USACE signs partnership agreement for Houma Deepening Project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD), Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the Port of Terrebonne have signed a partnering agreement to begin efforts to advance the Houma Navigation Canal (HNC) Deepening project. The total construction cost is $253,458,000.

U.S. Army Corps Mississippi Valley Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Kimberly Peeples, said: “The Houma Navigation Canal is the lifeline of Terrebonne Parish, serving as the interstate to the Gulf of Mexico. The ability of the Houma Navigation Canal, the Port of Terrebonne, along with other Louisiana ports to operate efficiently and safely is vital to the region and the nation’s economy and national security.”

The Houma Navigation Canal is approximately 36.7 miles long and connects the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Recommended Plan consists of deepening the HNC channel to -20 feet to allow for more efficient navigation for large vessels and reduce current waterborne transportation costs.

The purpose of executing the Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement is to prepare a Letter Report to address the four outstanding comments from the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

The project will then be contingently approved by Congress under Section 403 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA 2020) once the Letter Report is complete.

The report will be conducted by USACE over the next 12-14 months at a cost of $700,000.