Client: PEC., Inc.
Location: St. Tammany Parish, LA
Providence is providing professional services to investigate the existing drainage patterns, identify drainage problems, and evaluate potential solutions in the Pruden Creek watershed as a subconsultant to PEC, Inc. Providence’s scope of work includes a preliminary investigation, hydraulic modeling, applicable draft and final reports, and recommendations to address the inundation occurring in the Pruden Creek watershed east of Lake Ramsey.
Providence is building the Pruden Creek watershed model using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering (USACE) Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) 6.5 modeling program. Completed tasks include collecting past flood studies, gathering current hydraulic models and existing survey data from St. Tammany Parish and Drainage District personnel, the LDOTD, USACE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to establish an accurate project baseline, and a site visit to ensure that previous data incorporated within the existing model is consistent with existing conditions.
Tasks in progress include the final development of a hydraulic model of the major drainage structures and drainage ways within the project area – designed to simulate statistical rainstorm events corresponding to the 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year storm frequencies. The model will offer a detailed analysis of the water movement and accumulation during significant storm events by routing flows and stages through the primary waterways and water bodies within the St. Tammany Parish. Providence is incorporating hydrologic and hydraulic parameters to accurately represent the impact(s) of residential developments within the watershed. The outcomes will identify culverts and ditches within the system that are undersized and points of vulnerability requiring enhancements to mitigate flood risks.
Once modeling is final, Providence will prepare a comprehensive report that outlines the methodologies, approaches, and assumptions applied throughout the modeling phase. The draft report will provide an in-depth analysis of the current conditions across various rainstorm scenarios and offer recommendations and estimated costs for enhancing drainage solutions. Following the submittal of the draft report and preliminary construction costs, Providence will revise the report and preliminary construction cost estimates to address any comments from St. Tammany Parish or PEC.