Bayou Saint John Conservation Alliance

The Bayou Saint John Conservation Alliance is a coalition of 20 organizations who share a common interest in the health of Bayou Saint John, an historic and natural resource to the city of New Orleans.

Mission
To improve the ecology and the recreational opportunities on Bayou Saint John.

In 2006, when water levels in Bayou Saint John dropped suddenly exposing tires, shopping carts, and drowned cars, those living in the surrounding area grew concerned. The bayou, which has had settlements on its banks since before New Orleans was founded, runs four miles through the heart of the city. As eerie and unpleasant things continued to surface and waters receded, neighborhood association member, Robert Counce, decided to do some investigating. “I live on the bayou and I don’t like seeing this nasty stuff on the bottom that started to show up,” Counce explains, “so I began to dig.”

He discovered that one of the bayou’s drains had been left open by accident. The bayou’s drains have to be opened and closed manually by New Orleans Sewage and Water Board upon request from the Orleans Levee District, which is often necessary after heavy rains. A lack of a clear management plan for the bayou, and little maintenance of flood control features had led to an ever-degrading state of the bayou. This prompted Counce and members of other neighboring groups to come together and in late 2008 the Bayou Saint John Conservation Alliance (BSJCA) was formed.

Banning Together
The BSJCA is made up of an array of organizations comprised of neighborhood associations, churches, museums, and schools. Members also include Friends of Lafitte Corridor and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. In December 2008, when the Army Corp of Engineers proposed the construction of a levee across the mouth of the bayou, BSJCA came together and as Counce described, “stomped our feet and pushed back.” The plans for the levee were abandoned. “We all got together and said lets show this guy (a state attorney) that we care about the bayou, we don’t want a levee built, lets ban together.”

Together the BSJCA hopes to improve the ecology of the bayou and its banks by creating a flow of water in the bayou, which is currently stagnant. The idea is that if two of the bayou’s drains are converting into weirs (mechanisms that would let the water drain on its own when levels got too high), then one or more of the sluice gates at the lakefront could be opened. The resulting current would improve that water quality and the habitat for aquatic organisms.

On July 10th, 2009, efforts fronted by Louisiana State Senator Edwin R. Murray came to fruition when a capital outlay bill was signed in Baton Rouge. The bill will effectively appropriate $250,000 to the Orleans Levee District for Bayou Saint John related activities, including a study that will determined if the weirs will be effective enough to prevent flooding while the sluice gates are open. If such a study shows that this is possible the health of the bayou could improve enough to support fishing and the other actives. “The bayou belongs to everyone in the city,” says Counce, “and the opportunities to improve the quality of life are dramatic.” While flood prevention remains a top priority, the BSJCA believes that Bayou Saint John is worth saving and caring for.

The Importance of Partnerships
“We would not have gotten anyone’s attention if we had not banned together, the 20 rather disparate groups of churches, schools and neighborhood organizations. There is power in numbers. If you are going to make noise, its better to have the New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park, Bancroft Park Civic Association, and all the other members.” -Robert Counce

Plans for the Future

• The installation of four water quality control stations in the bayou
• Symposiums and lectures series on the Bayou
• Removal of obsolete structures, such as the “Waterfall Dam”, which obstruct water flow
• The creation of a operations and maintenance manual for the bayou
• Restoring native plants and aquatic organism populations, including stocking the bayou with fish
• Education programs involving water quality monitoring by school children
• The restoration of Fort Saint John
• Obtaining 501c3 status

Website: Bayou Saint John Conservation Alliance

Contact Information:
Robert Counce
Email address: bsjca@cox.net

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 820134
New Orleans, LA 70182