Ouachita Parish

Hazard Mitigation Plan

1.0       INTRODUCTION

Preventing the disaster-rebuild-disaster cycle is a major initiative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  Disasters cannot be controlled, but human activities can minimize damages.  FEMA believes that preventing a disaster potential destruction is of great importance.  FEMA has initiated programs to make investments in communities that will reduce the amount of money it takes for a community to recover from a disaster.  This risk reduction is known as hazard mitigation and the process to achieve it is outlined in a Hazard Mitigation Plan.

A Hazard Mitigation Plan provides a systematic, objective review of a community and explains what steps can be taken to reduce a disaster harmful effects.  Among the benefits of composing a Hazard Mitigation Plan are:

• Ensures that hazard mitigation activities are coordinated with other community goals, preventing conflicts and reducing the costs of implementation.
• Ensures that all alternatives are evaluated so that the local problems are addressed by the most appropriate and effective solutions.
• Educates residents and other planning participants on existing hazard and protection measures.
• Justifies public and political support for projects.

 Flood mitigation programs such as FEMA Programs as well as flood control programs administered by the U.S.  Army Corps of Engineers suggest or require a plan for funding to be provided.  Planning is also recommended by FEMA

The Ouachita Parish Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee was formed to provide guidance during the preparation of this plan. The Committee held regular meetings throughout the planning process. The Committee reduce the loss of life and property, and the associated costs, from natural and man-made hazards through cost-effective recommendations of publicly accepted, prioritized, multi-objective actions.  Table 1.1 lists the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Members and their affiliation.

Table 1.1:      Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Members

1.1       Purposes of the Plan

Ouachita Parish, located in northeast Louisiana, experiences frequent severe weather and flooding that causes damage to property and has the potential to adversely affect local citizens.  The Parish Police Jury hired consultants and formed the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee to review problem areas, assess the situation and recommend mitigative actions. 

This plan provides a framework on which to base comprehensive mitigation planning throughout the Parish.  The plan uses risk management tools to prioritize the risks from natural hazards and identify the vulnerabilities to those risks.  Hazard identification determines which areas of the community are affected, how likely it is that a disaster may occur, and how intense a disaster might be.  Vulnerability identification assists the Parish in determining which facilities are at risk and to what degree they might be affected.

Key purposes of this plan are as follows:

• Evaluate flooding and other hazards that have the potential to impact Ouachita Parish;
• Determine areas of the Parish that are vulnerable to flooding;
• Strategize about the best approaches to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts;
• Prioritize loss reduction and emergency preparedness activities;
• Involve members of the Parish, administration, public and other agencies so as to draft and adopt an action plan that can serve as the blueprint for future development and preparedness activities in the Parish.

Through the use of this plan, the Parish intends to lessen its vulnerability to disasters and modernize their response to public threats.  These actions will shape the community into a more resilient framework able to recuperate more quickly and easily.

In 1998, the Parish received a $50,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prepare this Hazard Mitigation Plan.  In addition to this grant, the Parish received a $1.3 million grant to acquire flood-prone homes. 

In 1997, FEMA introduced a new program called Project Impact to encourage communities to emphasize planning and implementing disaster resistant activities.  In December, 1999 Ouachita Parish was designated as a Project Impact community for the year 2000.  A Project Impact grant awarded to the Parish in the amount of $300,000 will be used to fund new parish-wide planning, demonstration projects, and partnering with community businesses. 

Furthermore, Ouachita Parish intends to apply for and participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); Community Rating System (CRS).  The CRS is an insurance rating system similar to that of the national fire rating system.  Any community who chooses to perform and achieve certain tasks designated by FEMA to further reduce the probability of flood losses is eligible for discounted insurance rates.  Under the CRS, flood insurance premiums are adjusted to reflect community activities that reduce flood damage to existing buildings, manage development in areas not mapped by the NFIP, protect new buildings beyond the minimum NFIP protection level, help insurance agents obtain flood data, and help people obtain flood insurance.  The community is ranked on a 1 10 scale, 1 being the highest achievement.  For each lower rate attained, the citizens in that community are awarded a 5% flood insurance premium discount.  This Hazard Mitigation Plan includes a Repetitive Loss Reduction Plan which is a requirement for participating in CRS.

1.2       Scope

The Ouachita Parish Hazard Mitigation Plan is the result of a concerted effort on the part of the Parish and incorporated areas along with their mitigation consultants to identify each flood hazard in relation to its ability to affect the Parish.  Other hazards are also considered such as ice storms, tornadoes and other severe weather.  The plan describes those hazards that are considered to have the highest probability of occurrence in relation to their historical background, vulnerability, potential loss and frequency of occurrence.  The plan also identifies, prioritizes, and suggests funding sources for hazard mitigation opportunities in each vulnerable area based on input from government agencies, private consultants and Parish citizens.

This plan is intended to serve as guidance for Ouachita Parish and the Cities of Monroe and West Monroe in coordinating and implementing hazard mitigation policies, programs and projects.  A copy of the Hazard Mitigation Analysis performed for Monroe (Appendix A) and West Monroe (Appendix B) are included in this plan.  The Cities of Sterlington and Richwood are treated as part of the Parish and are not considered separately in this plan because of the small number of repetitive loss structures in them.  This plan will be periodically updated and revised in order to facilitate and direct the ongoing implementation of hazard mitigation activities.

1.3       Community Mitigation Planning Goals

Through the preparation of this plan and the implementation of the associated Action Plan, the community of Ouachita Parish and its incorporated areas plans to achieve the following goals:

Goal 1:           To increasingly reduce repetitive flooding in the Parish and incorporated areas.

Goal 2:           To facilitate responsible development in the Parish and incorporated areas so as to reduce or eliminate the potential impacts of disasters.

Goal 3:           To enhance public awareness and understanding of disaster preparedness.

Goal 4:           To extend and increase public awareness of flood insurance as a mitigative measure.

Goal 5:           To enhance post-disaster response and recovery activities.

1.4       Plan Organization

In addition to this introduction, the plan is organized as follows:

Section 2.0:   Hazard Identification for Ouachita Parish

Section 3.0:   Hazard Vulnerability Assessment  

Section 4.0:   Evaluation of Vulnerability and Recommended Actions

Section 5.0:   Action Plan

Section 6.0:   Long Range Growth and Post Disaster Redevelopment

Section 7.0:   Implementation, Evaluation, and Revisions

Section 8.0:   Maps

Five appendices are also included:

Appendix A :  City of Monroe Hazard Mitigation Analysis

Appendix B:   City of West Monroe Hazard Mitigation Analysis

Appendix C:   Ouachita Parish Flood Control Ordinances

Appendix D:   Inventory of Repetitive Loss Structures

Appendix E:   Funding Sources