WBRZ - Baton Rouge

VENTRESS - Pointe Coupee Parish residents living along the shore of False River are pressing parish officials to manage the oxbow lake's water levels after this month's weeklong heavy rainfall pushed floodwater onto their land.

But Parish Administrator Jim Bello tells The Advocate three gates controlling False River's water depth were opened on Jan. 6 and have remained open.

Bello said the rainfall - more than 10 inches - has overwhelmed the capacity to control the lake's level.

Frank Salario said the lake flooded the yards of all three waterfront homes he owns in Ventress. He said the water didn't get high enough to enter the homes.

Salario said he thinks the flooding could have been prevented if the Police Jury had had opened the gates before the stormy weather arrived.