The St. Charles Parish Coastal Zone Advisory Committee learned this month that the Army Corps of Engineers will begin repairing seepage locations along the Davis Pond guide levees in early September, with work expected to finish by mid-October. Staff told the committee they do not yet have the exact sites where repairs will happen and said more details would come as the work gets underway. Residents who live near the levees should watch for updates identifying which locations are affected.

The committee also discussed whether the four-foot river-height threshold that governs when the Davis Pond freshwater diversion can operate could be lowered so the diversion runs more often. Staff said that change may not be feasible because of structural limits on the facility. The topic could come up again as the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, known as CPRA, looks at smaller siphon-based alternatives following the cancellation of the mid-Barataria sediment diversion project.

Separate from the levee work, the Salvador Shoreline Protection Project, along with related work on the Bayou Couba and Couba Island shorelines, remains in early engineering and design. No construction costs or final design choices, such as whether to use riprap, have been set. Residents interested in that project should watch for updates as the design work moves forward.

The committee reviewed several coastal use permit applications connected to pipeline and utility work in the parish, including projects submitted by Phillips 66 and Entergy. The committee did not report denying any of these applications. A separate, newly received local joint permit application is still being evaluated to determine whether it qualifies as an exemption or should get a "no direct or significant impact" determination. Staff said they expect to have more information at the next meeting.

The committee continued its review of the final two environmental management units, known as EMUs, in the parish's local coastal program. EMU 9 and EMU 10 are part of a required 10-year update to that program, and members plan to keep reviewing the material with a vote on adopting goal changes expected at a future meeting. A member of the public asked whether there would be public meetings to vet the EMU changes before they go to a council resolution. Staff said that could be arranged, though no specific meeting date was set.

A member of the public also raised the swamp retention area running from St. Rose to Ormond, suggesting the committee gather input on sensitive issues tied to that area. The committee did not announce a specific plan in response.

The committee noted several upcoming events for residents to attend or follow: the BTNEP Management Conference on August 13 in Morgan City, the CPRA Board Meeting on August 19 in Morgan City, and a waterway cleanup at the Bonnet Carre Spillway and Wetland Watcher Park on Saturday, September 26, organized with the Army Corps of Engineers and Keep Louisiana Beautiful. Registration details for the cleanup were provided during the meeting.

The parish will also hold a household hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the community center. The event will accept items such as oil-based paint, batteries and used electronics under specific rules outlined by the parish.