The St. Mary Levee District (SMLD) was created by Act No. 259 of the 2007 Louisiana Legislature. It was created in response to a request of federal officials to have one primary voice for river and surge flood control works in the parish.

Improving the levee system in St. Mary Parish to 100-year event status will not happen immediately. It will take years.

We have Multiple Flood Threats—
- Riverine ( Atchafalaya River and Lake Verret Watershed)
- Storm Surge
- Backwater from Riverine and Surge Events
- Stormwater (rain)



Miles of Levee—126 existing
- Amelia—5.1 miles
- Morgan City—23.2 miles
- Berwick to Calumet—30.7 miles
- West of Calumet—67.1 miles

Value of Property Protected by Levee System: $4 Billion

Our Mission

The St Mary Levee District is charged with the responsibility to maintain and operate a system of levees that protect the people and property of the parish from damages of high waters of the Atchafalaya River; to direct activities which will dissipate the threat of high water and flood damages from rivers and streams; and to furnish the local cooperation required for flood control and drainage projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.