Raccoon Island Restoration
Implementing Organization
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; State of Louisiana
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$8,200,000
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
Wetlands/Marshes/Estuaries
Project Description
This project will perform engineering and design (E&D) for a construction project that will provide multiple benefits to injured resources by restoring and creating habitat, and preventing island breaching. E&D will be conducted for borrow areas; beach, dune, and marsh restoration; mound creation; shoreline protection; nesting substrate; and vegetation planting. A shoal west of the island and offshore sites will be evaluated for potential sand sources. A diversity of habitats will be considered in the design. E&D will include evaluating existing data and conducting field surveys for elevation, soils, cultural resources, and possibly wave data. Various island and borrow area modeling will be conducted to evaluate design performance and avoid or minimize unintended outcomes. Multiple alternatives will be assessed by conducting sediment budgets and considering regional sediment transport, maintenance needs, and lessons learned from previous restoration. The alternatives analysis will evaluate the performance of various future restored conditions to future conditions without restoration. Milestone reviews with partners will occur to determine the E&D scope, and then at 30%, 60%, and 95% design levels. A monitoring and adaptive management plan will be developed. This effort will yield a 95% design, environmental clearances, land rights, and a monitoring and adaptive management plan for consideration for construction funding by the Trustees in a separate projects.
Contact
Patrick Williams(225) 329-9268
patrick.williams@noaa.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/