NEWSROOM
When
the Next Storm Surge Hits Lafourche Parish
August
1, 2008
How the next
hurricane storm surge could affect Lafourche Parish will be the
focus of exhibits and three public talks.
The Next Storm
Surge will be held:
- Aug. 7
at 6:30 p.m.; Jean Lafitte National Park/Lafourche Parish Public
Library, 314 St. Mary St., Thibodaux
- Aug. 14
at 1 p.m.; Lafourche Parish Public Library-Lockport Branch,
518 6th St., Lockport
- Aug. 14
at 6:30 p.m.; Lafourche Parish Public Library, 16241 E. Main,
Cut Off
Experts from
the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and Louisiana
Sea Grant will discuss hurricane vulnerability, flood zones, storm
surge models, hazard mitigation and how the surge from Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita washed over coastal parishes. The presentation
and exhibits will include “what if” scenarios for
Lafourche Parish, including results of computer surge models of
a storm similar to Hurricane Rita making landfall close to the
parish. The LSU AgCenter disaster recovery and mitigation group
also will provide information on rebuilding and repairing homes
to make them more resistant to flood, wind and rain.
Using satellite
images and geographical information systems (GIS), Louisiana Sea
Grant Marine Extension agent Thomas Hymel, who will be one of
the presenters, developed Hurricane Rita storm surge maps to help
the agriculture industry assess damages and to lobby for state
and federal assistance. The maps caught the interest of the insurance
industry, homeowners and schoolchildren, and Hymel decided to
use the data as an educational tool to show residents how much
damage could have occurred if the storm surge was greater, occurred
in parishes unaffected by the storms, and what could happen in
future storms. From that concept, the public meetings and library
exhibits evolved.
“We
recognized the importance of creating the maps to help in making
decisions about crops, flood insurance, housing and rebuilding,”
Hymel said.
Since its
establishment in 1968, Louisiana Sea Grant has worked to promote
stewardship of the state’s coastal resources through a combination
of research, education and outreach programs critical to the cultural,
economic and environmental health of Louisiana’s coastal
zone. Louisiana Sea Grant, based at Louisiana State University,
is part of the National Sea Grant Program, a network of 32 programs
in each of the U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto
Rico.
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