Deeper water will require deeper pockets, that's basically the outcome of a study done to investigate the feasibility and impact of dredging the Vermilion River. The study's results were delivered on Wednesday to the Acadiana Planning Commission, Watershed Initiative Committee, and U.S. Congressman Clay Higgins.

And based on the results of that study, it doesn't appear as if dredging the river will have an effect on flood mitigation for which many had hoped. It should also be noted that the study seemed to suggest that there would be no major negative impacts downstream should the waterway be dredged.

Army Corps Deputy District Engineer Mark Wingate suggested in his report that dredging the Vermilion would have a cost in excess of $150 million. That's not even the bad news. The bad news is that for that kind of money, the study suggests the impact on flood mitigation would be minimal.

Some business owners along the Vermilion River have suggested that their business has been affected because the river is either blocked or silted up. Dredging would certainly improve those situations.

Basically, the report indicates that dredging alone would not solve Lafayette and Acadiana's flooding and drainage issues. It will most likely take a combination of mitigation efforts to eliminate or at least ease those concerns. What those other steps might need to be are still being taken into account and studied.

Meanwhile, the forecast calls for more heavy rain in the area again today.

 

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