LA 1 Expressway Intermittent Lane Closures Scheduled Nightly 10/16-10/23

October 16, 2023

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has announced that there will be intermittent southbound nightly lane closure(s) at the toll gantry from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. from October 16-23, 2023. These brief closures are necessary to allow for work to be performed on the gantry electronic tolling system.

During these intermittent closures, vehicular traffic will be flagged through the northbound lane at the toll plaza.

Also, the southbound lane at the Leeville Bridge Toll Plaza on LA 1 will be closed intermittently for 10 to 20 minutes at a time from 7:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on the nights of October 18, 2023, to October 22, 2023, to allow the contractor to perform testing operations and adjustments to the overhead gantry electronic tolling equipment.

Permit loads traveling northbound or southbound will not be affected by this partial closure.

DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the work zone and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Greater Lafourche Port Commission

Latest saltwater wedge forecast released by USACE

For Immediate Release:
Oct. 12, 2023
Public Affairs: Ricky Boyett
(504) 862-1524
Ricky.D.Boyett@usace.army.mil

Additional treatment facilities may not experience chloride levels that exceed 250 parts per
million

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District released today the
latest Saltwater Wedge Timeline forecast of when water treatment facilities may be impacted by
saltwater intrusion.
USACE uses the National Weather Service 28-day Lower Mississippi River forecast, daily river
observations and computer modeling to project the progression of the saltwater intrusion as it
relates to the multiple municipal water treatment facilities along the river.

Updates based on the latest forecast:
1. Boothville: No change
2. Port Sulphur: No change
3. Pointe A La Hache: No change
4. Belle Chasse: Oct. 27 (previously Oct. 13)
5. Dalcour: Nov. 1 (previously Oct. 17)
6. St. Bernard: Nov. 8 (previously Oct. 28)
7. New Orleans Algiers: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm
(previously Nov. 23)
8. Gretna: Not anticipated to experience chloride levels exceeding 250 ppm (previously Nov. 26)
9. West Jefferson: No change
10. New Orleans Carrollton: No change
11. East Jefferson: No change

The updated Saltwater Wedge Timeline is available on the New Orleans District website
here: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Engineering/Stage-and-HydrologicData/SaltwaterWedge/
The change in forecast is largely the result of augmentation of the existing underwater sill and
increased flows of the Red River, requiring less diversion at the Old River Control Structure.
Augmentation of the underwater sill, constructed in July, began in late September. As of this
week construction has brought the sill up from an elevation of -55 to -30 feet from the river
surface, while maintaining a channel at -55 for deep draft navigation on the Mississippi River.

In addition to the sill augmentation, rainfall in the Red River Basin has increased flows on the
Red River. The combined flows of the Mississippi and Red Rivers are used to calculate the
Congressionally authorized 70/30 distribution at the Old River Control Structure. With increased
flows on the Red River, less water is required to maintain the authorized distribution at Old
River Control Structure allows for greater flows down the Mississippi River.
The combination of the sill augmentation and increased river flows has led to a regression of the
saltwater wedge upriver from the sill. The toe of the saltwater wedge was measured on Oct. 9 at
river mile 63.9, the approximate location of the sill.

The new forecast shows delayed impacts at facilities upriver, but water treatment facilities in
Plaquemines Parish is still impacted by the saltwater intrusion. The impact date for the Belle
Chase treatment facility is now forecast for Oct. 27, about two weeks later than the previous
forecast. Treatment facilities in Port Sulphur and Pointe A La Hache are currently experiencing
impacts from saltwater intrusion.

USACE began barging water to the Port Sulphur and Pointe A La Hache treatment facilities to
blend with water from the intakes to bring the chloride down to treatable levels. To date, USACE
has delivered more than 9 million gallons of water. USACE has also mobilized Reverse Osmosis
Units to support processing at water treatment facilities impacted by saltwater intrusion.
The intrusion of salt water into the river is a naturally occurring phenomenon because the bottom
of the riverbed between Natchez, Miss., and the Gulf of Mexico is below sea level. Denser
saltwater moves upriver along the bottom of the river beneath the less dense freshwater flowing
downstream. Under normal conditions, the downstream flow of the river prevents significant
upriver progression of the salt water. However, in times of extremely low-volume water flow, such
as what has been occurring this year, unimpeded salt water can travel upriver and threaten
municipal drinking water and industrial water supplies. An underwater sill was constructed on
four previous occasions in 1988, 1999, 2012, and last year in 2022.
###

Saltwater intrusion SITREP 10.12.23

Click to view – Saltwater Intrusion SITREP 10.12.23

Saltwater Intrusion | Private Sector Call Today at 2pm

Private Sector Partners,

The LABEOC has coordinated with GOHSEP to combine the GOHSEP logistics coordination meeting with the LABEOC private sector update concerning the saltwater intrusion in the greater New Orleans area. The updates will be hosted by the LABEOC, but GOHSEP operations will participate in the calls. This call will continue while the threat to the water systems in New Orleans remains.

