Young’s Coulee floodgate proposal: written comments due October 19

The Vermilion Parish Police Jury is taking written comments through October 19 on a proposed Young’s Coulee flood-control project while it examines floodplain and possible wetland effects, according to its September 30 public notice. Comments must be received on or before October 19; the notice does not specify a cutoff hour.

Vermilion Boom graphic based on the Police Jury’s September 30, 2026, public notice. It illustrates the comment deadline, not the gates’ locations or design.

The Police Jury proposes flood gates at two locations along Young’s Coulee, in the Abbeville and Erath area. It says the gates are intended to reduce reverse-flow flooding while maintaining normal drainage. The notice describes structures supported by earthen levees, but gives no construction date or finding that the design will achieve those aims. This is an early review of a proposed action under a disaster-recovery mitigation program, not a construction announcement.

The notice invites people affected by floodplain or wetland activity, and anyone concerned with the natural environment, to offer information about the area. It specifically asks for alternatives outside the floodplain, different ways to meet the project’s purpose, and ways to reduce or offset impacts. The Police Jury says it will take no action before the comment deadline.

How to comment or read the proposal

• Email: The September 30 notice names two recipients for email comments: consultant Kristi Baumgardner at kristi@minvielleandassociates.com and Parish Administrator Keith Roy at administrator@vppj.org. Send the same written comment to both addresses to follow the notice’s stated route.
• Mail or delivery: Address written comments to Parish Administrator Keith Roy, Vermilion Parish Police Jury, 100 North State Street, Suite 200, Abbeville, LA 70510. They must be received by October 19; mailing by that date alone may not meet the notice’s requirement.
• Review the project description: The notice says a full description is available at the Police Jury Administrative Office, at the address above, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those are review hours, not a stated comment cutoff. The Police Jury’s administration page lists the general office phone as 337-898-4300.

The September 16 Police Jury minutes published September 23 say jurors approved a committee recommendation to apply for a fiscal 2027 Parish Matching Program grant for Young’s Coulee. An application is not an award. This new comment period concerns the floodplain and possible wetland impacts of the proposed gates, rather than a decision on that grant request.

Sources: Police Jury’s September 30 public notice; Police Jury’s September 16 minutes, published September 23; Police Jury administration page; HUD’s floodplain and wetlands rule index. All accessed October 1, 2026.