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August 2013

The Conveyance Online
Restore or Retreat's E-newsletter
Restore or Retreat Executive Committee

Mike Plaisance, President

Plaisance Dragline and Dredging

 

Ted Falgout,VP

Ted M. Falgout and Associates

 

Robert Naquin, Treasurer

Capital One

 

Henri Boulet, Secretary

LA 1 Coalition

 

Tim Allen

Apache Louisiana Minerals

 

Charlotte Bollinger

Bollinger Shipyards

 

Berwick Duval

Duval, Funderburk, Sundbery, Lovell and Watkins

 

Dr. John J. Jones, Jr.

Jones Dermatology

Calendar
     Wednesday, August 21-- 9:30 a.m. Bubba Dove Floodgate Dedication 

Dulac  

 

1:30 p.m. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Meeting

Dulac Community Center 


Wednesday, August 28 -- 1:00 p.m. Gulf Coast Restoration Ecosystem Council 

Hyatt Regency 

New Orleans, LA

In the News
We've Moved!
The ROR office has moved!  We are still on the Nicholls State University Campus, now in South Babington Hall on Audubon Drive.  Our mailing address and phone number will remain the same.
Quick Links
ROR is now on Facebook and Twiiter-
Like Us and Follow us @RestoreRetreat
Today!

Save the Date!!
The 'Storm is coming early this year...
12th Annual
Barnstorming
to Save Our Coast
Thursday, October 3
More details coming soon!
ROR Hosts Central Terrebonne Wetlands Field Trip
The field trip is the second for project team members and stakeholders who want to bring more freshwater and sediment to areas most in need.



A group of 15 stakeholders and project team members toured the central Terrebonne basin this week with local landowners to get a better understanding on how a project might restore a fragile marsh area. 


The State's CPRA team kicked off a project to increase Atchafalaya resources to Terrebonne this summer, and the project has already been named in the State's first proposal to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for planning funds.  As part of BP's 2010 oil spill's criminal settlement, NFWF will receive $1.2 billion for barrier islands and diversions in Louisiana. Another $75 million will be directed to NFWF for barrier island restoration and/or river diversions off the coast of Louisiana as part of Transocean's criminal settlement.

With local landowners as guides, the group toured several locations that would greatly benefit from more freshwater and/or from marsh creation.  The group also toured several existing projects which aimed to protect the delicate GIWW banks for "lessons learned."

This is the second field trip this summer hosted by ROR, and the third for the year.  The first field trip visited the Davis Pond freshwater diversion project in St. Charles, and the second toured the new Bubba Dove Floodgate in the Houma Navigational and potential future lock site.  The group also toured wetlands adjacent to the HNC.  CB&I, T. Baker Smith and Apache greatly assisted in the planning for that visit.

Increase Atchafalaya is a cornerstone project for ROR, exemplifying ROR's mission to identify and expedite the implementation of aggressive, large-scale restoration projects to protect this irreplaceable region.
Seeking Diversion Experts
Think quickly-- nominations for panelists are due August 15.

 

The Water Institute of the Gulf is convening an Expert Panel to provide ongoing technical input, review, and guidance to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) as it refines plans for diverting freshwater and sediment from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers into adjacent estuarine basins to build, maintain and sustain coastal wetlands.

The intent of forming this panel is to solicit independent and technically credible expert opinions on key issues pertaining to river diversions. This independent panel is expected to meet approximately three times per year for the next three years. It will identify critical scientific and technical uncertainties, suggest specific research to reduce uncertainty, and review and comment on technical reports, model outputs, and other aspects of project development. Meetings of the panel will be structured to ensure key input is received from a variety of local experts, stakeholders, and citizens. Panel reports will be presented at meetings of the CPRA Board.

The Water Institute is soliciting nominations for panel members. Panelists are expected to be nationally or internationally recognized experts in their fields, with some experience or knowledge of Louisiana coastal issues relevant to diversions, or experience with appropriate issues in other large scale systems. Appropriate fields of expertise include: riverine hydrology, geomorphology and sediment dynamics; estuarine hydrology, geomorphology and sediment dynamics; engineered structures; coastal wildlife; coastal fisheries; coastal wetland soil dynamics; socioeconomic issues; estuarine ecology; estuarine nutrient dynamics; delta building; and regulatory and policy issues. The panel will be comprised of 10-12 members.

Nominations 
Nominations should be sent to [email protected] by August 15, 2013. Nominations should include the name, contact information, rationale for the nomination, including the appropriate area of expertise, and a brief resume of the nominee. Individuals are allowed to nominate themselves.

Additional information on the panel will be available at www.thewaterinstitute.org. Please distribute this solicitation to others who may wish to provide nominations.

About The Water Institute of the Gulf 
The Water Institute of the Gulf is a not-for-profit, independent research institute dedicated to advancing the understanding of coastal, deltaic, river and water resource systems, both within the Gulf Coast and around the world. This mission supports the practical application of innovative science and engineering, providing solutions that benefit society.  
Thank you to everyone who has renewed their ROR membership for 2013 and for your continuous support!
 
Sincerely,

Simone Maloz

Executive Director

Restore or Retreat, Inc.