St. Martinville, La. (KLFY) – Acadiana experienced historic flooding just a few weeks ago, and since then the Cajun Navy has continued to rescue many residents from their flooded homes.

The surrounding bayous are not still not draining, according to Doug Bienvenue with the Cajun Navy.

On Wednesday the Cajun Navy held a meeting for citizens and lawmakers to discuss a new project to dredge the flooded Bayou Teche.

“It’s all about the bayou silting up, which everyone thinks you’re crazy, how are you going to drain the bayou. It can be done. It’s going to be a lengthy and expensive project,” Bienvenue said.

St. Martinville resident Billy Broussard is joining Bienvenue in the project.

“After doing disaster cleanup, cleaning up bayous, waterways, I said you know what, the people that know a lot about what’s out there is Cajun Navy,” Broussard said.

Broussard said he compares the current situation in the Bayou Teche to the 2006 flooding in the Indian Bayou in Calcasieu Parish. He said it’s another example of debris in the bayou not allowing water drainage.

“It was all caused by Hurricane Rita. Well the truth of the matter is, I cleaned the bayou. There was only so much Rita debris out there. The rest of it, if you ask me, was neglect from them never cleaning this waterway,” Broussard said.

Councilman Mike Fuselier said the city has been constantly clearing debris out of the bayous and ditches.

“It’s a 365-day project,” Fuselier said.

Fuselier said actually dredging the bayou is a federal or state issue and would therefore need federal or state funding.

Both Bienvenue and Broussard said they hope to continue speaking with city and state leaders for funding to dredge the bayou and waterways.