Atchafalaya Sediment Delivery
State Project Number: AT-02
Project Priority List (PPL): 02
Federal Sponsor: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Project Types: Sediment Diversion, Beneficial Use of Dredged Material, Marsh Creation
Construction Completion Date: 1998
Description:
This project was authorized to enhance natural delta growth, which has been reduced as a result of maintenance dredging of the Atchafalaya River navigation channel. This was achieved by reopening Natal Channel and Radcliff Passes to restore freshwater and sediment delivery to the East Delta lobe of the Atchafalaya River Delta. The channels were cut to 90 feet wide, six feet deep, and 6,300 feet long, and construction was completed in March of 1998. Dredged material was pumped onto the adjacent marsh and shallow mudflats to increase marsh elevation and create new marsh. Evaluation of monitoring data indicated that only 70 of the projected 432 acres of marsh were created from the initial disposition of dredged material; however, this is twice the rate of land that was created naturally within the previous four years. Additionally, the majority of the created habitat was forested wetland instead of marsh, indicating that sediment elevations were too high.
Reports Available:
Project Information:
• CWPPRA Project Page (including Geospatial Data)
|
