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Parish consultants outline drainage master plan, say CRS rating could cut flood insurance costs
Summary
Consultants presented early results of Livingston Parish's drainage master plan, described outreach and modeling work, and said the parish likely will re-enter FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 7, a change consultants estimate could save residents roughly $1 million collectively.
Consultants for Livingston Parish presented an early drainage master plan to the parish council on Aug. 14, explaining modeling work, an updated drainage criteria manual and public outreach steps designed to reduce future flood risk across the parish.
The consultants said the effort is meant to give officials a roadmap for planning, funding and managing drainage and flood improvements. "The primary goal of this project is to provide solutions to Livingston Parish to address the needs and guide officials in planning, funding, and managing improvements to reduce future flood risk," said Steven Crawford, a consultant with HAF.
The plan will use existing studies and new field data to calibrate hydrology and hydraulics models for the parish's basins, set technical standards for consistent modeling, and develop a drainage criteria manual aimed at giving developers and engineers clearer design guidance. Mario Derbick, a consultant with GSE, said the manual will include chapters on hydrology, open channels and roadside ditches, culverts and bridges, closed drain systems and stormwater detention.
Consultants said they have already pursued one early milestone: enrollment in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS). "We submitted for 1,980 points," Crawford said, "that kind of puts us in that CRS class rating of a 7. That gives a discount for anyone that has flood insurance, 15% if they're in a 100-year flood plain." He added that the parish has been told by FEMA/ISO officials they are "very confident that Livingston Parish will receive a class rating of 7, and that should happen 2026." Crawford also said, "based on the data that we have, that will save the residents of Livingston Parish about $1,000,000." (The consultant attributed the estimated savings to the point total and projected CRS class; individual policyholder savings will depend on policy specifics and location.)
Consultants described an active outreach program that includes a project website with an interactive map for residents to report problem locations and photos, monthly stakeholder workshops, and quarterly briefings to the council. They said field surveys and expanded modeling of the Amite (Amiet) River basin and others will continue through 2025, with the draft drainage criteria manual expected by year end and a final master plan targeted for 2027.
Council members asked about the timing and notification of the CRS rating so residents can contact insurers, and about coordination with local drainage districts and DOTD data. Crawford and Derbick said the project team is working with DOTD, drainage districts and local stakeholders and will hold multiple public meetings beginning in September.
The consultants emphasized the plan will prioritize projects with cost estimates and identify funding opportunities. "We're going to create prioritized phase plans with cost estimates that will gather those future drainage and flood improvements," Crawford said.
The council took no formal vote on the plan at the meeting; consultants asked for ongoing briefings and council support for outreach and future adoption of the plan.
Looking ahead, consultants said they will finish existing-conditions analysis this year, continue stakeholder engagement and public meetings into 2026, and complete the final drainage master plan in 2027.
