Historic wetland loss in the area stems from shoreline erosion along Turtle Bay and interior marsh loss from subsidence, sediment deprivation, and construction of oil and gas canals. Based on the hyper-temporal analysis conducted by USGS for the extended project boundary, loss rates in the area are estimated to be -0.83% per year for the period 1984 to 2015.
The primary goal is to re-create marsh habitat in the open water areas and nourish existing marsh within the project area. The specific goal of the project is to create approximately 700 acres of marsh with dredged material from Turtle Bay or Little Lake. The total project area is 798 acres, but the entire area will not be filled with dredged material.
The proposed project would create approximately 484 acres and nourish approximately 216 acres. Existing canal spoil banks, emergent marsh, and limited segments of containment dikes will be used to guide the distribution of the dredged material in the western fill area. Complete perimeter containment dikes will be utilized for the eastern fill area. Containment dikes will be gapped to reestablish hydrologic connectivity with adjacent wetlands.
The project will work synergistically with several existing and planned projects on the Barataria Basin Landbridge, an important landscape feature across the central Barataria Basin.
This project is located in Region 2, Barataria Basin, Jefferson Parish, northwest of Turtle Bay.
Northwest Turtle Bay Marsh Creation is on Priority Project List (PPL) 21 and was approved for Phase II Construction by the CWPPRA Task Force in January of 2017.
Northwest Turtle Bay Marsh Creation project sponsors include:
- Federal Sponsor: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Local Sponsor: Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Keep up with this project and other CWPPRA projects on the project page.
CWPPRA 