Project Summary

1. Project ID
Name	Bayou Lacourche Initiative
Region	Gulf of Mexico Region
State	LA
Location
Date of this update	9/7/00

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)
Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)

3. Project description (100 words or less)

ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED — The Bayou Lafourche Watershed is located in south central Louisiana between the Barataria and Terrebonne basins. Bayou Lafourche flows through Ascension, Assumption and Lafourche Parishes emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the source for drinking water to over 300,000 citizens in a five-parish area. Louisiana's Nonpoint Source Assessment Report indicates that Bayou Lafourche is only partially meeting its designated public uses. Nearby land uses such as crop production, as well as urban runoff, and sewerage contamination contribute pollutants such as pesticides, nutrients, organic enrichment, suspended solids and pathogens into the stagnant stream. A lack of sufficient flow allows salt laden waters to reach central Bayou Lafourche communities and water intake systems. On the southern end of the stream, subsidence and wetland deterioration are serious and widespread problems.

Historically, Bayou Lafourche was the main avenue for trade. Linear communities developed from Donaldsonville to Leeville with the bayou serving the public's transportation needs. From an historic perspective, the damming of Bayou Lafourche in 1904, at the Mississippi River, began the degradation of the significance of the stream in the eyes of the public. Although pumps constructed in the 1950s added a small flow of river water into the bayou, this did little to revitalize the viability of the stream that once carried up to 15% of the flow of the Mississippi River.

The significance of the Barataria -Terrebonne/Bayou Lafourche region is recognized with its National Estuary status. Through the efforts of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) the public is becoming aware of the problem and looking to BTNEP for answers. This initiative is geared to capitalize on the public's current concern, utilizing the bayou, with its cultural and historic significance as a means of uniting residents along the entire stream to support necessary efforts to save vitally important fish, wildlife, and other wetland-related economic and environmental resources on the verge of collapse.

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT — This initiative will focus public attention on the importance of Bayou Lafourche as a cultural lifeline and as the mainstream of the environmental health of the entire Bayou Lafourche community. It will concentrate on linking existing heritage-based efforts, as well as ecological restoration efforts along the bayou into an interactive alliance. The initiative will strengthen the effectiveness and knowledge base of each group, enhancing the public capacity to support and sustain the bayou and the surrounding environmental community. In addition, the initiative will create a long-term commitment to solving complex water resource problems through partnerships with federal, state, and private cooperation.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

PROPOSAL OBJECTIVES — The main objective of this proposal is to reestablish the residents of Bayou Lafourche as a unified community that understands sustainable development and recognizes the economic value of a clean usable channel. In doing so BTNEP intends to build capacity within the region to develop long-term consensus based solutions that positively effect the overall environmental health of the community. Specific elements of this proposal:

1. Recognize, link and provide staff support for existing heritage-based efforts, as well as ecological restoration efforts along the bayou into an interactive alliance;
2. Assist with the growth of nature-based economic development along Bayou Lafourche, including tourism and other nature-based activities;
3. Assist in the documentation of the links of the community to Bayou Lafourche and to the wetland environment advancing the knowledge base through a program of publications, demonstrations, and information exchange; and,
4. Coordinate and/or serve in an advisory capacity for various ecological efforts along Bayou Lafourche on behalf of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.

5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

Cash

Federal

Non Federal

State government
Local government
Private industry
Public interest groups

Total


In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar value)

Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)

7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

9. Project Status

• Initiation date:
• Completion date:
• Current stage: (Initiated - I, Underway - U or Completed - C)

10. Contacts

11. Any additional information/comments