Flood Preparedness Information

Jefferson Parish has a unique relationship with water. From Lake Pontchartrain down to the Gulf of Mexico and everywhere in between, bodies of water are interwoven throughout the parish.

Jefferson Parish uses drainage canals and pumping stations to remove stormwater quickly to protect you from flooding. Our urban areas are surrounded with miles of levees to keep storm surge out. Investments in infrastructure help us feel confident that floodwaters are not going to affect many residents; however, despite our investments, there are still high-risk flood areas mixed in with low-risk flood areas as depicted on the newly updated Flood Insurance Rate Map by FEMA.

Residents are encouraged to be optimistic, but prepared. No one protection measure is foolproof. Drainage canals can become overwhelmed when too much rain falls too quickly and flood waters do not respect the boundaries on a Flood Insurance Rate Map.

Weather events are becoming stronger and more frequent. Despite our optimism, the flooding events Louisiana experienced in 2016 prove that all residents need to prepare for the unexpected.