Central Drainage Program

In an interview with the Central City News, Central Mayor Jr. Shelton outlined the city’s efforts to improve drainage and prevent flooding.  Shelton emphasized that because Central is a low lying area, it is vulnerable to heavy rain storms and flooding of the Amite and Comite rivers.  Because of the complexity of the problem, there is no one solution but it requires effort on many levels.

For that reason, his administration has undertaken a multipronged approach which includes keeping roadside ditches open and flowing; cleaning, repairing and replacing culverts that are blocked; and removing debris and obstacles to the free flow of water in canals and bayous.

Mayor Shelton is also partnering with Congressman Garret Graves, area legislators, the Comite Diversion Canal commission, FEMA, and the Corps of Engineers to try to control the flow of the Amite and the Comite. This includes epeditious completion of the diversion canal and dredging of the Amite and Comite.

Under Shelton, IBTS is continuing its on-going effort to dig ditches along roadsides and complete off-road drainage projects. Other contractors CSRS and LGS have been clearing canals and removing vegetation.  Shelton said, “To date, over 721 tons of dead vegetation have been removed. In addition we have removed trash, including refrigerators, washers, dryers, beds of pick up trucks, old creosote bridges that have deteriorated and fallen in the canals, tires, chain link fences that were installed across canals and other materials that were impeding the flow of water. All of this in canals off the road and in the woods where the work is not being seen.”

Shelton said he intends to propose a Master Drainage Plan for the city soon.

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