Isles Dernieres Restoration Underway

Huntington "Hunt" Downer Jr., speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, presided over the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Isles Dernieres project on April 13, 1998. The $28.7 million barrier island restoration is the Breaux Act's largest single undertaking to date.

A massive hurricane destroyed Isle Dernier in 1856, sweeping across the island with six to ten feet of water. Hundreds of people were killed, and Isle Dernier was fragmented into five small islands: East, Trinity, Whiskey, Raccoon and Wine. Today, the Isles Dernieres provide Louisiana's coastal wetlands with little protection from constant abuse by winds and waves.

Strengthening East, Trinity and Whiskey islands requires pumping 15 million cubic yards of sediment onto the islands from the adjacent bay to create dunes and plateaus. After the material settles and dries, vegetation will be planted to secure the soil. The project restores approximately 1,300 acres to the island chain. Work on Isles Derniers should be completed late this year or early in 1999.