New Orleans and Jefferson Parish Flood Protection
The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced that it is on the verge of completing the first phase of storm protection for the East bank of Jefferson Parish and New Orleans. The project is intended to protect against the so called 100 year storm. This improvement is a beacon of light in the post Katrina recovery process and a vital component in protecting real estate values throughout New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.
One if the first concerns that our company hears from prospective home buyers relates to flooding and homeowners and flood insurance. The Corp has completed major improvements to the lake Pontchartrain levee system and the pumping stations that feed water into the lake form the numerous canals in Jefferson and Orleans. These improvements are signals that our local homes and commercial properties are becoming adequately protected from the “100 year storm”, and that our real estate values should reflect these protections in the long term. We also hope that flood insurance premiums will also decline in price with the addition of the new flood protections.
Business’ and homeowners in Metairie are experiencing the majority of the Army Corps latest flood protection projects. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is being elevated to accommodate the installation of a new flood wall, and Metairie homes along the lakefront have been neighbor to many months of levee elevation work. State of the art pumping stations are designed to protect against the follies of the older system by accommodating a greater outflow and also allowing for pump operators to fully man the stations during storms.
Flood protection for New Orleans and Jefferson Parish is critical to protecting real estate values and enabling the continued recovery of our areas residential neighborhoods and business community. With hurricane season upon us, citizens can feel a bit more at ease now that the Army Corps has enhanced our levee and flood protection systems. Hopefully these improvements will aid in the recovery of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish real estate values.