[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6547066,"mediaKeyId","3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2","parentId",3347631,"title","Navigation and CPRA presenters outline plan to restore Bird’s Foot Delta hydrology and dredge Powlettown Anchorage","audioSeconds",2788,"startMs",5599000,"endMs",8387000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2&start=5599&end=8387","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2/thumbnail_5599000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6547066/Louisiana/Navigation-and-CPRA-presenters-outline-plan-to-restore-Birds-Foot-Delta-hydrology-and-dredge-Powlettown-Anchorage","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547066-2f1c384198afce92750727be36733a88/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449750&Signature=SikAXQJfQn3OJ7ku79EGQsysxoYgU5rIbjxkIOiwLfojN21k8HRgV5o26iRezrXzk1Nk2D-XE-~U9Tme0Li-nykp-NbQN7FcMJ5rvZB8hGsQ7oBsOYQxl2EMJ41x35sfYcu4QzKpQXTjEJGxPEVBAZZNXlmfn0Nk60GDgfZhUbMfTUR0moG7wx8GPPIAT5wMDFghed7baR1JRg09vlFORryqTGk4Q37qvGw7O9YsWJFrMxNtGiZr9smdoXLF7JK91gX-IjB1qwceVmYDf2q~25gw4LQkM6aRHDLASTNM3RqbuVNzpfUs6dls5jsqDrrp8DUIUemnjEpexZQfTpendA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana - Boards & Comissions, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board","date","2025-05-16T20:31:49Z","article","Navigation industry representatives and CPRA technical staff presented a coordinated concept to improve hydrology and beneficially use dredged sediment in the Bird’s Foot Delta and adjacent areas.

Speakers warned that the Powlettown Anchorage is severely shoaled and said its condition presents the highest single‑point navigation risk in the lower river; they described historic events in which grounded vessels closed the channel for extended periods. Navigation stakeholders and CPRA staff urged federal funding to dredge the anchorage, estimating as much as 30,000,000 cubic yards of material would be needed to restore the full anchorage to design depth and noting that material removed could create thousands of acres of marsh if placed beneficially.

Rudy Seminole, CPRA chief of engineering, and Todd Baker, CPRA project manager, described six river sand source areas and an established program that has used Mississippi River dredging to create marsh at multiple sites. CPRA said prior projects using cutterhead dredges and hopper beneficial use have created thousands of acres of marsh and highlighted the long‑term value of combining navigation maintenance with habitat restoration.

On a proposed Bird’s Foot Delta restoration project (Pass‑reopening concept), CPRA said it has developed a modeling framework of the lower river, considered multiple alternatives and identified a preferred alternative that would dredge South Pass and re‑open Pass a Loutre (the preferred alternative described dredge templates such as South Pass at 300‑foot width by 25‑foot depth and other reaches at 500–750 feet and depths of 20–25 feet). CPRA presented a planning‑level cost estimate in the transcript of about $165,000,000 (range $145–176 million) for the preferred alternative and said the plan targets construction funding around 2028.

CPRA and navigation speakers said the project could both restore sediment and freshwater to east‑side marshes and reduce dredging need over time by restoring more natural flows. They also said surveys, archaeological reviews and mapping of old infrastructure and pipelines remain to be completed as part of design and permitting.

Board members asked about longevity and re‑infilling of anchorages; CPRA staff said refill rates vary but estimated some borrow pits can re‑fill in three to five years after dredging, and that restoring hydrology would extend project life and reduce future maintenance needs.

CPRA intends to continue design, stakeholder engagement and further model runs to produce more precise acre‑for‑dollar benefit outputs and to pursue federal appropriations to implement the work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CPRA Board Meeting May 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Navigation representatives and CPRA staff described a multi‑agency effort to restore flows into the Bird’s Foot Delta, proposed dredging in South Pass and Pass a Loutre, and a targeted dredge of the Powlettown Anchorage to improve navigation and generate material for beneficial use and marsh restoration.","taxTitle","Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board, Boards & Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Louisiana","taxId",45335,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6547070,"CPRA reports progress on Lakeborn marsh creation, Ludovine pump station and Bayou Chain flood gate",527,3491000,4018000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2&start=3491&end=4018","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2/thumbnail_3491000.jpg","/articles/6547070/Louisiana/CPRA-reports-progress-on-Lakeborn-marsh-creation-Ludovine-pump-station-and-Bayou-Chain-flood-gate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547070-b79032b4ae9561387aa76d520ff11edf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449750&Signature=AoL7STgbpUSXl~JvqyZ~8Q2dCiU042E8RlonECugN2NpOdZE9UOFlNFWolvYYr8d4NhygSNq8H5uzUnYE6seX61Vnw4NC6x~tP2zKL-O3GIbmyfSpo4e7K94bHDIzyB5DoJPDDjGs89OIel-T~e0qaAiDRtfI4qtHCiP19Cd5bAW-Is--wBCmdTLMx08cjfviMdcVhyF3ZlcX-8r72ktvnzaDMl9jjSUmovWp7DRqORjyngvUkfpD64d~pnKlapr-xhQUCD7~LQgR2xokYK-eptSn0qe51nYOgpSCZRUGzJQVTpPa8jLubMzWOq7cdW8OCEgyYED6pD2gs-VwxOYAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CPRA executive staff gave the board a monthly implementation update covering active construction, large multi‑year projects and recent milestones.

Executive Director Glenn Duffy and staff reported CPRA has 106 active projects: 39 in construction, 63 in engineering and design, and 4 in planning. The board received a tabletop status for the Lakeborn Marsh Creation Project, described in the presentation as roughly 80% complete with an overall target of about 3,100 acres of marsh and an approximate budget of $150,000,000.

