COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ACT

PROJECT STATUS REPORT as of 29-Mar-2024

North Lake Mechant Landbridge Restoration

PROJECT DATA

PROJECT: North Lake Mechant Landbridge Restoration
PRIORITY LIST: 10 PROJECT NO: 1008 CWPPRA NO: TE-44 DNR NO: TE-44
PROJECT TYPE: Marsh Creation NET ACRES BENEFITTED: 604
REGION: 3 BASIN: Terrebonne PARISH: Terrebonne
LEAD AGENCY: FWS
LOCAL SPONSOR: DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES, STATE OF LA

MILESTONES:

CSA EXECUTION: 16-May-2001 ( Actual )    
DESIGN COMPLETION: 01-Jan-2004 ( Actual )    
CONSTRUCTION START: 01-Apr-2003 ( Actual )    
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION: 16-Dec-2009 ( Actual )    
ESCROW AMENDMENT 21-May-2002 ( Actual ) No: 91
MONITORING PLAN APPROVAL: 01-Aug-2008 ( Actual )    
O and M PLAN APPROVAL: 25-Apr-2011 ( Actual )    
DEAUTHORIZATION DATE:      
CASH FLOW PROECTS:        
Phase 1 Approval: 10-Jan-2001 ( Actual )    
Phase 2 Approval: 07-Aug-2002 ( Actual )    

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS:

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 1 Steve Scalise
STATE SENATE DISTRICT: 20 Norby Chabert
STATE HOUSE DISTRICT: 51 Joe Harrison

Point of Contact:

DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR
FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

Robert Dubois
Fish & Wildlife Biologist
200 Dulles Dr.

Lafayette, LA 70506
PHONES:  
Office: (337) 291-3127
Fax: (337) 291-3139

COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ACT

PROJECT STATUS REPORT as of 29-Mar-2024

North Lake Mechant Landbridge Restoration

PROJECT LOCATION:

The project is located in Region 3, Terrebonne Basin, Terrebonne Parish. Specifically this project is located below Lake Decade and north of the northern shore of Lake Mechant in a narrow area of transition that includes fresh, intermediate and brackish marshes.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The project would help to maintain and restore the landbridge (Lake Mechant north shoreline and the Small Bayou LaPointe ridge) that provides a hydrologic barrier between brackish and low-salinity habitats. Project features include the creation of 534 acres of marsh, the planting of smooth cordgrass along 44,307 linear feet of shoreline, the construction of one armored earthen plug, three sheetpile plugs, and a rip-rap plug where the Little Deuce channel cuts through the Small Bayou LaPointe ridge. Additionally, an existing fixed-crest weir along Bayou Raccourci will be repaired.

PROJECT STATUS: (Project Status Last Updated: 01-Mar-2021 )

Construction of this project has been completed. This project is now in the Operation and Maintenance Phase. The Sheetpile Plug No.2 suffered catastrophic structural damage due to Hurricane Isaac in August 2012. A large portion of the center section of the sheet pile wall has collapsed over into the channel allowing water to pass through/over the structure. The structure is damaged in such a way that there are minimal options for repairing the structure, it must be removed and then replaced. CPRA has initiated a claim with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the structure was damaged during a natural disaster. May 2015, FEMA had rejected CPRA’s claim for funding the repair of the steel sheetpile structure. CPRA has appealed FEMA’s decision and is currently awaiting a ruling on the appeal. Due to condition of the structure and the delays in CPRA’s appeal to FEMA, CPRA has decided to proceed with the removal and replacement of the steel sheetpile plug using state funds. An engineering firm has been selected to prepare bid documents for this maintenance event. It is estimated that construction should be completed by late 2021.

FUND STATUS:

The current project estimate is $35,303,614 , which includes $34,143,636 for construction first costs, and $238,205 and $921,773 for 20 years of monitoring and operations and maintenance, respectively.

LaCoast.gov Project Managers' Technical Factsheet