State and local officials gathered today at the Bossier Sheriff’s substation on Viking Drive in Bossier City to exchange information and examine flooding concerns in the area. After that meeting, Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington said the area is faring well, provided an excessive amount of additional rain does not fall.
“If everything holds like they predict with the Red River, Dorcheat, Bodcau, Flat River, we don’t need anymore rain, but we’re going to be good,” Whittington said.
He added officials do not anticipate mass flooding, and there is no immediate need for anyone to evacuate. He said they continue to monitor rural areas in south Bossier Parish that are prone to flooding.
Pam Glorioso, Bossier City Chief Administrative officer, said Bossier City was taking precautions as well.
“We are being proactive doing everything we do to shore up the Red Chute Bayou area,” she said. “We will be working diligently on that tomorrow. We’ve done everything within the city to ensure we don’t have flooding within the city. If we don’t have the rains, we won’t have the problems.”
Bossier Parish Police Jury President Glenn Benton said sandbags still are available to residents. He said parish employees were taking advantage of some good weather to shore up areas near Dogwood on Red Chute Bayou.
“Two inches of rain we can handle, but if six inches of rain hit that reservoir, then we’re going to be in a flood fight.”
Whittington praised the National Weather service for providing accurate forecast to help officials predict and prepare for problems.
“I want to give an ‘attaboy’ to the Weather Service,” he said. “They took it on the chin a couple of years ago when they kept being wrong, but this time they got it right.”
