Rising water and erosion threatens levee problems in East Carroll Parish

Thousands of acres of land are on the verge of being damaged if something isn't done to stop rising water and erosion.

So, Fifth Louisiana levee board president Reynold Minsky is pleading for help.

"If we let this continue for another ten years, we're going to lose a levee," said Minksy.

Minsky says the bank is caving in on the river in East Carroll Parish and it's only been getting worse.

"In the last 20 years, the landowners probably lost about 50 acres of land," Minsky said.

He says something needs to be done before more land is lost, and the US Corps of Engineers can make that happen. A part of the Corps' mission is to reduce risks from disasters.

"I have continuously asked the corp for support and help to try to get some bank stabilization and I always get the runaround," Minsky said.

He called in Congressman Ralph Abraham to see the damage for himself.

"On the other side, Mississippi has gotten stabilization on their bank, I want stabilization on the Louisiana side," said Abraham.

Minsky says Abraham can get the funding needed to avoid another levee breach.

"If this continues to happen and it gets to the main levee, then you could have a breach like we had in 2011,” said Abraham. “Twelve thousand acres of farmland under water up to 20 feet."

Abraham says not only farmers are affected.

"...all the ancillary services that farmers depend on and that depend on the farmers such as the trucking industry, the fuel industry, the airplane industry...," Abraham said. "Money spent here wisely will save tens of million of millions of dollars down the road," Abraham said.

Saving money for Louisiana is a top priority.

The levee project hasn't been authorized yet, so Congressman Abraham says a cost hasn't been determined.