Lacombe spreads across about 27 square miles of St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Slidell, an unincorporated community of roughly 8,700 people built along Bayou Lacombe and Cane Bayou. Toward the lake, the land gives way to the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, more than 17,000 acres of pine flatwoods, brackish marsh and sandy shoreline on Lake Pontchartrain. Most homes sit around 13 feet above sea level, among pines and oaks, on lots that often back up to a bayou, a ditch or the woods.
Call The Restoration Job at (888) 317-9980, any hour, and we'll connect you with an independent restoration provider that serves Lacombe. Providers in this part of the parish typically handle water removal, drying, removal of damaged materials and water damage repair, and many respond to emergency calls after storms.
How the call works: when you call (888) 317-9980, The Restoration Job connects you with an independent restoration provider that serves Lacombe. That provider inspects the damage, explains the scope and quotes the work. The Restoration Job doesn't perform restoration itself. Read our referral disclosure.
Bayou Lacombe, the Marsh and the Lake
Water in Lacombe moves slowly. Bayou Lacombe and Cane Bayou drain flat ground toward Lake Pontchartrain, and when the lake is high or a storm is pushing water inland, they back up instead. Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall in eastern St. Tammany Parish in 2005, and surge reached all 57 miles of the parish coastline, damaging nearly 49,000 housing units parish-wide. Even the Big Branch Marsh refuge lost its boardwalk and thousands of trees.
The National Weather Service tracks water levels on Bayou Lacombe at Krentel Road and below Lacombe, and on Brier Lake near Lacombe. During a slow-moving storm, those readings, along with parish alerts, are the most useful local warning you will get.
Ten Inches in a Day: Rain and Wind From Ida
Hurricane Ida in August 2021 dropped 10.06 inches of rain at a station just north of Lacombe. On ground this flat, that much water in a short time fills ditches and yards before it can drain, and it finds the low corners of a property: a sunken patio door, a garage converted to living space, a crawl space with a gap in the skirting.
Wind adds its own damage in a wooded community. Falling pines and limbs puncture roofs, and the rain that follows soaks attic insulation and ceilings. Cover openings quickly, then deal with the wet materials inside. Providers offering storm damage cleanup can usually tarp the roof and start extraction on the same visit when it is safe to work.
Raised Homes, Slabs and Mobile Homes
Lacombe's housing mixes older raised houses, slab homes in newer subdivisions and manufactured homes on rural lots. Each takes water differently:
- Raised and pier homes: water may never reach the floor but can soak insulation, ductwork and wiring underneath. Check the crawl space once the water drops.
- Slab homes: water goes straight into flooring, cabinets and the bottom of walls, so baseboards and lower drywall usually come out.
- Manufactured homes: belly-board insulation and particleboard subfloors hold water and break down quickly; they often need replacement rather than drying.
Keeping Mold Out of a Wooded, Humid Property
Shade, standing water in the yard and summer humidity all slow drying. Inside a house that took water, that means drywall and framing can stay damp longer than the owner expects, and mold can appear in a few days. Open walls where they are wet, run dehumidifiers with the house closed up once power is back, and keep fans moving air across the wettest areas. If growth appears on framing, subfloor or the back of drywall, have it removed with containment rather than sprayed and left in place.
Getting Help in an Unincorporated Community
Because Lacombe is not an incorporated city, permits, floodplain questions and emergency information come from St. Tammany Parish government rather than a town hall. The parish runs a sandbag site in Lacombe during flood threats, and its STAT alert system sends text, voice and email warnings. Before rebuilding after a serious flood, ask the parish whether the damage triggers elevation requirements.
A standard homeowners policy does not cover rising water from the bayou or the lake, so a separate flood policy matters here. Homes closer to the lake in Slidell and Eden Isle face similar surge exposure.
Areas In and Around Lacombe
The same line also serves nearby communities such as:
- Mandeville
- Slidell
- Eden Isle
- Covington
- Abita Springs
- Pearl River
Common Questions
Who do I call about permits after a flood in Lacombe?
Lacombe is unincorporated, so building permits and floodplain questions go to St. Tammany Parish government. If repairs are extensive, ask whether the home must meet current elevation rules before rebuilding. Emergency information, sandbag openings and alerts come from the parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Water got under my raised house but not inside. Is that a problem?
It can be. Floodwater under a raised home often soaks insulation between floor joists, ductwork and the underside of the subfloor. Wet insulation holds moisture against the wood for weeks and can lead to mold and rot. Have the crawl space checked once water recedes, and remove wet insulation so the framing can dry.
How do I know if Bayou Lacombe is rising?
The National Weather Service operates gauges on Bayou Lacombe at Krentel Road and below Lacombe, plus one on Brier Lake. Watch those readings during heavy rain and sign up for St. Tammany Parish alerts. A bayou that keeps climbing after the rain has stopped is often a sign that the lake is high and blocking drainage.