The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) which authorizes funds to be distributed to Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing States for one or more of the following purposes:

• Projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas
• Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources
• Planning assistance and administrative costs
• Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive management plan
• Mitigation of the impact of OCS activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects in addition to public service needs

Total CIAP Project Allocation:
$6,051,074.00

Coast 2050 Strategy
Region 3, Strategy 5: Enhance Atchafalaya River water influence to central Terrebonne marshes (Bayou Dularge to Bayou Terrebonne).

Project Location
Region 3, Terrebonne Basin, Terrebonne Parish, Marshes adjacent to Falgout Canal between Bayou Dularge and Houma Navigation Canal.

Problem
The marshes located in the project area have been hydrologically isolated from historical flow patterns by construction of various navigation channels, including the Houma Navigation Canal (HNC) and the Falgout Canal. Because of these barriers, the prevailing hydrologic influence is confined to southern tidal flows, which has resulted in elevated salinity and land loss in historically fresh and intermediate marshes. The project would expand the zone of Atchafalaya beneficial influence by modifying water flow patterns to include these areas of need. The marshes are expected to benefit from reduced salinity and increased nutrients and sediment.

Proposed Project Features
The project would include construction/modification of structure at a site located on the HNC north of the Falgout Canal to increase freshwater flow to marshes north of Falgout Canal and to create freshwater plume to benefit marshes south of the canal. Three sets of six 36" culverts would be installed through the road separating the Falgout Canal from the marshes to the south to introduce freshwater nutrients and sediment. Approximately 50,000 linear feet of earthen terraces would be constructed in the broad shallow open water to facilitate marsh development.

Goals
The project will reestablish historical north to south flow in which the benefits of increasing freshwater, nutrients and sediment derived from the Atchafalaya River can be extended to marshes that have suffered catastrophic loss due to hydrologic isolation and salinity intrusion. The project will also facilitate creation of new marsh by terracing large shallow open water areas receiving new freshwater flow.

Preliminary Project Benefits
Approximately 5000 acres of existing marsh can be expected to benefit from the project freshwater flow enhancements. Much of the project area has degraded to open water and with terracing and the benefits of freshwater introduction and additional 4000 acres of marsh can be expected to benefit over the project life. The 50,000 linear feet of terracing will create approximately 675 acres of new marsh. Because the southern area of the project has already converted to nearly complete open water the project should offset any further loss and through terracing result in a net gain to the area. Land loss is expected to be offset greatly in the northern area of the project area as a result of improved freshwater flow.