The LABEOC invites you to a scheduled Zoom meeting concerning the saltwater intrusion in the Greater New Orleans Area.

Wednesday, October 11

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CDT

(Recurring weekly)

Thank you,

Jim Williams, MBA

Public-Private Partnership Operations Officer

Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center

Informatics Research Institute

University of Louisiana at Lafayette – A Carnegie R1 Research University

Office: (337) 482-0633

Cell: (337) 422-9169

james.williams@louisiana.edu

www.labeoc.org

———

Zoom Call Information

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89283900956?pwd=BodK7xeww83iyIpvMZ7gXadK018QKF.1

Meeting ID: 892 8390 0956 Passcode: 614006

—

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Meeting ID: 892 8390 0956 Passcode: 614006

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdxHsKq0G4

.Please remember to check out our news alerts on labeoc.org and follow our social media for updates @LABEOC.

Webinar: After a cyber-attack…What’s next? How to preserve evidence and get back to work.

October 25, 2023

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Guest Speaker- Josef Friis with S1 Technology

Reserve your seat today!

Register Now

After you register, you will receive a Zoom link before the meeting.

S1 Technology is the fastest-growing MSP in Louisiana because we provide a security-first approach to a full range of managed IT services and IT support for small to mid-sized businesses in Louisiana. With the ideal mix of high-level expertise and quick response, we make sure your tech never gets in the way.

They are different from the other guys because we care about your uptime, not just your downtime. We’re focused on proactive maintenance & preventing problems, not just showing up when things break.

Hosted by

Launched in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center supports the business community during a disaster.

The LABEOC works with coordinating activities and resources of businesses and volunteer organizations in Louisiana and across the nation, as well as with the public sector. The goal is to improve response, improve self-sufficiency, and reduce reliance on FEMA and other federal assistance in order to maximize business, industry, and economic stabilization, returning the business environment to normal operations as quickly as possible.

(337) 482-0627

info@labeoc.org

The National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies (NIMSAT) Institute at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette focuses on enriching public-private partnerships and advanced information technologies to enhance the national resiliency for a full range of potential disasters.

(337) 482-0060

iriconnect@louisiana.edu

The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers no-cost confidential business consulting and affordable workshops to new entrepreneurs and existing business owners. The Center maintains a solid reputation as an effective business assistance agency in the community serving the Acadiana area including parishes such as Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, and Vermilion.

(337) 482-6312

lsbdc.ull@louisianasbdc.org

Saltwater Intrusion – SITUATIONAL REPORT 6 October 2023 – 1:00 pm

Please click the link below:

SITREP Saltwater Intrusion 6 October 2023 1PM

SITREP – October 3 2023 -Saltwater Intrusion Incident

Please see the report below

SITREP Saltwater Intrusion 3 October 2023 4PM

LABEOC Private Sector Call Update



Private Sector Partners, The LABEOC has coordinated with GOHSEP to combine the GOHSEP logistics coordination meeting with the LABEOC private sector update concerning the saltwater intrusion in the greater New Orleans area. The updates will be hosted by the LABEOC, but GOHSEP operations will participate in the calls. This call will replace the Friday call that was previously held and will continue while the threat to the water systems in New Orleans remains. The LABEOC invites you to a scheduled Zoom meeting concerning the saltwater intrusion in the Greater New Orleans Area. Wednesdays 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CDT (Recurring weekly) Zoom Info Below Thank you, Jim Williams, MBA Public-Private Partnership Operations Officer Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center Informatics Research Institute University of Louisiana at Lafayette – A Carnegie R1 Research University Office: (337) 482-0633 Cell: (337) 422-9169 james.williams@louisiana.edu www.labeoc.org ——— Zoom Call Information Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89283900956?pwd=BodK7xeww83iyIpvMZ7gXadK018QKF.1 Meeting ID: 892 8390 0956 Passcode: 614006 — One tap mobile +16469313860,,89283900956#,,,,614006# US +19292056099,,89283900956#,,,,614006# US (New York) — Dial by your location • +1 646 931 3860 US • +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) • +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) • +1 305 224 1968 US • +1 309 205 3325 US • +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) • +1 360 209 5623 US • +1 386 347 5053 US • +1 507 473 4847 US • +1 564 217 2000 US • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) • +1 689 278 1000 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 253 205 0468 US • +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) • +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 892 8390 0956 Passcode: 614006 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdxHsKq0G4 .Please remember to check out our news alerts on labeoc.org and follow our social media for updates @LABEOC.

