Several Local Projects Begin
Two projects are under construction, and a third is set to begin before summer's end.
The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District recently began the second, $16 million phase of their bayou improvement project.
The overall goal of the project is to increase Mississippi River water flow into Bayou Lafourche and improve water quality for over 300,000 residents of Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche, who depend on the bayou for drinking water. The second phase will focus on approximately 8 miles of bayou improvement.
Completed in 2011, the first phase of the dredging project included nearly six miles from Donaldsonville to Belle Rose. Funding is provided by the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which sends money from offshore energy production back to the state for coastal projects. Click here for the Houma Courier article on the project.
Also under construction is Increment II of the Caminada Headlands project. Increment II will create approximately 490 acres of beach and dune habitat, restoring approximately 7.5 additional miles above those  created in Increment I of beach with approximately 5 million cubic yards of material from Ship Shoal, a remnant barrier island. Also included are actions to mitigate impacts to sea turtles, piping plovers, and other nesting birds.
This $144.5 million project is funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) with the criminal fines associated with the 2010 oil spill. NFWF previously funded $3 million for design and engineering for Increment II.
There will be one more project under construction by summer's end. Utilizing funding from the early Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, the Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration project involves the restoration of beach, dune, and back-barrier marsh habitats at four barrier island locations in Louisiana. One of the four locations includes Caillou Lake Headlands, also known as Whiskey Island, in Terrebonne Parish. CPRA is anticipating bidding the $110 million project this summer, with construction beginning late summer. Click here for an article from the Houma Courier on the sand lease approval.
For more information and status updates on these ROR priority projects and others, check out our updated website! |
In the Field
Even on these hot Louisiana days, ROR is always more than happy to be in the field, learning more and educating others!
ROR visited Davis Pond with the CPRA and a leading NYT environmental reporter. After the CPRA and St. Charles Parish staff discussed the project at the structure along River River road, the group was greeted by several dozen alligators waiting in the conveyance channel for breakfast. The group then boarded air boats to tour the ponding area and outfall channels, where they were able to view CPRA's monitoring stations, as well as take core samples that clearly showed sediment accumulations in the ponding area.
ROR was also a proud sponsor of the Lafourche Chamber Legislative Wrap-Up with Senator Norby Chabert, Senator Gary Smith, and Representative "Dee" Richard. Here, Senator Smith addresses the group. 
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