BATON ROUGE - The Amite River Basin Commission is developing a new master plan for the region. The aim is to monitor flood control and manage projects within the Amite River Basin Conservation District more efficiently.

"Our master plan is the first effort ever to take a comprehensive view of the entire Amite River Basin while also gathering input from the capital region to determine how we can better protect homes and structures than has ever been done before," Paul Sawyer, executive director of ARBC, said.

The commission's master plan includes reviews of both new and existing projects and a strategy to direct streams to drain into the Amite River. The concept is for the projects to function cooperatively, similar to how a traffic overhaul might operate.

"You can't just build one project and expect traffic to disappear. You have to develop projects and measures throughout the entire system. The same applies to floodwaters," he explained.

New initiatives like the Amite River Sediment Removal Plan and the long-standing Comite Diversion Canal Project would not overlap but rather complement each other to facilitate draining in multiple areas and reduce clogs.

"If they all work together, the flood risk should decrease significantly, but most importantly, upper Amite retention alleviates a lot of pressure on the lower part of the basin, allowing it to operate more effectively," he stated.

The plan encompasses these two projects and several others designed to lower floodwaters in the basin's seven parishes and enable water to reach Lake Maurepas.

"This way, you allow the lower part of the basin to evacuate into Lake Maurepas, creating space for the rest of the basin to flow in. Why is that important? We saw in 2016 how desperately it wanted to enter Lake Maurepas as soon as possible," he added.

The plan also allows for reevaluation every five years to modify or remove projects as necessary, requiring cooperation from every parish affected by the basin.

"I think it's crucial for everyone around the basin, across the capital region, to know that their parish president, responsible for them and their respective areas, is considering the broader basin," Sawyer noted.

The master plan is not finalized, as the commission intends to present it to the legislature in April. Sawyer also informed WBRZ that, barring any last-minute issues, the Comite Diversion should be completed within three to four years.