Oyster Bay and its wetlands serve as an important nursery area for economically important fish and shellfish such as white shrimp, brown shrimp, blue crab, redfish, spotted sea trout, and others. The marsh area also provides habitat for resident and migrating birds and other wildlife. These wetlands consist primarily of black needlerush and salt grass, with some sloughs interspersed throughout the marsh, and pine flatwoods located to the east. This project would protect and provide public access to 350 acres of wetlands and marsh in Oyster Bay.

Project Status:
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > In Progress > Completed

This marsh creation project is located in eastern New Orleans on the narrow landbridge that separates Lake Pontchartrain from Lake Borgne. Salinities have increased in this area due to local subsidence and canals and along with waves, have resulted in the rapid retreat of the shoreline and expansion of ponds and lakes within the marsh. This project will create and restore this marsh land-bridge using sediment, restoring significant fish and wildlife habitat and a crucial line of defense from storm surge for 1.5 million people in the parishes surrounding Lake Pontchartrain.

Fish and Waterfowl Benefits

This project is a critical landscape feature that includes the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, the largest urban refuge in the nation. The refuge provides opportunities for sportsmen to fish and crab and for youth to hunt waterfowl. The landbridge also helps buffer storm surge for the nearby Big Branch National Wildlife Refugewhere people crab, hunt deer, small game and waterfowl, and fish in the marshes, bayous and in Lake Pontchartrain for speckled trout, bass, redfish and other popular species.  

Project Status: 
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > Under Construction > Completed

This marsh creation project is in Mid-Barataria Basin in the vicinity of the town of Lafitte. Historically, there was a limited connection between the fresher upper basin and the saltier lower basin. Canal networks, erosion and subsidence have eaten holes through the natural barriers, exposing wetlands in the upper basin to saltwater intrusion and waves. A critical landscape feature, this project will continue to build on marsh creation projects that have been constructed or are under construction to strengthen the Barataria Landbridge. Sediment conveyed from the river through a pipeline will be used to build new marsh, nourish existing marsh in the area, help restore historic low salinities in the upper basin and help protect the nearby community of Lafitte from storm surge and tidal flooding.

Fish and Waterfowl Benefits

Restoration and renourishment of the Barataria Land-Bridge will help protect the 30,000 acre Salvador/Timken Wildlife Management Area and Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve, located in the upper part of the Barataria Basin, from the devastating effects of saltwater intrusion and damage from storms. Both of these areas provide freshwater habitat to waterfowl, deer, bass, catfish and other species and recreational opportunities to sportsman.

Project Status: 
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > Under Construction > Completed