This situation is not good for the fishing, boating, and barge industries in our region. It also affects Port Fourchon’s access to traffic from the Intracoastal Canal. To solve most of these problems, the South Lafourche Levee District has been attempting to get the necessary funding to restructure the Leon Theriot Floodgate into a lock. When this takes place, we will be able to allow traffic through at practically all times except during a hurricane event.

    Until a lock is built, we will be subject to the types of problems presented by Hurricane Josephine. Two days before the hint of a hurricane, strong east winds forced the closure of the floodgates. When the hurricane did form, 10 to 15 million dollars worth of fishing and oil field boats were caught on the unprotected side of the Leon Theriot Floodgate. Fortunately for us, the hurricane headed towards Florida, and those boats escaped damage. They were back working the day after the storm made landfall.

    Ironically the boating interests which came in early from the storm and were protected by the floodgates, suffered. The day after the storm, those boats were ready to supply Fourchon or ready to go fishing, but could not leave because the water level outside the floodgate was still too high to permit the gates to be opened. Those boats lost an entire day’s work. The construction of a lock at the Leon Theriot Floodgate would eliminate some very difficult decisions for both the Levee District and our boating industries. Until the construction of a lock, everyone will have to continue to deal with the present situation of last minute closures and uncertain openings. The present situation does not allow for the necessary planning of the Levee District, nor the boating industry