Higher Elevation for New Roads Helps Address Flooding Issues

Floodwaters resulting from coastal storms often trap St. Tammany Parish residents in their homes and neighborhoods and keep emergency vehicles out. As part of the information needed to find a solution, community officials looked at historical flood data to determine a road elevation equivalent to the water surface elevation from a 10-year storm event.

Data showed that a road elevation of six feet above sea level would leave three inches on the crown of the road, which is passable by most vehicles. An ordinance was created that requires all new roads in subdivisions to meet this new standard. The four-year effort needed to gather the data and formulate the recommendation was funded through the NOAA Office for Coastal Management’s Coastal Zone Enhancement Program.

More information: coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/training/tammany-parish

Partners: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, St. Tammany Parish