BATON ROUGE – After a period of uncertainty over federal funding, national leaders have committed to paying for crucial annual inspections on Louisiana’s levee systems.

Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it didn’t have the money to do the inspections because of federal cuts. A week later, the money has been secured to perform inspections on the infrastructure that protects Louisiana.

The Corps does annual inspections of New Orleans’ levees, and, up until last Wednesday, the money to pay for future inspections had dried up.

Congressman Troy Carter said getting those inspections was essential, and he wrote a letter to the Trump Administration when the money was in limbo. Traditionally, the corps had spent about $1 million a year to inspect Louisiana levees.

“Here we are on the cusp of the anniversary of Katrina,” Carter said. “We know that annual inspections are what we use to identify weaknesses in the levee.”

Even if the Corps couldn’t perform the annual inspection, Ricky Boyett, a spokesperson for the Corps, said individual levee districts perform daily inspections.

During the checks, crews ensure the levees are stable and can sustain storms and high water.

“Are there any cracks in the area?” Boyett said. “Are there any animal burrows? Have hogs been out there? Is the turf well established? You're just looking to see if it's in optimal condition.”

While the specific inspection focused on New Orleans, the decision could have affected the entire state.

“Natural disasters are not as scientific as to go where you think they are going,” Carter said. “Oftentimes, they go to places where we never expected them to go. We have to make sure that the communities of Baton Rouge, Ascension, are protected.”