Flood Damage Reduction

The J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Project on the Red River in Louisiana is a good example of how the Corps seeks to balance competing priorities. For much of its history the 200+ mile stretch of the Red River between Shreveport, LA, and the Mississippi River was a source of frustration to many residents who lived and worked near it. Commercial tows had a difficult time navigating the river. As a result, the tremendous economic benefits that it could have brought to the area were lost. During heavy rains the river was prone to overflowing its banks, flooding low-lying farmland and towns. And, finally, there were serious erosion problems on long stretches of the river's banks. All of that gradually began to change when the U.S. Congress authorized what has become the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Project.

Over the past 30 years, the Corps has invested nearly $2 billion in the project, constructing five locks and dams and dredging a 9-foot deep, 200-foot wide navigation channel. The Corps also has stabilized the banks along the 236-mile stretch of river, limiting erosion and preventing loss of valuable lands. The project has stimulated local economies and helped generate thousands of jobs by enabling nearly 4 million tons of cargo to move along the waterway every year. By 2046 that number is expected to rise to 16 million tons. The changes also have greatly reduced the impact of flooding. During one period of heavy rain in 2001, nearly 1 million acres of land were saved from flood damage because of the waterway.
Economic benefits from bank stabilization along this project are estimated at over $38 million annually. Navigational economic benefits are estimated at over $68 million annually at 1982 price levels.