(Webinar) 20 Years of Cybersecurity Awareness and Next Steps

This October marks the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it presents the perfect moment to reflect on how far we’ve come and how much more we want to accomplish! October is dedicated to ensuring everyone has the resources to stay safe and secure online.

Still, there is more to do. The public and private sectors continue to come together to secure technology, protect critical infrastructure, and bridge the cybersecurity careers gap. In honor of 20 years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, elected officials, government leaders, and industry executives will join to examine how far we’ve come and look at where we need to go.

Featured Speakers:

Nitin Natarajan, Deputy Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Drenan Dudley, Assistant National Cyber Director for Budget Review and Assessment, Office of the National Cyber Director
Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02)
Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15)
Tatyana Bolton, Security Policy Manager, Security Center of Excellence, Google
Joanna Huisman, Senior Vice President of Strategic Insights and Research, KnowBe4
Megha Malhotra, Senior Technical Program Manager, Amazon
Bobbie Stempfley, Vice President, Product Groups, Business Unit Security Officer, Security & Resiliency Organization, Dell Technologies
Rusty Waldron, Vice President, Chief Business Security Officer, ADP
Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director, National Cybersecurity Alliance

SITREP September 29, 2023 – Saltwater Intrusion Incident

Click on the link below-

SITREP Saltwater Intrusion 29 September 2023 4PM

Saltwater Intrusion Update Call – Friday, Sept. 29 @ 2pm CST

Partners,

Jim Williams is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/81649626611?pwd=GDlGP1egOf4j3duV0lO081htNqtEwl.1

Meeting ID: 816 4962 6611Passcode: 869013

—

One tap mobile+13052241968,,81649626611#,,,,*869013# US+13092053325,,81649626611#,,,,*869013# US

—

Dial by your location• +1 305 224 1968 US• +1 309 205 3325 US• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)• +1 646 931 3860 US• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)• +1 689 278 1000 US• +1 719 359 4580 US• +1 253 205 0468 US• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)• +1 360 209 5623 US• +1 386 347 5053 US• +1 507 473 4847 US• +1 564 217 2000 US• +1 669 444 9171 US

Meeting ID: 816 4962 6611Passcode: 869013

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/knEw8cN3x

Thank you,LABEOC Response TeamPlease remember to check out our news alerts on labeoc.org and follow our social media for updates @LABEOC.

Statewide Burn Ban Modified

For Immediate Release:
September 27, 2023

Update: Statewide Burn Ban Modified
Agricultural burning may resume EXCEPT for standing sugarcane

Baton Rouge, La. – Following consultation among the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFM), the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security (GOHSEP), and the National Weather Service (NWS), the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has modified the burn ban order to rescind the prohibition on agricultural burning, EXCEPT for standing sugarcane, effective as of 5:00 p.m., September 27.

This modified burn ban order by LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM, allows agricultural burning, including but not limited to prescribed burning, to resume EXCEPT for standing sugarcane. The burning of sugarcane fields is allowed after harvest. LDAF will post updates regarding the burning of standing sugarcane once conditions improve.

The Office of Louisiana State Fire Marshal also modified the statewide burn ban re-issued on August 25 to renew and establish certain exceptions. The active burn ban order in effect as of August 25, 2023, at 12 p.m., which prohibits all private burning, with no limitations, pursuant to authority under R.S. 40:1602, is being modified in the following ways:

Provides for individual parishes to opt out of the statewide burn ban.
Provides for fire chiefs to resume granting burn permissions.
Provides for certain live fire training to resume with written permission from the SFM.

The SFM modified order goes into effect Friday, September 29, 2023, at 5 p.m. The status of this burn ban order will continue to be reconsidered on a weekly basis.

Please continue to abide by the burn bans that remain in place at this time. As government officials opt out of the statewide burn ban in their respective parishes, LDAF will reflect the updates on the Louisiana Burn Ban Map located at https://bit.ly/LouisianaBurnBanMap.

LDAF’s Office of Forestry is tasked with responding to wildfires at any hour, and crews are hard at work throughout the state. In the event of an emergency that requires their assistance, you can call the LDAF 24-Hour Emergency Hotline at 1-855-452-5323 or dial 911.

