Flood Mitigation - Town of Jean Lafitte

Know Your Flood Risk Get Flood Insurance Stay Safe Protect Your Home or Business Build Responsibly in a Floodplain Protect Natural Floodplain Functions Flood Smart FEMA

Important Links:

Flood Smart

FEMA – Disaster Assistance

In our coastal community, flooding is often a concern. The Town of Jean Lafitte is susceptible to high tides, tropical storms and hurricanes. Floodwaters can quickly cover main roads and highways during storm events, often preventing evacuations and rescues. It is vitally important for citizens to be well informed and take preventative actions.

During the last decade, Lafitte has experienced four major storms in varying degrees. We have proven that we are a resilient people, but we also know that as we rebuild, there is always room for improvement. This page is designed to inform residents on the many ways we can better prepare our families and our property in the event of a flood.

We also have the following documents at the local library to provide information about flood protection. They are available to the public at 4917 City Park Drive, Lafitte, LA.

1. Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, FEMA-347 (2000)
2. Answers to Questions About the National Flood Insurance Program, F-084 (2011)
3. Coastal Construction Manual, FEMA-P-55, (2011)
4. Elevated Residential Structures, FEMA-54 (1984)
5. Protecting Manufactured Homes from Floods and Other Hazards, FEMA P-85 (2009)
6. Mitigation of Flood and Erosion Damage to Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas, FEMA- 257 (1994)
7. Protecting Building Utilities From Flood Damage, FEMA-P-348 (1999)
8. Protecting Floodplain Resources, FEMA-268 (1996)
9. Reducing Damage from Localized Flooding, FEMA 511 (2005)

Additionally, the following locally pertinent Documents are available:

1. Flood Insurance Study (Jefferson Parish and Incorporated Areas) (2018)
2. Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (2015)
3. Louisiana Homeowners Handbook to prepare for Natural Hazards (2014)
4. Program for Public Information (2015)
5. Storm Water Management Plan (2016)
6. Flood Damage Prevention Ordinances
7. The 2018 Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panels
8. Resilient Jean Lafitte: Flood Preparedness Tool Kit
9. Resilient Jean Lafitte: A Flood Emergency Preparedness Plan
10.Louisiana Homeowners Handbook to prepare for Natural Disasters

Flood Protection Documents:

Digital copies of all listed documents are available on at:https://www.jplibrary.net/flood

Per The Community Rating System (CRS) requirements, the Town of Jean Lafitte updates the following reports each year:

Repetitive Loss Area Analysis for the Town of Jean Lafitte

Annual Evaluation Report

2024 Annual Evaluation Report

Hazard Mitigation Plan Complete

Flood Prevention Ordinance Amendment

ORDINANCE #497

There are a number of actions that can be taken to prepare and prevent damage caused by flooding in our community

PREVENTATIVE – zoning, building codes, and other developmental regulations.
PROPERTY PROTECTION – relocation out of harm’s way, retrofitting buildings, insurance
EMERGENCY SERVICES – warning, sandbagging, evacuation
FLOOD CONTROL – levees, stormwater management, drainage improvements
PUBLIC INFORMATION – outreach projects, technical assistance to property owners

The Floodplain Management and Hazard Mitigation Department strives to lessen the risk of flooding and implement long-term actions now to reduce the loss of life and property from the impacts of future disasters in the Town of Jean Lafitte.

We provide the following services: