Proposed Restoration Measures: Wetlands Creation and Restoration
Wetlands Creation and Restoration Measures
This component of the feasibility study will develop projects to restore and create wetlands in the southwestern Barataria Basin. The goal of the projects is to protect and sustain ecological functions, including wetlands and wooded ridge habitat. Measures being considered include those described letters "A" through "I."
1 Bayou LOurs North Unit
(I) Protect Shoreline
2 Bayou LOurs South Unit
(E) Fill, Plug and Isolate Canals
3 Caminada Unit
(I) Protect Shoreline
4 Chenier Unit
(B) Restore Ridges
(C) Create/Nourish Marshes
(D) Create and Enhance Wooded Habitat
(E) Fill, Plug and Isolate Canals
(F) Develop Educational / Recreational Area Next to LA Highway 1 in Chenier Unit
(G) Degrade Impoundment Levee in Chenier Unit
(H) Terrace Open Areas
5 Leeville Unit
(D) Create and Enhance Wooded Habitat
(E) Fill, Plug and Isolate Canals
(A) Buy Land/Obtain
Conservation Easement
Listed as imperiled to critically imperiled,
the maritime forest habitat in the
Chenier Unit is some of the last remaining
in Louisiana. Where commercial
development is likely, an option to
acquire control of the land will be
considered. Placing the land under state
control will prevent both unwanted
development and land rights issues from
hampering future conservation efforts.
(B) Restore Ridges
Expanding the chenier ridges that
support maritime forest habitat includes
rebuilding subsided ridges, replanting
native woody species and creating marsh
between ridges, as well as pairing with
marsh creation to offset any habitat
conversions. Material will be obtained
off-site or from degrading impoundment
levees and spoil banks.
(C) Create/Nourish
Marshes
This measure, which also
addresses land-bridge
restoration, uses fill material
from off-site. There are two
main placement areas: open
water with little or no
existing marsh remaining,
and broken marsh with few
spoil banks.
(D) Create and Enhance
Wooded Habitat
Existing spoil banks and other
features with higher elevations
will be used as a
framework to create wooded
habitat. Additionally, the
steep sides typical of spoil
banks will be reduced and a
vegetation and elevation
gradient createdwith woody
species on higher elevations,
grading down to marsh
vegetation at lower elevationsproviding an ecological
link from the upland habitat
to the marshes. The higher
areas will stabilize adjacent
marshes and be constructed
primarily of material from
spoil banks as they are
breached for hydrologic
restoration.
(E) Fill, Plug and Isolate Canals
Where canals act as a conduit for tidal flow into areas that historically had much slower or non-existent tidal currents, filling, plugging or isolating the canals will restore the hydrology to more natural conditions.
(F) Develop Educational/ Recreational Area Next to Highway 1 in Chenier Unit
Because of the proximity of LA Highway 1 to maritime forest habitat, the opportunity exists to create a facility for bird watching and fishing. This will consist of a parking area with access to a boardwalk and observation tower.
(G) Degrade Impoundment Levee in Chenier Unit
Degradation of portions of the mariculture impoundment levee would restore a more natural hydrology to the impounded area, allow natural sediment introduction and reduce the land-loss rate. Material from the levee will be used to fill borrow pits used for its construction, restore ridges or create additional wooded habitat.
(H) Terrace Open Areas
Terracing, while creating some marsh, primarily protects existing marsh habitat by preventing erosion and trapping the limited sediment supply. Sediments in this area are particularly suited for terracing. Material will be dug from adjacent water bottoms where appropriate.
(I) Protect Shoreline
Shoreline protection will consist of offset, segmented, foreshore dikes. These dikes will protect marshes from erosion in areas of rapid shoreline retreat. Material used will be imported, as the adjacent sediments would be unsuitable.