DENHAM SPRINGS, LA – Developers of several new Livingston Parish subdivisions are celebrating their innovative approach to flood prevention after discovering that elevated lots work extremely well when all the water simply runs into older neighborhoods.
Residents living near newer developments say homes built several feet higher than surrounding properties have created drainage problems during heavy rain, leaving some longtime homeowners wondering how their yards officially became retention ponds.
“This is exactly what flood mitigation is supposed to do,” explained one developer. “The water isn’t flooding our houses. From our perspective, the system is performing flawlessly.”
Parish officials acknowledged the concerns but noted that solving the problem could be difficult because rain water continues to obey gravity.
Meanwhile, homeowners in older subdivisions have begun fighting back, ordering truckloads of dirt to raise their own properties.
Engineers warn that if the trend continues, Livingston Parish could enter a full-scale elevation arms race, with every neighborhood adding another three feet until Denham Springs becomes the highest point in Louisiana.