Duffy said the project has moved significant fill (presentation noted “13,000,000,000 cubic yards of fill material” and an equivalency illustration) and is expected to reach completion in late fall. He told the board the project has multiple cells and bridges and that work will continue into the coming months.

CPRA also highlighted a partnership with North Lafourche Levee District to construct the Ludovine Pump Station, described in the presentation as a 48‑inch vertical axial pump installation with total capacity up to 450 cubic feet per second (CFS); pump installation was forthcoming and the project’s construction value was given in the presentation as approximately $7,900,000,000 with state and local funding figures shown in the slides. Clay Parker and others summarized work completed on concrete structures, sumps and the bridge deck and said final pump commissioning was imminent.

Staff showed footage of the Bayou Chain flood gate in operation and said the feature is providing backwater protection for multiple parishes. CPRA staff said the gate has been used for hurricane protection and was recently closed for backwater protection, holding water back and preventing street flooding in the protected area.

CPRA also updated the board on the Parish Matching Program and a Chaffingka (as read in the transcript) habitat restoration and River Ridge restoration project in St. Tammany Parish that will protect a historic lighthouse and add marsh creation and shoreline protections.

Board members asked for additional monthly tabletop figures for other large, multi‑phase projects; staff said those will be sent and that project‑level reporting will continue.","CPRA staff reported active construction across dozens of projects, highlighted the Lakeborn marsh creation project (largest in program; ~80% complete), described work on Ludovine pump station in North Lafourche and noted use of the Bayou Chain flood gate for backwater protection.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6547074,"LSU outlines coastal research, new programs and observation tools at CPRA meeting",773,457000,1230000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2&start=457&end=1230","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3347631-a53db774ed14efb2d3898fe25b3e8fd2/thumbnail_457000.jpg","/articles/6547074/Louisiana/LSU-outlines-coastal-research-new-programs-and-observation-tools-at-CPRA-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547074-15e5670be0438f5dc93a79aa4a7666ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449750&Signature=EXSxPUc0iervdlQg7dOFvCr4iQL9aMeqotNvVjOpPdf~6-iuoKjP39QpjRwlGlquy~OJH5jZqikGZYaPsp0hduFDcb9aW-WF2pQWE37Yimiqk8VkAX~rM94t9-~PTFrBUPuBpLsCp9e7l~IGN1UScqz8yRnvu8WTWHr5fkyswyaeDU962Z0mMuVD4GJbMO2TdHiJsUwT30WZGEeWPA6q3YkUA7VRS8D1uv1AR8copPLBuD4-5pKan8HWVdkJQcG9RnxXu5UIIL6tm7PzQLmjtGR~6Obs~OJNnGQyFUV0XjwPfWnO5EYDz6T0IX0561106MPsGoYSYR~oF1RzLq9Ayw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Wilson, representing Louisiana State University, gave a presentation to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board on LSU’s Center for River Studies and related coastal research, education and outreach activities.

The presentation emphasized LSU’s work to link research, education and workforce development with coastal planning and coastal programs. Dr. Wilson described a cluster of projects spanning river science, offshore continental-shelf studies, remote sensing and new observation tools, and highlighted LSU’s effort to consolidate points of contact so state and local partners can more easily find campus expertise.

Dr. Wilson said LSU is expanding observational capacity in the Gulf and inland waterways. He said a federal contract has been awarded and the university has support to acquire and install five high-frequency radars on the Louisiana coast to deliver real‑time surface current data for research and emergency response. He described how those radars can support oil‑spill response, search and rescue and marine operations.

The presentation also covered several ongoing research grants and facilities: a multi‑million‑dollar project led by faculty in geology and geophysics to characterize the lower Mississippi River; a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management–funded study of continental‑shelf stability; WaveSys stations and remote‑sensing work in the EarthScan Lab; and a Center for Geoinformatics that provides high‑precision surveying. Dr. Wilson noted partnerships with NOAA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on projects that use LSU data for planning and operations.

Dr. Wilson announced a new bachelor of science degree in coastal meteorology recently approved by the Board of Regents and discussed plans to increase student field experiences and internships. He described a Coastal Ecosystem Design Studio that co‑produces research and design with stakeholders and cited engagement with port and parish officials during recent field visits.

Board members asked how local governments and industries can find the right LSU contacts for technical questions. Dr. Wilson said the Institute for Energy Innovation and other campus units serve as entry points and that the university is working to centralize outreach so partners can be directed to the appropriate faculty or unit.

Board members and parish officials raised insurance and flood‑modeling concerns during Q&A, asking whether LSU can help review or ground‑truth FEMA and other federal models. Dr. Wilson noted ongoing work with academic units (e.g., a real estate research institute, flood modelers and building‑code efforts) and encouraged local partners to engage the Coastal Ecosystem Design Studio or relevant LSU institutes for short‑term analyses or student projects.

Dr. Wilson closed by thanking the board for its partnership with CPRA and noting the long history of LSU coastal research dating to the Coastal Studies Institute.","LSU researchers updated the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board on research and education work at the new Center for River Studies, including deployment of high-frequency radars, new bachelor’s program in coastal meteorology and partnerships on navigation and offshore sediment studies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Navigation and CPRA presenters outline plan to restore Bird’s Foot Delta hydrology and dredge Powlettown Anchorage

CPRA reports progress on Lakeborn marsh creation, Ludovine pump station and Bayou Chain flood gate

LSU outlines coastal research, new programs and observation tools at CPRA meeting