Residents of St. Charles Parish have a reason to look forward to an imminent transformation as the community kicked off the groundbreaking of a significant $10 million drainage improvement project. According to information from the St. Charles Parish press release, the celebration took place on December 9, 2025, marking the beginning of the CN Railroad Culverts Project, a development designed to enhance water flow and combat the long-standing flooding issues in the Ormond area.
Enduring more than four decades of inadequate drainage capacity, which has seen detrimental floodwaters besieging homes and local businesses, the project presents a beacon of hope. St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell underscored the gravity of the situation. "Destrehan residents have dealt with flooding for far too long," he told the St. Charles Parish officials. "Our administration is tackling this issue head-on," expressing the commitment to moving forward with the work. The project was set in motion through the procurement of substantial grant funding, which covers over sixty percent of its total cost.
Specifically, three 60-inch culverts will be put into place using innovative Jack and Bore methods, and two additional 54-inch culverts will be installed in another section within the project's scope. This enhancement is expected to significantly improve the flow of water to the recently upgraded Destrehan No. 2 Pump Station and provide relief to the area during intense rainfalls.
The federal Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program and the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Design Support Program, administered by the Office of Community Development, have provided a hefty $6,314,616 toward the endeavor. Local funding will handle the rest of the construction costs. The contract for the project was secured by BLD Services, LLC with Barowka and Bonura Engineers and Consultants, LLC offering their technical expertise in engineering. As per the St. Charles Parish announcement, the commencement of construction is on the horizon with the anticipated duration of around twelve months before its completion.
