CPRA to Discuss Coastal Master Plan

Next week (Thursday, June 21) the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will participate in an informational meeting in Cameron Parish to overview the Calcasieu Salinity Control Measures Project, a Master Plan cornerstone project in the southwest coastal region.

The purpose of the Calcasieu Salinity Control Measures project is to manage saltwater introduction into adjacent water bodies and wetlands through the Calcasieu Ship Channel (CSC), thereby reducing the rate of interior wetland loss.

This project aims to implement structural modifications to the CSC to maintain salinities in Calcasieu Lake and adjacent marshes at a level necessary to rebuild and maintain marsh productivity, and to prevent collapse and conversion to open water.

To date, CPRA has received $25.6 million in RESTORE Act funding for the  project. In November, 2017, U.S. Treasury awarded CPRA $9.6 million to begin the final phase of Design: to support land rights research, regulatory compliance work, and project management work.  CPRA previously received $16 million for computational modeling, data collection, and engineering and design of the project.

CPRA has moved forward with design of channelization features, which will limit intrusion of saltwater from the Calcasieu Ship Channel into adjacent water bodies and wetlands. This project will support other Louisiana Coastal Master Plan projects in the region including 62,600 acres planned for marsh creation, non-structural programs for both Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, as well as existing projects already on the ground.

An open house is scheduled 5-5:30 p.m. followed by a presentation 5:30-6:30 p.m., with thirty minutes scheduled for questions and answers, 6:30-7:00 p.m. The free event will be located at The Fire Station, 184 East Creole Highway, Creole, LA 70632.