Shoreline Protection at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Implementing Organization
US Department of the Interior
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$24,271,610
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Environmental
Project Actions
Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
Targeted Resources
Other
Project Description
This project will increase protection of existing submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve from wave energy and create favorable conditions for reestablishment of at least 50 acres of SAV in the park. Additionally, the project will limit future erosion to the area by reducing wave action to the shorelines. In responding to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the decision to release fresh water from the Davis Pond structure to Lake Cataouatche resulted in the loss of 50 acres of SAV in the nearshore waters of Barataria Preserve, a unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan states, “Areas with suitable water quality conditions for SAV growth should be selected and water quality maintained. Additionally, existing SAV should be protected from wave energy and, ideally, restoration should take place where SAV has previously existed.” The preserve meets these conditions except for SAV protection from wave energy. The SAV community in the injured area has not recovered since the original injury occurred, despite the presence of adjacent SAV beds that are reproducing via seeds and vegetative spreading and are not dispersal limited. Contiguous SAV beds reduced erosion on the adjacent marsh shoreline and decreased the resuspension of sediments in the water column by stabilizing the benthic substrate and reducing wave action. The reduced coverage of these SAV beds has likely created a positive feedback loop where reduced cover has further increased sediment suspension and wave energy, thereby increasing erosion to th...click on "More Info" link below
Contact
Caitlynn Brig(970) 803-0150
caitlynn_brig@nps.gov
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/