Committee refers two drainage projects to full council: French Branch Pond expansion and Oakleaf culvert

A St. Tammany Parish council committee on Oct. 12 voted to send two capital‑improvement ordinances to the full council: Ordinance 78‑31 to authorize acquisition of a roughly 40‑acre tract for the French Branch Pond expansion, and Ordinance 78‑40 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget for a culvert addition near Oakleaf Drive.

Daniel Hill, director of engineering, told the committee the French Branch Pond purchase would add capacity immediately north of the existing pond and that hydraulic modeling showed up to a 6‑inch drop in water surface elevation at the Gauche Boulevard/W‑15 Canal area during a 100‑year storm if the expansion is built. Hill said the project would benefit nearby subdivisions including Tanglewood and portions of Crossgates by lowering peak water levels during extreme storm events.

On Oakleaf Drive, staff described a smaller, lower‑cost project: adding one additional culvert to three existing 36‑inch culverts. Engineering staff said the culvert would provide a modest lowering of upstream water surface—on the order of about one inch—and the request on the current agenda was approximately $45,000 for the work. Committee members noted the pond expansion is a multi‑million‑dollar undertaking compared with the relatively small culvert request.

Both items were referred to the full council for final action. Motion to refer Ordinance 78‑31: Daniel Burke (mover), seconded by Mister Phillips; voice vote: all in favor. Motion to refer Ordinance 78‑40: motion by Mister Coogel; seconded by Mister Laughlin; voice vote: all in favor.

The referrals will place the projects on the full council agenda for possible appropriation and acquisition authorization; engineering staff said further design, acquisition negotiations and funding decisions will follow if the council approves the measures.