Non-Rock Alternatives to Shoreline Protection Demonstration


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Project Location

This project is located along the eastern shoreline of Vermilion Bay, on Shark Island, Iberia Parish, Louisiana.

Project Description

This demonstration project involved the development, installation, and monitoring of various shoreline protection alternatives in an area of the state where physical, logistical, and environmental limitations preclude the use of current adopted methods. The results of this analysis will inform the development of future CWPPRA projects.

Issue Addressed

Several shoreline areas in coastal Louisiana experience significant erosion, but site conditions including unstable soil conditions, subsurface obstructions, and accessibility problems severely limit alternatives for shoreline protection. The adopted standard across coastal Louisiana, where conditions allow, is the use of rock aggregate in either a revetment or foreshore installation. The major advantages of using rock are durability, longevity, and effectiveness. However, in areas where rock is not conducive for use and site limitations exist, current 'proven' alternatives that provide equivalent advantages are limited.

Project Goals

The goal of this demonstration project is to identify and test an alternative method(s) of shoreline protection that can be used in areas having one or more limiting factors which preclude the use of currently adopted standards (i.e. rock, concrete panels, bulkheads, etc.). The project includes researching new products/methods/techniques, seeking potential location(s), engineering and design, fabrication, construction, and three years of on-site monitoring.

Verify Date

1/15/2020

Project Information

Project Type(s):

Shoreline Protection

Project ID:

LA-0016

Basin(s):

Teche/Vermilion

CPRA Program:

Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)

Federal Sponsor:

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

CPRA Project Phase:

Completed

Parish(es):

Iberia

Estimated Cost:

$ 7.4 million