Man builds his own mini levee to protect home

Stafford Barnett in Lafayette built a barrier around his home to try to keep it from flooding again.

"I'm thoroughly prepared," he joked. 

But he really is.

By Friday, he was buying vinyl pipe from a store in Rayne — the same quarter-mile-long rolls that are used by farmers for irrigation — to create a water barrier around his 9-year-old home. 

He spent about $600 on materials and $250 on small pumps, buying an extra just in case.

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Of course he was thinking of last August's 1,000-year flood. One inch of rain entered his home on Chevalier Boulevard twice during that event.

That caused $190,000 worth of damage, not including contents, Barnett said, and displaced his young family of four until January. 

So this time he was going to be proactive. That's why he has a 15-inch white plastic pipe surrounding his house. It is filled with water that can be released at any time and serves as a miniature levee against potential floodwater.

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He's quick to point out that, according to the manufacturer, these materials are "most certainly not designed to do this," but there are similar items on the market, like AquaDams.

Barnett said several have contacted him so they can make their own. He was happy to share.

He said some have told him to patent it, but he doesn't plan on it.

"I'd rather just show people how to do it," Barnett said.