The Bogue Falaya River in Covington is part scenic river, part navigable waterway. The confusion about how much of the river can be dredged, or should be dredged, has been answered by Kay Morse, a lifelong Covington resident who presented an e-mail from the Corps of Engineers to the Covington City Council recently.

From its headwaters to Louisiana Highway 437, it is a designated “Natural Scenic River,” meaning that it cannot be dredged and should be left to nature. However, from La. 437 to the confluence with the Tchefuncte River, it is a federally authorized navigation channel.

According to the e-mail from John Hall, U.S. Corps of Engineers public affairs office, “The Corps is authorized to maintain an 8-foot depth over an unspecified bottom width” in the navigation channel.

The Bogue Falaya River at Columbia Landing is not a part of the Natural Scenic River, and could be dredged to an 8-foot depth. The horizontal sandbar in the middle of the river is only about a foot below the present water line, a bit deeper than usual because of summer showers. Residents say that on some days, one can almost walk across the river without getting wet. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

Local residents, including former City Council President Pat Clanton, are eager to get the river dredged.

“It’s important we address this and save our river,” Clanton said. “Dredging where we can could provide great recreation for us and for visitors.”

Sandbars have built up in the river, and boat motors are being ruined by the sludge and debris. In addition, the river is unable to handle all the rain runoff, and as a result, areas are flooding that have not flooded in the past. Morse said 1962 was the last year the river was unsnagged, and “it is why we are flooding, and the river is getting shallow. Some days you can walk across without getting your feet wet. We must do something,” she said.

Clanton agreed.

“It is filling up with sand and silt. We need to take care of it,” she said.

The question of river unsnagging and dredging has risen because the Natural Resource Conservation Service will be removing storm debris created by Hurricane Katrina from both the Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte rivers, including the Scenic River areas.

The rivers will not be unsnagged, and only black logs determined to be a direct result of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita can be removed. In addition, monitors will be on hand on the river as debris is removed. All work will be done on the river, not from the banks or private property surrounding the river.

The area around Bogue Falaya Park is not part of the Scenic River area and could be dredged and unsnagged. Morse said when she was young in the 1950’s, and when her children were growing up in the 1960’s, Bogue Falaya Park had a lifeguard and residents used the park as a daily source of recreation during the summer. This included swimming and picnics.

To spur action on the dredging request, Morse started a petition. She has distributed it in several places around Covington, and the City Council members also have petitions to be signed. The deadline for signing the petition was Monday, and Morse said she had 1,000 signatures the City Council can forward to the proper authorities to help get the river dredged.

“It’s our river. If we don’t take care of it, we’re going to lose it,” Morse said. “All through Betsy, Camille and other hurricanes, there was never any problem with water (flooding homes),” she said. Now Covington has problems with even thunderstorms draining off, partly due to the build up in the Bogue Falaya, she said.

Morse gathered the petition signatures in order to show authorities the public is serious and concerned about the river. Local resident and attorney John Dubreuil said the entire situation can be a win, win for local residents.

If sand is dredged, it could be used to build up the eroded beach area in Bogue Falaya Park. The increased depth will increase water flow and drainage to the city, allowing for runoff from upstream to progress quickly through the city and decrease pollution, he said.

The beach area would provide a recreation area, and the built-up banks would help prevent flooding in the park. In addition, Morse has said miscellaneous debris, including branches, refrigerators and general dumping into the river, would be cleaned up and stopped, eliminating a multitude of problems.