| Freshwater Bayou | | Phase One of the Freshwater Bayou Wetland Protection Project was completed in January of 1995 and protects more than 1,700 acres of intermediate marsh. Situated in Vermilion Parish, the area is an important habitat for both fish and wildlife.
Phase One addressed the problem of shoreline erosion in Freshwater Bayou Canal by constructing more than 27,000 linear feet of rock breakwater along the west shoreline. Increased tidal action, as well as wave wash from boat traffic, has eroded the existing banks, allowing tidal scouring and breakup of the adjacent marshes. The breakwater will prevent the canal from widening further and protect the nearby marshes.
Phase Two will see the installation of several water control structures to reduce high water levels in the interior wetlands. Changes in water flow patterns have affected the health of wetland plant life, which in turn affects the health of the entire wetland area. To improve drainage, eight water-control structures will be installed at various locations within the project area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Louisiana Department of Natural Resources sponsored Phase One of this project.
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