The August 2016 Baton Rouge Louisiana Flood: Context and Challenges
Bob Jacobsen, P.E., President, Bob Jacobsen, P.E., LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Matrix is located on the 8th floor of Barrows Hall, on the UC Berkeley campus, near Telegraph and Bancroft Avenues, just up the hill from Sather Gate. There are entrances at both ends of the building, but only one of the elevators on the eastern side goes directly to the 8th floor. You can alternatively take the stairs to the 7th floor and walk up the stairs.
Bob Jacobsen, a professional engineer with over 35 years of experience addressing complex water resource challenges in south Louisiana, will speak on the August 2016 flood, when extreme three-day regional rainfall resulted in catastrophic flooding across several south-central Louisiana parishes.
Flood damages have been estimated to be among the top five worst in the nation’s history. The Baton Rouge metropolitan area—which lies in the Amite River Basin—was especially hard hit. In addition to some quick facts about the August 2016 Flood, the history of flood risk management in the Amite River Basin will be briefly reviewed.
The challenges of regional flood risk mitigation will then be discussed. A key challenge is assisting the public in a fuller appreciation of their flood risk than typically supported under the National Flood Insurance Program. Finally, key steps toward meeting these challenges will be outlined. Sponsored by the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management.