JOINT INFORMATION CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2008

Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration News Update

Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, Local Levee Districts Report Widespread Flooding of Low-Lying Areas Across Southeast and Central Louisiana Coast

BATON ROUGE -- Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration officials and officials from levee districts across Southeast and Central Louisiana have reported widespread flooding of coastal communities outside federal levee protection systems as of 10:00 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12.

Flooding has been reported in the flowing communities/areas (listed by parishes east to west):

St. Bernard Parish: widespread flooding has been reported in communities outside the New Orleans Area Hurricane Protection System: Shell Beach, Yscloskey, Alluvial City, Delacroix and Hopedale.

Plaquemines Parish: Contractors are adding sandbags to levees in the Caernarvon and Braithewaite areas to prevent levee overtopping from threatening the communities of Braithewaite, Scarsdale and White Ditch. The diversion siphon at Caernarvon that ordinarily directs water from the Mississippi Ri! ver into marshes in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish has been opened to allow storm surges to flow from the marsh into the River. Officials are closely monitoring both storm surge levels and river levels.

Orleans Parish: Parish levee officials have closed the floodgates on both Hwy. 11 and Hwy. 90. Levee officials are reporting water level rises in Lake Pontchartrain and the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. Floodgates have also been closed on the London Ave. and 17th Street Canal. No significant flooding is expected in Orleans Parish.

Jefferson Parish: The town of Lafitte has reported flooding. The Pontchartrain Levee District is sending sandbags to Lafitte to help protect critical areas. Grand Isle has reported significant storm surge flooding covering the island. Water levels may exceed those experienced during Hurricane Gustav on Sept. 1. Storm surge flooding began Thursday, Sept. 11.

Floodgates hav! e been closed throughout Jefferson Parish including the ones on Compan y Canal and the Harvey Canal.

Lafourche Parish: Flooding of La. Hwy 1 has been reported between Port Fourchon and Grand Isle. Officials are closely monitoring storm surge levels. The floodgate on Bayou Lafourche at Golden Meadow has been closed since Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Terrebonne Parish: Levee overtopping of parish levees and flooding has been reported in the towns of Isle de Jean Charles, Montegut, Pointe Aux Chenes, Cocodrie and Dulac. Flooding conditions are being closely monitored by parish and state officials.

St. Mary Parish: Levee overtopping of a parish levee has been reported near the town of Gordy in lower St. Mary Parish. Flooding will be closely monitored throughout lower St. Mary throughout the day Friday and Saturday.

Storm surge levels are forecast to increase in coastal areas in western Louisiana throughout the day Friday and through Saturday. State and loc! al officials are closely monitoring flood conditions due to Hurricane Ike with available resources dedicated as needed.

Updates on coastal flooding throughout Louisiana will be provided as they are obtained.

For the latest information on Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, you can visit emergency.louisiana.gov or call the state's emergency hotline at 1-866-288-2484 to listen to a recorded message with the most up-to-date information.

###