Living Shoreline & Marsh Restoration at Caillou Lake

This project includes construction of living shoreline protection structures and marsh restoration to restore the Caillou Land Bridge and maintain and protect existing habitats protected by the land bridge. Cypress provided program support for the LCA 6 program effort to USACE, New Orleans District.

Between 1956 and 2009, approximately 5,330 acres (2,157 hectares [ha]) of land was converted into open water in the 37,000 acre study area for this project. With forecasted trends showing similar or greater impacts in the future, this project was proposed to reverse the trend of degradation of the land bridge separating Caillou Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. This would maintain the estuarine salinity gradient, reducing the marine influences on Caillou Lake and reversing the trend of deterioration in the associated wetlands and wildlife habitat.

Extensive measures were investigated including measures as diverse as breakwaters, sand fencing, oyster reefs, dune nourishment, marsh restoration, vegetation planting, and etc. After extensive screening and analysis, the chosen tentatively selected plan (TSP) included:

• Restoration of 1,588 acres of estuarine marsh
• Segmented revetments of 10,600 feet

Authorized Cost in WRDA is $56,300,000.