HLS 22RS-4807 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 181
BY REPRESENTATIVE MINCEY
FLOODING/CONTROL: Urges and requests the office of community development to work
with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative to create an independent watershed region
for the Amite River Basin
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the office of community development to work with the Louisiana
3 Watershed Initiative to create an independent watershed region for the Amite River
4 Basin.
5 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana created the Amite River Basin Drainage and
6Water Conservation District by Act No. 896 of the 1981 Regular Session of the Legislature
7to function as the floodplain manager and coordinator of flood risk reduction in the basin;
8and
9 WHEREAS, the Amite River Basin is comprised of the parishes of Ascension, East
10Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, and St. James; and
11 WHEREAS, all of these parishes were declared disaster areas in 2016; and
12 WHEREAS, the Amite River Basin includes the most populous parish in the state
13and two of the fastest growing parishes in Louisiana; and
14 WHEREAS, the region includes three of the most impacted parishes in all of the
152016 floods, one of these parishes experienced three presidential disaster declarations within
16an eleven month span; and
17 WHEREAS, building on an early investigation into innovative solutions, Governor
18John Bel Edwards launched the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI), governed by the
19Council on Watershed Management, to reform the state's approach to flood mitigation; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 22RS-4807 ENGROSSED
HR NO. 181
1 WHEREAS, the LWI is pursuing a holistic approach to watershed management, one
2that goes beyond conventional mitigation measures and incorporates nature-based solutions;
3and
4 WHEREAS, it is important that a system of management be developed for the
5various watersheds in the state of Louisiana; and
6 WHEREAS, the LWI currently has eight watershed regions; and
7 WHEREAS, the most significant impact of the great floods of 2016 was within the
8Amite River Basin, and it is imperative to move forward with management of the Amite
9River Basin before the next flood event; and
10 WHEREAS, the Amite River Basin is currently located in region seven along with
11several other parishes that are not within the basin; and
12 WHEREAS, by virtue of flood risk, present and future project development, prolific
13data analysis, and watershed-based governance, the Amite River Basin must exist as its own
14region within the Watershed Initiative.
15 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
16Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the office of community development
17to work with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative to create an independent watershed region
18for the Amite River Basin.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
20executive director of the office of community development and the regional watershed
21coordinator for region seven of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 181 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Mincey
Urges and requests the office of community development to work with the La. Watershed
Initiative to create an independent watershed region for the Amite River Basin.
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