New Orleans West Bank 
Location
City, County, and State of the levee system. Determined by the
levee alignment location not the leveed area.
Marrero, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
System ID
Unique identifier code for the levee system using 10 or 12 numbers
in length.
4405000557
Operation and Maintenance Organization
Entity responsible for day-to-day management of the levee.
Plaquemines Levee DistrictSoutheast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority - West
Floodplain Management
Entities responsible for regulating activities that occur in
areas prone to flooding.
FEMA Region 6
Oversight Organization
Entity responsible for oversight of the levee and ensuring it
is maintained.
USACE - New Orleans District
Last Assesment Date
Last Risk Assessment or Formal Inspection.
5/9/2018
Data Last Updated
Date any of this information for the system has been updated.
2/13/2025
Levee Length
Combine length of all the levee system features including the
embankments, floodwalls, closures where they exist for this
system.
110.122 Miles Average Levee Height
The average height of the levee system. The levee profile viewer
on the mapping window will show the actual levee height values
for the length of the levee if available.
17 Feet Year Levee Constructed Year levee system was fully completed as a flood reduction
project.
No Data Summary
General text description of the levee system with a
summary of why the levee is there, and the benefits it
provides.
The New Orleans West Bank Levee System is approximately 115 miles and is made up of Mississippi River Levees (MRL) and the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). The MRL was federally funded and constructed. The MRL is locally operated and maintained; however, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has major maintenance responsibility. The HSDRRS is 100% locally operated and maintained. The HSDRRS levees were federally constructed but cost share funded. The Levee System is made up of 10 segments extending through 4 different parishes and maintained by 5 different levee districts. The system totals approximately 93 miles of levees and 22 miles of floodwalls. USACE began to construct the MRL in 1927, while the HSDRRS levees began construction anywhere from 1960’s to the 1980’s. The new HSDRRS levees were completed to 100-year risk reduction in 2011. The highest loading for a riverine event took place in 1927 and for a hurricane event was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The leveed area has an estimated population of 246,048 and total assets valued at $41.1 billion.
Performance & Condition
General text description of the historical and
anticipated performance of the levee, the people and
property benefitting from the levee and who may be at
risk of flooding, and actions to address areas of
concern.
The New Orleans West Bank Levee System is classified as Moderate to High risk due to the high consequences associated with the system in combination with the likelihood of overtopping or breach. Risks are driven by the fact that, if overtopped or breached, both commercial and residential areas in St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, and Plaquemines parishes would be inundated with water. Another risk driver of the levee system is a breach prior to overtopping due to the lack of armoring. Armoring for all of the HSDRRS levees with High Performance Turf Reinforcement Mats are currently being installed to add resiliency to the levees. The system is designed to reduce the risk associated with a storm surge event that has a one-percent chance of occurring every year, or a 100-year storm surge. All 100-year risk reduction features were completed in 2011. The levees are in good condition and expected to perform well under future loads.
Flooding Hazard
Historic Loading by Percentage of Height
Representative loading associated with historical
flood information as a percentage of the levee height
or overtopping.
Representative loading associated with historical
flood information as a percentage of the levee height
or overtopping.
No historic loading data available at this time