New Orleans International Airport North Terminal Comprehensive Hydraulic and Hydrologic Modeling

MSMM performed the hydraulic and hydrologic aspect of the North Terminal Expansion Project. MSMM adopted the existing hydraulic models such as the 1992 Jefferson Parish UNET model, the 2005 Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS model, and the 2012 Jefferson Parish HEC-RAS model and supplementing them with recent information collected in the field and from record data and creating the new 2013 Airport hydraulic model. From this it was determined the airport would mitigate its peak rate of discharge to include all previous improvements from 1992 to the present. This was commonly known as “Catch-up Mitigation”. The difference from the peak runoff from 1992 to the peak runoff from the 2013 conditions as well as the improvements from the North Terminal Expansion were used to size the new drainage pump station along with the drainage conveyance systems for both airside and landside. MSMM worked with airport personnel to determine different mitigation options including on-site pumping, on-site storage or capacity enhancements to Parish owned pumping facilities.

MSMM completed a comprehensive analysis of existing as-builts from projects completed at the airport since 1992; completed a field walk-through investigation to inventory existing drainage features; collected data for model calibration; completed a hydrology analysis of the storm sewer system for both the 1992 and 2013 conditions and completed a storm sewer hydraulic grade line analysis. As a result, MSMM prepared numerous Hydraulic and Hydrologic studies including the Phase 1 North Terminal Expansion, Catch-up Mitigation, Phase 2 North Terminal Expansion, Parking Garage Upgrades and the North Wooded Area.

MSMM utilized the model to design airside and landside drainage features including more than five miles of drainage piping ranging in sizes from 12” to 72”, open channels, box culverts, headwalls, and the connection to the Butler Canal box culvert, and a new 600 CFS drainage pump station.