False River on road to recovery, lawmaker says

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK - Rep. Major Thibaut, D-New Roads, spoke to the Baton Rouge Press Club Monday about efforts to revitalize False River.

“People are getting excited in the community because we have a plan. This is about taking care of a problem that has been overlooked  in the past.” REP. Major Thibaut, D-New Roads

Past efforts to revitalize False River in Pointe Coupee Parish never gained any traction because “nothing was coordinated” by federal, state and parish entities, state Rep Major Thibaut said Monday.

But the 22-mile-long oxbow lake is now on the road to recovery thanks to the state’s Department of Natural Resources’ False River Ecosystem Restoration Plan and more than $2.5 million in capital outlay funding from the state Legislature, the New Roads Democrat told the Baton Rouge Press Club.

DNR’s plan was unveiled to the public in June and includes multi-tiered strategies for the lake that incorporate ideas and initiatives from various agencies such as the state’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Thibaut said.

“People are getting excited in the community because we have a plan,” Thibaut said. “This is about taking care of a problem that has been overlooked in the past.”

Thibaut was referring to the problem of silt that has drained into the lake from its adjoining tributaries for more than 30 years. He said the build up of silt has stunted the growth of vegetation and has impeded the lake’s wildlife reproduction.

Before its decline, False River had been designated a trophy lake for bass fishing.

Thibaut told the Press Club the spawning of the lake’s trophy bass population has been stifled by the thick slit that has settled on the lake bed and is constantly stirred up by the overabundance of bottom-feeding fish.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recently lifted the ban on commercial gill-netting in False River to help reduce the volume of bottom-feeders populating the lake, pursuant to the DNR plan for restoring False River.

Since the commercial fishing season began on Nov. 1, Thibaut said, fisherman have been hauling in about 6,000 pounds of fish per run.

“It’s going to take about five years to get the undesirable species under control,” he added.

Thibaut said the State Bond Commission’s recent approval of the sale of $500,000 in general obligation bonds is being used to implement a Watershed Drainage Network Assessment. The project will help researchers determine the current degree of lake sedimentation and turbidity, he said.

Approximately 28,000 tons of silt is deposited in the lake annually, Thibaut said.

“This is basically a tool we’re using to measure how much silt is coming into the river presently,” Thibaut said, referring to drainage assessment. “This will tell us if we need to address the (silt) problems that have already occurred or do we need to address the discharges.”

Approximately $2.2 million in additional priority funding from the state Legislature will help fund several more expensive rehabilitative efforts included in the DNR plan, such as dredging the lake and using the sediment to build island/terraces, Thibaut said.

According to the DNR plan, the islands/terraces will improve wildlife habitat, control water temperature and reduce turbidity.

The additional funding will also fund the once controversial lake drawdown which involves lowering False River’s water level by 2 to 3 feet so sunlight can naturally breakup the sediment buildup and improve water quality, he said.

The drawdown will occur in 2014, Thibaut added.

“This is a good start,” Thibaut said. “But I think we’re going to need an ongoing management plan, too. I want to make sure future generations get to experience the same quality lake that has been there in the past.”

Comments

1) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 05/12/2012

It’s going to take about five years to get the undesirable species under control,” I wonder if this is what the Baton Rouge City Police also has in mind.

2) Comment by Springer98 - 04/12/2012

@free_market, The canals that were dredged & widened benefitted then State Senator J. E. Jumonville, more than anyone else, being that he owned the most land that was being drained by the work that was done. Before the dredging was done, the lake wouldn't get muddy (especially on the south end). It was good ole La. politics that was the main cause of the problem at False River. I doubt seriously that the politicians will be able to fix the problems, any time soon!

3) Comment by Username - 04/12/2012

This is great news, but what about the lakes at LSU. I read recently that they are in much need of re habitation as well. I would love to know what is being done to fix them.

4) Comment by free_market - 04/12/2012

I agree with you Tradewinns, sooner or later the Miss River is going to overwhelm the Old River Control Structure and change course down the Atchafalaya, which is what it wants to do. Can't fight Mother Nature. All the levees kept freshwater and sediment from building marsh, look where that got us.

5) Comment by tradewinns - 04/12/2012

free market: if man created the mess, man should correct their mistake. however we are constantly trying to "fix" nature's plan, like making the mississippi go where we want it to go. we can spend all the money we want, but sooner or later nature will win.

6) Comment by Mr. T - 04/12/2012

I thought this was supposed to be the Baton Rouge Press Club, not the New Roads Press Club.

7) Comment by free_market - 04/12/2012

Tradewinns, There was alot of work done in the surrounding area to improve drainage years ago. My family owns some land where the existing canals were widened and deepened a whole lot more than what seemed necessary. When that was done, all of the sediment drained into the lake. The only outlet is the lighthouse canal and the silt settled out before the lake could drain fast enough. The shell beds on either end of the lake silted over and the fishing has suffered greatly. Also, there is a whole lot more boat traffic on the lake and the wave action stirs up the shallows next to the bank. I'm not an environmentalist, but this was a man made problem. I grew up in New Roads and the fishing was fantastic until the drainage work. Would like to see the lake improved. It is a really good economic engine for the area.

8) Comment by tradewinns - 04/12/2012

where are all the environmentalist on this? the state is messing with the natural order of things.