Yard drainage in Broussard, Louisiana
Drainage help for Broussard's older streets and fast-growing neighborhoods along U.S. 90.
Broussard sits about seven miles southeast of Lafayette along U.S. 90, with most of the city in Lafayette Parish and a small eastern part in St. Martin Parish. It began as the community of Côte Gelée, became a city in 2002, and had 13,417 residents in 2020, up from 8,197 in 2010.
Coulee Fortune and city drainage
Broussard has made drainage a priority since the 2016 floods. KATC reported on what city officials called the most aggressive drainage project Broussard had ever taken on: clearing and improving a four-mile stretch of Coulee Fortune, also called Cypress Bayou, from Bayou Tortue south past U.S. 90. Its drainage area covers about 2,470 acres, with roughly 1,110 homes and 200 businesses. The city also keeps a full-time crew on the coulee and drainage system.
Know which parish you're in
Because the city spans two parishes, check whether your address falls under Lafayette or St. Martin Parish rules for floodplain and permit questions, in addition to Broussard's own requirements.
Common jobs
- Driveway culvert and ditch fixes on older streets
- French drains in low back yards
- Downspout lines and catch basins on newer homes
- Regrading where additions or slabs blocked old drainage paths
Common questions
Is all of Broussard in Lafayette Parish?
Most of it. A small eastern section is in St. Martin Parish, so confirm which parish your address is in.
Who maintains Coulee Fortune?
The City of Broussard has a crew assigned to the coulee and drainage system. Report problems to city hall.
Services in Broussard
- French drainsGravel-and-pipe trenches that drain soggy low spots and saturated side yards.
- Downspout drain linesBuried solid pipe that carries roof water away from the slab to the street or a ditch.
- Yard grading and swalesReshape a flat yard so surface water has a slope to follow to the street or a ditch.
- Catch basins and channel drainsGrated drains that pick up water at patios, driveways and low corners of the yard.
- Driveway culverts and ditchesKeep roadside ditches and the pipe under your driveway moving in neighborhoods without curbs.
Nearby areas
Yard still under water a day after the storm?
Call and a local drainage contractor will help you work out where the water should be going instead.