BATON ROUGE (AP) - Gov. John Bel Edwards has created a Council on Watershed Management, aiming to adopt regional approaches to flood mitigation and drainage planning around Louisiana.

  

The council was created with an executive order Tuesday.

  

The Advocate reports that the governor described the goal as focusing scarce resources on reducing the level of floodwaters.

  

The council is composed of officials representing several state agencies who will partner with local governments, colleges, federal agencies, nonprofits and private organizations for more comprehensive floodplain management.

  

Edwards applauded Acadiana-area parish presidents for working through a regional planning commission after the 2016 flooding to divvy out $25 million in FEMA grants.

  

But that spirit of collaboration could be tested with billions more in federal disaster funds pending. It's unclear how much additional money will come to Louisiana.