Pop Quiz: Who’s at fault for parish-wide flooding?

A. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

B. Politicians

C. The people

The parish is drowning and someone’s to blame, right?

Years ago a ring levee was built to keep the water out of our parish. They then decided to build a multimillion dollar pumping station to pump out any accumulated water sitting in our, now bowl of a parish. Just recently, the politicians asked for more tax money to create something new, but they fail to maintain what we have.

We, the people, think the politicians and Corps/government will take care of us, so we don’t get involved until something happens, and all we do is complain about the situation.

Have you noticed more standing water over the past couple of years? It’s my understanding that several years ago, the Corps allowed the multimillion-dollar pump to be turned on whether there was gravity flow or not. Of course, this action took place as long as the clogged waterways and dilapidated weir structures would allow the water to flow to the pumping station.

Now, as I’m told by the Corps, the pumping station won’t help as long as there is gravity flow? What do you think? If that’s the case, why did we spend the money to put in the pumps? Why not put in more gates for gravity flow? What happened to common sense? My common sense tells me that if you turn on the pumps, the water level would go down, gravity flow or not. What does your’s say?

Politicians say it’s the Corps’ decision and will start the pumps when the water starts to recede, or no longer flows on its own. We also have a parish weir stopped up that is prohibiting the gravity flow. I’ve contacted the Corps office, our U.S. politicians and local politicians and everyone wants to point the finger — go figure.

We, the people complain, but after the water recedes, we forget. The Corps is happy, the politicians are happy and we the people clean up our properties and lose again.

Not getting involved as a people has cost us not only locally, but nationally. It’s easily forgotten that the Corps and the politicians work for the people! The people do not work for them.

By the lack of involvement by us, this statement has changed to the mindset of the people work for the politicians and don’t you forget it. They are in control. Have you talked to politicians in public lately?

The answer to the pop quiz — (c) The people.

Now, what is the solution?

 

Tommy and Sheila Lanius

residents of Horseshoe Lake, Monterey