SORRENTO — Ascension Parish is making sure their flood prevention infrastructure is fully prepared and maintained before Francine makes landfall.

The Marvin Braud pumping station is the largest of the three pumping stations in the parish. The pumping stations push water out of low-lying areas and keep water levels under control.

Public Works Director Ron Savoy said the pumping stations can minimize flooding as much as possible.

"Right now, we're holding back 18 inches of water just by closing the floodgates at Marvin Braud. We're maintaining those upstream elevations by that pump being turned on and drawing it down to those normal safe elevations," Savoy said.

He said certain areas could feel the impacts from the West Shore Levee depending on how severe this storm is.

"On the very southeastern end of Ascension, they are subject to backwater from the Blind River and Bayou Conway. There are some areas in the southern end of the parish that are acceptable to the tide of some backwater flow," Savoy said. "Yes, there would be some impacts there but however we do have some protective measures."

In 2022, the Marvin Braud pumping station caught on fire. Savoy said they fixed the problem, recovered from the incident, the station is in working condition and will continue to work during the tropical storm.

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