East Mud Lake Set for Phase Two

Phase one of the East Mud Lake Hydrologic Restoration Project, approved on the second CWPPRA priority project list, is now complete. The project will benefit about 8,000 acres of wetlands in Cameron Parish just north of Holly Beach.

Through the years, the area has experienced excessive water levels and salinity fluctuations because of major changes in hydrology (water flow). The Calcasieu Ship Channel, LA Hwy 27, and West Cove Canal have all contributed to these changes, resulting in the loss of more than 70 acres of emergent wetlands per year for the last several years. The completed project will help reverse those catastrophic effects on the area.

"The completion of phase one of the East Mud Lake Project is a new beginning for the wetlands west of the Calcasieu Ship Channel," explained Don Gohmert, NRCS state conservationist. Designed to reduce wetland loss and degradation, the project will protect and enhance approximately 3,200 acres of emergent wetlands, as well as increase the quantity and quality of emergent and submergent vegetation in the area. The project will also enhance the habitat quality of open water in shallow estuaries and stabilize water salinity levels within ranges that are tolerable for brackish vegetation. As a result, the area should see an increase in recreational opportunities because of improved fish and wildlife habitat.

Phase One -Hydrologic Restoration

Included within phase one construction were:

• Four 36" corrugated aluminum pipes, each having a variable crest weir inlet section and flap gate
• Three double-barrel corrugated aluminum pipes, each pipe having a variable crest weir inlet section with a vertical slot
• One 48" corrugated aluminum pipe with interior screw or sluice gate and exterior flap gate
• Five corrugated aluminum pipes with flap gates
• One weir with two sections that have interior variable crest sections and exterior flap gates
• One weir with a variable crest boat bay
• Three earthen plugs
• Repair of approximately 1,500 linear feet of Mud Lake shoreline
• Rehabilitation of approximately 40,340 linear feet of boundary levee.

Phase Two Vegetative Techniques

"Phase two of the project is ongoing," said Gohmert. "It includes the planting of over 90,000 feet of shore-line and interior marsh with smooth cordgrass, an exceptionally versatile and aggressive plant that adapts well to changes in the marsh ecosystem. Planting smooth cordgrass will help protect shorelines and interior marsh areas from erosion, as well as provide a valuable seed source to populate other locations in the area."