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Open Houses Set to Discuss Bayou Lafourche Freshwater Diversion Proposal

Release Date: 9/3/1998
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Governor's Office of Coastal Activities have scheduled five open houses to explain and to receive public comment about a proposal to divert water from the Mississippi River into Bayou Lafourche.

     The proposed diversion project, funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA), is designed to protect and to improve coastal wetlands. It has been redesigned to address concerns raised during a series of public meetings held in 1996 when the original project was proposed.

     An interagency CWPPRA work group determined that this proposal, to divert 1,000 cubic feet per second of river water down Bayou Lafourche, will prevent the loss of about 1,000 acres of wetlands over the 20 years of the project. About another 85,000 acres of wetlands, aquatic vegetation and open water will be positively impacted by the freshwater diversion.

   Comments received at the open houses will be presented at the October meeting of the CWPPRA Task Force. At that meeting, the Task Force will decide whether to proceed with detailed engineering and construction of the project.

   Dates and locations of open houses are listed below. All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 14                     Thursday, Sept. 17
Lemann Center                       Assumption High School Gymnasium
1100 Clay Street, Donaldsonville     4880 Hwy. 308, Napoleonville

Wednesday, Sept. 23                 Thursday, Sept. 24
Lafourche Parish Council Chamber     Thibodaux High School Auditorium
Raceland                             1355 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux

Tuesday, Sept. 29
Larose Civic Center, Larose