Office of Coastal Management

Grand Terre Island and Historical Fort Restoration to Begin

Coastal restoration work on two large, multi-million dollar projects in Jefferson Parish is expected to begin next month, announced state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials. The projects are at the mouth of Barataria Bay and will aid in preserving a historical landmark, stopping gulf shoreline erosion, and protecting marine fisheries and habitat.

Senator Chris Ullo who represents Jefferson parish says he is pleased to see the state work out plans to include saving a treasure from our past. Senator Ullo and state Representative N.J. Damico moved at a Joint Legislative Budget hearing at the Capitol today to approve $1.29 million for one of the restoration projects. Both lawmakers are avid supporters of the state’s coastal restoration efforts.

The East/West Grand Terre Restoration Project is a Breaux Act project now ready for phase one implementation. At a total cost of approximately $16.3 million, the project involves constructing 112 acres of dunes and 212 acres of marsh on East and West Grand Terre Islands. Several types of vegetation will be planted once dredge material is placed. Problems that have plagued this area of the Louisiana coast, officials say, are the ravishes of storms, subsidence of back barrier marshes and lack of sand. Aquatic barrier island habitats have also been lost over time.

DNR Project Manager Greg Grandy said that the fisheries habitat project on West Grand Terre Island is funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at a cost of $1.29 million for phase one. It is also known as the Fort Livingston project, he noted.

Fort Livingston is on the National Register of Historical Places, built in 1841. It was built to defend New Orleans, and is known as the small island used by privateer Jean Lafitte prior to the Battle of New Orleans. The fort was named for Edward Livingston, an attorney that represented Jean Lafitte.

The East/West Grand Terre project funding is shared by the state and federal government with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service as lead sponsor.

Both projects will increase marine-estuarine habitat for numerous commercial and recreational fish. Additionally, when the expected rock dike structure is built, it will combat shoreline erosion that has harmed the existing walls of the fort.

Editors: For more information on this topic, please call DNR Project Manager Greg Grandy at 225-342-6412 or DNR Public Information Office at 225-342-8955.