A ceremonial groundbreaking event was held earlier this week to kick off the dredging project of New River Bayou from its juncture at Bayou Grand Goudine to the weir east of the City of Gonzales.
The project is expected to boost drainage and flood relief for a large part of the east bank of Ascension Parish.
Among the dignitaries attending were: Ascension Parish Assessor Mert Smiley, Gonzales Mayor Barney Arceneaux, project engineer H. Davis Cole, Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment, Councilman Chase Melancon, state Sen. Ed Price, Kathryn Goppelt representing state Rep. Kathy Edmonston, Tommy Martinez representing U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, Joe Sevario representing the Ponchartrain Levee Board, and Ascension Parish Drainage Manager Ron Savoy.