Another barrier island restoration project is nearing completion on Whiskey Island off the coast of Louisiana, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This time it is the Caillou Lake Headlands Restoration Project which uses sediment from the Ship Shoal, an offshore sand source that EPA proposed for use in a 2002.
The Caillou Lake project includes restoring the entire shoreline of the barrier island commonly known as Whiskey Island in Terrebonne Parish.
Utilizing a hydraulic cutter suction dredge and booster stations, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company will dredge an estimated 10.4 million cubic yards of sand and pump it 14 miles through a submerged pipeline to create more than 900 acres of barrier island and marsh habitat.
The Restoration of the island will provide a buffer to help reduce the full force and effects of wave action, saltwater intrusion, storm surge and tidal currents on associated estuaries and wetlands. It will also provide wetland habitat for a diverse number of plant and animal species.
According to some EPA officials, the Caillou Lake Headlands Restoration Project will be completed in the next few weeks.