8/25/2025
Morgan City LA
On 8/22/2025 DTV President and Bayou Vermilion River District (BVD) Commissioner Dave Dixon delivered testimony at the Mississippi River Commission (MRC) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Low Water Inspection Public Hearing regarding a Vermilion River Dredging Project. Also attending were DTV Board Members Harold Schoeffler, Jeremiah Supple and Karen Hail who is also President of the Board of Commissioners BVD. The Mississippi River Commission and US Army Corps of Engineers conduct several Public Hearings annually on the tow vessel Mississippi(pictured) to allow the public to speak on projects and issues of interest related to the dredging mission of the USACE for both navigation and flood control. The project was funded in 2021, entered into the 2022 USACE Work Plan, and has yet to be started. Our object was to ask the USACE to finally move this project forward after years of delay.
In 2021 US Congressman Clay Higgins was able to secure funding for a dredging project to restore the rivers authorized depth and width. You can read the original post here – Higgins Announces $50M for Vermilion River Dredging – Dredge The Vermilion. Legislation authorizing and funding the original dredging project in the early 1950’s also stipulated that after dredging the authorized channel it was to be maintained. Congressman Higgins has remained in regular communication with the USACE and the parishes regarding the project.
Below is the text of the testimony and supporting documentation.
“Honorable members of the MRC and Major General Kimberly A. Peeples of the USACE I appreciate the opportunity to address you about a very important and critical issue for the Acadiana Region.
My name is Dave Dixon a commissioner of the Bayou Vermilion District and the President of the non-profit 501c3 Dredge the Vermilion, an organization of volunteers founded after the great flood of 2016 that are dedicated to improving drainage in our Teche Vermilion Watershed.
Lafayette Parish is right in the middle of the Teche Vermilion Watershed. Of the 6 parishes along the Bayou Teche and the Vermilion River Lafayette is the population and commerce center of the Acadiana Region with 62% of the region’s GDP. It has been over nine years this month since the “No Name Storm” devastated Acadiana. During that 2016 storm Lafayette incurred 59% of the Acadiana Regions FEMA Flood Insurance Claims with total claims and grants totaling nearly 5000 and the region incurring an estimated $500M total economic impact.
FEMA National Risk Index published recently ranked Lafayette Parish at a 99.8% higher risk of riverine flooding than all the counties in the US. Our historical analysis of the increased frequency and higher crest levels observed on the Vermilion River during rain events prove that our flooding risk is at a critical stage. Additionally, Lafayette Parish has the highest combined FEMA risk index of all the parishes in our watershed.
It has been over four years since US Congressman Clay Higgins announced that the Congress of the United States had appropriated $50 Million to dredge the Vermilion river and yet the Corps has not dredged one bucket of sediment yet. This project was to restore the river’s channel to the dimensions authorized in the original legislation passed for the original 1950’s dredging project. We also understood this project was included in the USACE 2022 work plan. As of a month ago Congressman Higgins reported that none of this money had been spent. The majority of the dredging work will take place in Lafayette Parish. In meeting earlier this week with the Lafayette parish public works staff we asked about the project, and they also indicated that work had not yet begun. So, we must conclude that the project has not yet been started.
Past flood victims and near flood victims in our region exhibit not PTSD, but PTFD or Post Traumatic Flooding Disorder, a term coined by one of our physician board members, when weather is forecast that includes a flood warning by NWS and the media. Seeing our neighborhood version of the Cajun Navy rescue senior citizens down your street will do that to you.
And finally, remember the flooding in Kerrville TX and the fires in Los Angeles. Procrastination by officials concerning known risks led to disaster as you know. Let that not happen to Acadiana.
I am here to ask the USACE for a commitment to proceed with starting this project in 2025 and expediting completion in light of our critical flooding risk.
Supporting data and analysis is attached to my submittal.
I will be glad to answer any questions the MRC or the USACE may have,
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.”
After discussion with officials after the conclusion of the hearing we believe the project will now proceed, hopefully later this year. Additionally, LCG Chief Administrative Officer Rachal Godeau testified asking the USACE proceed as soon as possible with this project and also asked resolution on some outstanding permit issues for the Vermilion Flood Control Project.
What Can You Do?
Dredging spoil material will need disposition areas. It will be the responsibility of the parishes along the river to identify and provide prospective sites. A total of several hundred acres in a number of locations will be required, and the property needs to be in near proximity to the river. The disposition sites can be utilized for agriculture or other purposes after dewatering is completed. DTV suggests you contact your respective parishes public works officials if you have property that you would like to be considered.
Below is supporting Data and Analysis
Acadiana Region Parishes GDP – source Federal Reserve
Acadiana Region FEMA Flood Insurance Claims following 2016 Flood Event – Source FEMA
Acadiana FEMA Risk Index Map source FEMA
Hazard Risk Factor Breakdown – source FEMA
Historic Crests Vermilion River Surrey Street Guage – Source NOAA
Timeline of Major Flood Events Vermilion River – Source NOAA
Commentary Source – Dredge the Vermilion
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐨n
Dredge the Vermilion (DTV) is a non-profit 501(C)(3) setup to inform the public about the need to identify and to perform regional drainage projects in the Teche-Vermilion watershed. The board and advisors of DTV are all citizen volunteers with varying backgrounds from engineering, business owners, business management, medical, banking, and legal.
If you wish to help with our efforts, please like and share our posts on Facebook(search “Dredge the Vermilion”)
Website
Please see our website at www.dredgethevermilion.org if you would like to make a donation. All donations help fund our website, Facebook and other marketing efforts, public outreach, and research.