The Watershed Flood Center receives a $1.13M cooperative agreement to address flood risk throughout the state of Louisiana.

In 2016, Louisiana experienced two historic rain events in March and August that flooded more than 145,000 homes throughout the state, with an estimated $10 billion in flood damage. These devastating floods, which our communities continue to witness more frequently, highlighted the need of reforming the state’s approach to watershed management and flood risk-mitigation planning. In response to these challenges, Governor John Bel Edwards established the Louisiana Watershed Council and directed key state agencies to develop and implement programs aimed toward future flood mitigation throughout Louisiana.

Dr. Emad Habib, a professor of Civil Engineering and the Director of the Watershed Flood Center, has lead the development of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between UL Lafayette and the State of Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit to support the State Watershed Initiative. The agreement provides our researchers with $1.13M to work on designing the first comprehensive set of hydrologic and hydraulic numerical models and monitoring networks with the Watershed Initiative. Such resources will used for the design of statewide flood risk mitigation strategies and will guide the state on addressing flood risk using a holistic watershed and stakeholder-driven approach.

Researchers in the Civil Engineering Department and the Watershed Flood Center at UL Lafayette, which include Dr. Emad Habib, Dr. Robert Miller and their supporting research staff, are actively engaged with this unprecedented state effort to support the development and implementation of science-based solutions for watershed management and flood-risk mitigation.