A group of college professors will soon begin studying ground water levels for the Bossier Parish Police Jury to determine the depth of the problems lying beneath the surface in an area between the Red River and bayous to the east.
Parish Engineer Butch Ford said Wednesday professors from LSU-S have worked with Caddo Parish in identifying its ground water levels.
“The professors are very interested in helping us, and the Red River Water Institute is putting a proposal together,” Ford said. “By the next jury meeting, we hope to have a five-year plan that will help our problem.”
In Caddo Parish, the town of Blanchard has a ground water table of one foot, he told members of the police jury Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee. In the area of concern in Bossier Parish, water table levels are between four and five feet.
“We’re getting pricing to determine how many test wells we need and we will start where we have problems,” Ford said. “This will be an evolving thing but we think within the next 90 days we will have a preliminary report.”
That report, he added, will be forever.
“It’s something that will be published, people will read it and it will be facts for future use,” Ford said.
High ground water levels have been causing utility line problems in some areas, including Conti Way where the parish just completed roughly $300,000 in repairs. A section of sewer line had separated when the ground beneath collapsed due to ground water invasion of the base.
Parish engineers have also expressed concern over foundation designs of new homes that are being constructed in the areas where ground water levels are high. Committee members accepted, and the police jury later approved, Ford’s suggestion that a form be signed prior to a building permit being issued.
According to the building permit acknowledgement, either the builder, designer or homeowner must sign that they are “…aware of the rising water table in the Red River Basin of Bossier Parish and they have taken the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of the new home…” at a designated location.
“This isn’t intended to prohibit building, we’re just wanting to be sure everyone is aware that problems could exist and that we’re interested in the safety and security of these new homes,” Ford said.
Also during Wednesday’s meeting, police jury members:
- Approved plat of the proposed development of Le Maison Court subdivision, unit no. 5, a planned unit development, being a resubdivision of Lots 5A – 7A of Le Maison Court subdivision.
- Approved the McRae Place subdivision.
- Approved the plat of the proposed development of Willow Chute Estates subdivision, unit no. 1.
- Approved plat of the proposed development of Quiet Acres subdivision, unit no. 2, being a resubdivision of Lots 16 and 17, Quiet Acres subdivision, unit no. 1.
- Approved the minor plat for East Central Bossier Parish Fire District No. 1.
- Approved reducing the speed limit in The Crossing at Wemple subdivision from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour.
- Scheduled a public hearing on August 21 to consider the application of Michael Kelsch, Raley and Associates, Inc., to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 9.654 acres for future commercial development.
- Scheduled a public hearing on August 21 to consider the application of Michael Kelsch, Raley and Associates, Inc., to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 160.967 acres for a new residential subdivision.
- Accepted report on meeting of the Property Standards Board of Review; accepted report on meeting of the Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee.
- Approved a request of Margaritaville Resort Casino for a letter of no objection to the selling of alcohol and beer at Margaritaville Resort Casino for third annual SIP, Unlimited, event to be held on Sunday, September 8.
- Appointed Richard McGuire to the Board of Commissioners for Bossier Parish Fire District No. 7, effective August 1, 2019, for a two-year term.
- Approved a short form of agreement between owner and engineer for professional services from Owen and White, Inc., for Espanita subdivision drainage analysis for application of Statewide Flood Control Funds.
- Adopted an ordinance amending chapter 94 of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances “Roads and Bridges,” to add section 94-11, establishing “No Thru Traffic,” “Local Traffic Only,” and “No Trucks” regulations on certain roads and/or subdivision streets, establishing “No Thru Traffic,” “Local Traffic Only,” and “No Trucks” regulations on Wemple Road, beginning at its intersection with Airline Drive, east to Lakewood Point Drive, and Duckwater Landing, and for the installation of signs with reflectors; and providing penalties for the violations thereof.
- Approved final change order No. 2 for Kingston Road at Louisiana Highway 3 and Kingston Road at Airline Drive turn lanes.
- Approved plan change No. 1 for Kingston Road widening, Phase II.
- Approved a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and CBB Water System, Inc., in connection with the Linton Road Bridge.
- Approved a short form of agreement between owner and engineer for Professional Services from Cothren, Graff, Smoak Engineering, Inc., for the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier, for an emergency standby generator at water well No. 4- South Woods well.
