Investigation found the Public Notice Requirements were not followed by the Applicant. Northshore Riverwatch requested a new Public Notice and Comment period be opened. Scenic Rivers required new Public Notice and reopened the comment period. Enough Comments (min. 25) were submittied to require this Public Hearing. Please see Northshore Riverwatch’s request below.
This map shows waterways the Parish applied for the EWPP Stream Cleaning Grant but were denied because of lack of need. Why are the smaller streams, which are more readily impaired by fallen trees and other debris not included? Our larger, main-stem rivers are self healing and have survived thousands of years of hurricanes by encorporating woody debris into their ecology. Still trying to get documentation from NRCS. Both Phase 1 and 2 were permitted through the Coastal Use Permit Process despite many rivers being outside the Coastal Zone.
Other Relevant Documents