United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – New Orleans District
St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James Parish, LA
ECM performed engineering design services for two segments of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Risk Reduction project located in southeast Louisiana on the east bank of Mississippi River. This $134 million design project stretches across St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes and comprises of 18.5 miles of earthen levees, T-walls, Water Control Structures and the Drainage Pump Stations.
When construction is completed, it will protect a combined population of approximately 60,000 in the three parishes who currently have little or no hurricane and flood protection system. Additionally, it will also protect a very important hurricane evacuation route I-10 for the New Orleans metropolitan area. This project will construct a 100-year level risk reduction system for the residents of these three parishes.
The WSLP 102, which is about 6,000 feet long and the WSLP 106 is about 3,800 feet long, forms a part of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project. The salient features of WSLP-102 are earthen Levees, T-walls, and a Gated Water Control Structure. The flood protection configuration is such that a portion of T-wall construction in this reach crosses the existing I-10 alignment and must be constructed under the I-10 east bound and west bound bridges. The Water Control Structure will be built in the Montz canal and will feature four (4) electrically operated stainless steel sluice gates which will remain normally open to allow the flow of Montz canal. When closed, the gates will provide continuity of flood protection in conjunction with adjoining T-walls and levee systems. WSLP-106 has the similar features such as earthen levee, T-Walls, drainage canals and T-wall crossing under the I-10 bridges.
ECM’s scope of work of the WSLP 102 & 106 projects include Engineering and Design for all civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, cost estimating, and geotechnical engineering investigations required for developing the Design Documentation Report (DDR) and providing construction plans and specifications (P&S).
All design features are done in accordance with the latest Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS) Design Guidelines. AutoCAD was used for preparation of construction plans, and specifications were prepared using SpecsIntact.
ECM received “Exceptional” rating for this Project.