Link: https://www.ldaf.state.la.us/news/update-statewide-burn-ban-modified/?fbclid=IwAR06gUKOd1UR4dg5gJJWizC5oRVI-N8WHJsLnBgbuGnPROhX3mJ1BOcQ4Co

Contact:
Jennifer Finley, Press Secretary – 225-922-1256
Megan Moore, Public Information Director – 225-935-2179
presssecretary@LDAF.la.gov

Saltwater Intrusion Updates

Impacts & FAQ

Parish Information

JEFFERSON PARISH:
- JPAlert is a free service; however, your wireless carrier may charge you a fee to receive messages on your device.
- You can sign up by texting JPALERT to 888777.
- Spanish Spanish-speaking residents can text JPNOTICIAS to 888777.
- For more information or to create an account, click here.

ORLEANS PARISH:
- Register for alerts here or text NOLAREADY to 77295
  - To receive alerts in Spanish, text ESP to 77295 / Envíe ESP al 77295 para recibir alertas de emergencias en español
- You can also download the Smart911 app to receive customized alerts and resources that may be available during all types of emergencies, including hurricane evacuations, extended power outages, flood events, and more.
  - Create a profile here.
- Get more information here.

PLAQUEMINES PARISH:

Water Distribution – Percy Griffin Community Center
- September 23, 2023
  15535 Hwy 15, Davant, Louisiana
  8 am – 5 pm
- Distribution will occur weekly after the first distribution on Saturday, September 23, 2023. The weekly occurrence will take place Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
Plaquemines Parish Notification System (PPENS)
- This system is a free reverse 911 system that will send a telephone message, text or email to advise you of an emergency situation in the Parish.
- Up to three home and or mobile telephone numbers can be registered.
- Sign up here.

ST. BERNARD PARISH:

To sign up for alerts from the St. Bernard Parish Emergency Management Office, click here.

Gov. Edwards Requests Federal Emergency Declaration for Saltwater Intrusion

September 25, 2023

BATON ROUGE, La. – Today, Governor John Bel Edwards submitted a request to President Joseph Biden for a Federal Emergency Declaration as a result of the recent sea water (saltwater) intrusion in the lower Mississippi River region.

The rate of fresh water flowing down the Mississippi River has been low due to extended drought conditions in Louisiana and across the Mississippi River Valley. As a result of these historic low flow conditions, an intrusion of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico is making its way upriver. Plaquemines Parish has already been affected by the intrusion and other parishes are projected to be impacted over the next month, including St. Bernard Parish, Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish.

In some areas, the increased salinity from the saltwater intrusion is forecast to exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum standard of 250 mg/L, impacting public water systems and introducing the risk of corrosion to water distribution systems, machinery, and appliances.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) conducted river surveys and learned that on September 20, 2023, the saltwater wedge overtopped an underwater sill at river mile marker 63.8 near Alliance, Louisiana. The sill is currently being upgraded to improve its ability to slow the saltwater intrusion. The underwater sill is a temporary protective measure constructed under USACE authority to mitigate intrusion.

Once approved, the Federal Emergency Declaration will provide federal assistance to reimburse ongoing response and temporary mitigation efforts as well as authorize assistance from other federal partners.

“I want to thank everyone at the state and local level who have been leading this fight, along with our partners at the Army Corps of Engineers,” said Governor Edwards. “We have had discussions with FEMA about the unique challenges we face with this event. We are optimistic the President will approve our Federal Emergency Declaration, which will be crucial to help our communities along the lower Mississippi River.”

Read Governor Edwards’ letter to President Biden HERE.

Saltwater Intrusion – SITUATIONAL REPORT 26 September 2023 – 4:00 pm.

Please click to open the report –

SITREP Saltwater Intrusion 26 September 2023 4PM

Saltwater Intrusion – SITUATIONAL REPORT 22 September 2023 – 1:00 pm

Click here to see the report – SITREP Saltwater Intrusion 22 September 2023 1PM

LABEOC Resource Request: Private Sector Solution for Producing +10M Gallons of Potable Water Per Day

LABEOC Members,

The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) is seeking private-sector solutions that can produce upwards of 10 million gallons per day to augment potable water production in the greater New Orleans area.

To be clear, GOHSEP is NOT looking for a bottled water or bulk trucking solution. GOHSEP is seeking a desalination, reverse osmosis, or other innovative type of solution.

If your company has a solution, please contact Steven Buchholz at Steven.Buchholz@la.gov.

Thank you,

LABEOC Response Team

LA 1 Expressway Nightly Lane Closures Scheduled 9/25-29

September 18, 2023

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has announced that there will be southbound nightly lane closure(s) at the toll gantry from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. from September 25- 29, 2023. These nightly southbound lane closures are necessary in order for contractors to replace cameras and other tolling equipment on the toll gantry.

All traffic will be flagged through the northbound lane during the nightly southbound lane closure(s). Permit loads will not be affected by these nightly closures.

DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the work zone and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.