Grand Chenier, LA – Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Task Force members, state and local leaders, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) officials and the public gathered on the grounds of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish to celebrate and view the progress of seven southwest area restoration projects built or currently under construction by state and federal partners at a combined cost of $55.44 million.

With marshes as a backdrop, the dedication ceremony highlighted three U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) projects, three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects and one USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) project that include:

LA-06 Shoreline Protection Foundation Improvements Demonstration
The goal of this demonstration project is to determine the feasibility of shoreline protection structures where a relatively poor soil foundation exists. This goal will be achieved by using sand as a foundation beneath rock dike structures to increase bearing capacity and tolerance of settlement consolidation. This project will be incorporated into the South White Lake Shoreline Protection (ME-22) project. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2006 and is sponsored by the USACE, with a current cost estimate of $1.1 million.

ME-22 South White Lake Shoreline Protection
This project is intended to reduce erosion along the southern White Lake shoreline through the construction of a foreshore rock dike and marsh creation. Marsh accretion and creation of submerged aquatic vegetation habitat are expected to occur behind the structure due to the occasional overwash of waves and the reduction of turbidity in the interior open water areas. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2006 and is sponsored by the USACE, with a current cost estimate of $19.7 million.

ME-16 Freshwater Introduction South of Hwy 82
This project was authorized to address saltwater intrusion and lack of freshwater and sediment input in the project area. Project components include the installation of approximately eight water-control structures, breaching spoil banks in areas near Louisiana Hwy 82 to allow water to flow across the chenier, and the removal of plugs to facilitate water flow from the Grand Lake-White Lake subbasin south into the Chenier subbasin. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2006 and is sponsored by the USFWS, with a current cost estimate of $6.1 million.

ME-19 Grand-White Lakes Landbridge Protection
This project is intended to protect freshwater wetlands by stopping the erosion of the southeastern shoreline of Grand Lake and the western shoreline of Collicon Lake. Project features include construction of hard structure shoreline stabilization and planted earthen terraces to protect the landbridge. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2004 and is sponsored by the USFWS, with a current cost estimate of $9.6 million.

CS-29 Black Bayou Culverts Hydrologic Restoration
The objective of this project is to discharge and remove excess water, which has contributed to marsh loss and shoreline erosion. This project consists of installing box culverts with sluice gates in Black Bayou and relocating Louisiana Hwy 384 over the culverts.  Operation of the structure will be in coordination with Calcasieu Lock and the Schooner Bayou and Catfish Point water control structures. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2007 and is sponsored by the NRCS, with a current cost estimate of $5.4 million.

CS-28 Sabine Refuge Marsh Creation, Cycle 1 and Cycle 3
This project is intended to strategically create marsh in large, open water areas to block wind-induced saltwater introduction and freshwater loss. Additionally, it will increase nourishment in adjacent marshes while reducing open water fetch and erosion of marsh fringe. The project consists of five marsh creation sites (five cycles) within the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge by using material dredged from the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. Cycles 1 and 3 of this CWPPRA project were constructed at a current cost estimate of $7.02 million. This project is sponsored by the USACE and the USFWS.

CS-32 East Sabine Lake Hydrologic Restoration
This project uses water control structures, shoreline protection, terraces, and vegetation plantings to restore the historical hydrologic regime to approximately 36,623 acres of the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. Specific goals include reducing elevated salinities within fresh and intermediate marshes, reducing tidal scour, reducing erosion on the eastern shore of Sabine Lake, reducing the turbidity of open water areas, and restoring and protecting marsh. This CWPPRA project was constructed in 2007 and is sponsored by the USFWS and the NRCS, with a current cost estimate of $6.49 million.

CWPPRA projects are implemented through agreements between federal project sponsors and the LDNR. Projects are selected and managed by the CWPPRA Task Force. The Task Force is a partnership among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Governor’s Office. CWPPRA was enacted by Congress in 1990 and provides Louisiana with approximately $50 million in federal funding each year.

Speaking on behalf of the CWPPRA Task Force members were Jim Boggs, Acting Field Supervisor, Louisiana Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;  Lieutenant Colonel Murray Starkel, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Donald W. Gohmert, State Conservationist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Scott Angelle, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.

David Richard, Executive Vice President of Stream Property Management, Inc., served as master of ceremonies following a community welcome by Tina Horne, Cameron Parish Administrator, and Phil Bowman, LDWF Fur and Wildlife Division Administrator.

A luncheon was held on site following the ceremony.

A number of sponsors provided assistance for the event including Luhr Brothers, Vermilion Corporation, CH Fenstermaker and Associates, the Miller Family, Wilco, LDWF’s Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Forest Oil, Cameron Parish Police Jury, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Vermilion Parish Police Jury, Vermilion Soil and Water Conservation District, Gulf Coast Soil and Water Conservation District.

During the 20th century, coastal Louisiana lost 1.2 million acres (1,900 sq. mi.) of land, and if nothing is done, could potentially lose another 430,000 acres (670 sq. mi.) in the next 50 years.