Comite Project Stalled Over the Years by Insufficient and Inconsistent Funding

A lack of consistent and sufficient funding for the U.S Army Corps of Engineers is the primary reason little progress has been made on the Comite River Diversion Canal Project, the Legislative Auditor said in a report released today. Since 2000, only one of the 27 construction components of the project – the Lilly Bayou control structure – has been finished.

The Comite Project was authorized in 1992 after a 1983 flood caused an estimated $344 million in damage to parishes within the Greater Baton Rouge area. The 12-mile-long channel was projected to reduce flood stages at areas within the Lower Comite and Lower Amite river basins by diverting water to the Mississippi River. The project gained renewed attention following the August 2016 floods that devastated significant portions of the Baton Rouge metro area.

Four agencies are involved in the project – the Amite River Basin Commission, the Corps, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, and East Baton Rouge Parish. Funding comes from a combination of federal, state, and local sources, including a dedicated millage paid by residents in the area that would benefit from the channel. As of September 20, 2016, approximately $133,439,096 in total funding had been designated for the project, with $117,260,135 spent and $16,178,961 not spent. More than $200 million in federal and state funds is still needed to complete the project.

Performance auditors examining the status of the project and the reasons for the delays found that one of the biggest obstacles has been the Corps’ funding problems. In addition to not having consistent or sufficient monies, any funds that the Corps does receive for the Comite Project can be redirected to other work if they are not spent in the year in which they are appropriated. Auditors also found that insufficient purchasing of mitigation land by the Corps has caused delays, as has state legislation that prohibited the expropriation of land for the project.

The current delay is the result of U.S. Highway 61 bridge construction that must take place to keep the project moving forward. DOTD must relocate utilities, such as pipelines and telecommunications lines, before work can begin. However, agency officials are concerned that no federal funding will be approved for the project and the money spent to relocate utilities will therefore be wasted.

In addition, stakeholders in the project have cited the need for a more comprehensive plan to help alleviate flooding issues along the entire Comite and Lower Amite river basins.