Louisiana Land Conservation Assistance Network

The Pontchartrain Levee District was created by the Legislature in 1895. At that time, it included the Baton Rouge Front Levee, and until 1979, it encompassed what is now the East Jefferson Levee District. Today, the District is commissioned with providing flood protection on the East Bank of the Mississippi River for a six Parish area including East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and St. Charles.

 

Today, the Pontchartrain Levee District is responsible for 115 miles of East Bank Mississippi River Levee and an additional 10 miles of Hurricane Protection Levee in St. Charles Parish. The Pontchartrain Levee District protects an estimated ½ million residents in the six Parish area and incorporates the evacuation routes for 1.1 million people from the southeast and an additional 300,000 people from the southwest via U.S. 61, I-10, I-310, and US90. Additionally, within this six-Parish area is an estimated $1.2 to $1.5 billion in assessed taxable property as well as highways, bridges, airports, schools, courthouses, parks, and historical landmarks.

 

The District operates on an annual budget of approximately $5.2 million derived from an ad-valorem tax, interest and royalities. There are 53 classified employees, an Executive Director and a Board Secretary employed by the District.

 

The levee district headquarters is located at 2204 Albert Street in Lutcher, and the Maintenance Shop is located at 9620 Highway 44, in the community of Union, 2 miles downstream from the Sunshine Bridge over the Mississippi.