Clearing the rivers

About 480 cubic yards of hurricane-related debris has been removed from the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte rivers as part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service-USDA Emergency Watershed Protection program.

The nearly $400,000 project is being financed by the federal government at no cost to the city of Covington or St. Tammany Parish.

At a public hearing in March, the nature of the project was explained to area residents, many of whom were disappointed because it would not mean dredging the river or removing black logs. Instead, the debris removed from the Scenic River areas of the rivers must be the direct result of either hurricanes Katrina or Rita. Neither debris near the river that is still alive nor black logs can be cleared.

Three Fold Consultants, LLC, of New Orleans is performing the work. Project manager Kerry Stafford said that of the debris removed, about 20-30 truckloads is still left and will be removed in the next two weeks.

While work has progressed despite weather and related surges in river levels, not much manmade debris has been removed. A bicycle was wrapped in vegetation, but no white debris, refrigerators or appliances, have been found.

The procedure is quite involved. A barge equipped with a small backhoe loader goes onto the river, pushed by a flatboat. The backhoe is used to grab the debris, and it is loaded onto the barge. When the barge is full, it is pushed to shore where the debris is off-loaded and then loaded onto a truck for removal.

The public boat launch at the end of East 3rd and East 4th avenues and Water Street in Covington has served as the launch and recover center for the project thus far.

The present section of the Bogue Falaya was expected to be finished Monday. A local favorite fishing spot, Horseshoe Bayou will be one of the last places cleaned.

There are reports of complaints to city officials by neighbors that boaters are parking on East 3rd and East 4th avenues in front of houses, blocking driveways and fire hydrants because of limited parking at the boat launch. Tickets will be issued by Covington Police Department to vehicles impeding traffic or parked illegally, including blocking fire hydrants and driveways.

Nearby residents have noticed debris floating on the river that is apparently too small for the backhoe to load onto the barge. Priscilla Morse, a Riverbend area resident, said. Neighbors hope the cleanup will help, although black logs will remain.

“We’ve been to the boat launch and can see that they are working non-stop,” she said.