Work continues on large marsh restoration project in Southwest LA

The Cameron Meadows Marsh Creation and Terracing project is making progress in Southwest Louisiana, according to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA).

As CPRA reported, almost 3 miles of terraces are complete now and the 300-acre marsh restoration is underway.

The aim of this restoration project is to address a large area of marsh that has degraded into open water due to subsidence, saltwater surge from Hurricane Rita and other storms, excessive drought, and salt water retention as a result of silted-in canals which prohibited adequate drainage.

Overall, the project includes construction of containment dikes to hold approximately 1.9 million cubic yards of sediment dredged from the Gulf of Mexico. The sediment is being pumped five miles inland to build more than 308 acres of marsh.

An additional 11 acres will be added with the construction of 3 miles of terrace structures which will reduce wave erosion and allow sediment deposition for land building.

The $32 million project is funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) and is a joint effort by CPRA and the federal sponsor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock was awarded the competitively-bid contract for construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of this year.