In the News

After decades on the back burner, the Comite River Diversion Canal finally began construction Wednesday morning.

Planned after the devastating flood of 1983, the channel would redirect high water from the Comite and several bayous in northern East Baton Rouge Parish into the Mississippi River during an emergency.

Following the historic flood of 2016, fresh calls for funding finally resulted in sufficient federal dollars to go forward and complete the diversion canal. Officials have been relocating utilities and making plans, but on Wednesday local, state and federal leaders turned dirt signifying the beginning of the construction of the canal itself.

"This is one of the really good mornings that you look forward to for a long time," Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

"Today is historic. It's a big deal," Congressman Garret Graves remarked.

Most authorities pointed out that the bipartisan effort exemplifies good government because it will save the grief — and the financial cost — of future flooding in the Amite River Basin. They were frustrated it's taken so long, but grateful that decades later, they're finally seeing progress.

"I think people can rest assured it's finally gonna happen," State Sen. Bodi White said.