Letter: EBR drainage plans wrong approach

• Published: Nov 7, 2009 - Page: 9B

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I will support the bond issue because I believe we need to improve the parish’s infrastructure; I am also hopeful that the Alive project will be an educational, environmental and creative addition to the city.

I was, however, very concerned about the description of the proposed drainage work by the spokesmen for both the engineering firm and the Department of Public Works. Widening and concreting channels to sluice more polluted water quickly downstream is what we’ve always done … they are straightening channels that are our creeks, rivers and bayous, not drainage ditches. Ultimately, this doesn’t work.

Better, more efficient and more productive ways to deal with storm water that will also protect residents and their property involve slowing the flow, allowing plants to clean the water and releasing a reduced amount of cleaner water downstream. This is equally safe and better for the watershed in the long run.

Storm water management will always be a challenge in this parish, but just as Alive is being touted as bringing us into the 21st century, surely we shouldn’t settle for drainage work that looks back to the mid-20th century.

Mary Ann Sternberg
freelance writer
Baton Rouge