River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp
River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp
This project was previously named the East Maurepas Diversion on our website. This diversion, planned near Angelina, will provide sediment and fresh water to existing wetlands in East Maurepas swamp. Dominated by bald cypress and water tupelo trees, the Maurepas swamp complex is one of the largest forested wetlands in the nation. However, levees constructed along the river have isolated the area from spring floods and the vital fresh water, nutrients and sediment they bring. This isolation, coupled with rising …
Golden Triangle Marsh Creation
This marsh creation project is located near the confluence of two major navigation and shipping channels — the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Dominated by brackish marsh, this area was badly damaged by saltwater intrusion and erosion following the dredging of the MRGO. This project will use sediment from nearby Lake Borgne to create and restore marsh. The restored marsh will help buffer the recently constructed surge barrier, protecting some of the most populated areas …
Union Freshwater Diversion
Union Freshwater Diversion will move fresh water from the Mississippi River into Maurepas Swamp near Burnside. With a maximum capacity of 25,000 cubic feet of water per second, the diversion will deliver nutrient-rich freshwater to the fresh-forested, flotant and freshwater marsh environments to prevent saltwater intrusion and encourage vegetation growth. It will be designed to operate at maximum capacity when the river’s flow reaches one million cubic feet per second. Over 50 years, the $876 million Union diversion is expected …
Manchac Landbridge Diversion
Manchac Landbridge Diversion will be constructed within the existing western guide levee of the Bonnet Carre Spillway. Currently, when the Bonnet Carre Spillway is opened to reduce river flood risk in New Orleans, all of the sediment, fresh water and nutrients are directed into Lake Pontchartrain, wasting these vital resources and causing water quality issues. The Manchac Diversion will direct some of these flows into degraded swamps and marshes adjacent to the spillway to increase nutrient input and improve water …
Central Wetlands Diversion and Wetland Restoration
This diversion will benefit the Central Wetlands Unit ecosystem east of New Orleans, an area destroyed by logging and by saltwater intrusion from the now-closed Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). Once primarily a freshwater system dominated by bald cypress swamp and freshwater marsh, the predominant habitat type today is brackish marsh. Regional MRGO-area ecosystem restoration will help rebuild and sustain marsh and swamp, providing storm surge protection for New Orleans and nearby communities.
New Orleans East Land-Bridge Restoration
This large-scale marsh creation project is located in eastern New Orleans on a landbridge separating Lake Pontchartrain from Lake Borgne, which is the major control on the potential flow of hurricane surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The exposure to wave energy and storm surge has resulted in rapid retreat of the shoreline and the expansion of ponds and lakes within the marsh. The New Orleans East Landbridge Restoration project will create and restore marsh via a sediment conveyance pipeline. The project …