Community Resilience

Wetland Restoration

Bayou Terrebonne and other waterways, like the Mississippi River, are responsible for building Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. Wetlands provide coastal communities with protection from erosion and hurricanes. However, the rapid loss of wetlands has left these areas vulnerable to flooding and erosion. Implementing several wetland restoration projects will protect vulnerable coastal communities and combat coastal land loss.

Raised Homes

Residents of Louisiana’s coastal communities have become more resilient by implementing nonstructural protection measures such as home elevation and flood-proofing. The closer to the coast, the more houses are raised on pilings, indicating an increased flood risk. The cost of raising a house can reach up to $10,000 without insurance assistance. However, this nonstructural protection is necessary for residents living in coastal communities that are vulnerable to flooding.

Protecting Island Road

The community of Isle de Jean Charles lies at the end of Island Road, which is the only connection between the community and the mainland of Terrebonne Parish. The area on either side of the road was once land, but due to erosion, subsidence, and sea-level rise, this area is now open water. Several protection measures are being implemented to protect Island Road and the communities that surround it.

Marsh Terracing

Marsh terracing is one of many projects being implemented to protect and restore Louisiana’s disappearing coast, including the area around Island Road. Terraces help slow the waves from the Gulf of Mexico that cause erosion, protecting vulnerable wetlands and communities from further loss of land. Projects like terracing help to create a more resilient coast in Louisiana.

Sustaining Community Connections

Island Road connects the community of Isle de Jean Charles to the community of Point Aux Chene on the mainland. Isle de Jean Charles was once surrounded by wetlands and only accessible by boat, but today the community is accessible by Island Road. The once surrounding land has disappeared, leaving open water. Several projects are being implemented to reinforce the structure of the road, but floodwaters still wash over it during storms. 

Morganza Levee

Levees and levee systems are built to protect coastal communities from flooding due to storms. The Morganza to the Gulf levee system in Terrebonne Parish protects more than 150,000 residents in coastal communities from flooding and storm surge associated with hurricanes. Levees are considered structural protection measures, but residents also implement nonstructural measures to further protect vulnerable homes.

Protecting Pointe Aux Chene

The J-1 reach of the Morganza to the Gulf levee protects residents of the community of Pointe Aux Chene from damaging floodwaters. On one side of the levee reach, residents' homes are protected from strong waves and hurricane storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico. The other side of the levee is left unprotected and vulnerable to flooding and land loss.

Pointe Aux Chene Floodgate

Floodgates are a type of structural protection measure used in the Morganza to the Gulf levee system. The purpose of these structures is to allow boat navigation from one side of the levee system to the other and provide protection from floodwaters during storms. Floodgates are normally open, meaning boats can pass through but can be easily closed during storms to prevent storm surges. 

Dead Trees

Saltwater intrusion is one of many problems causing a loss of coastal land in Louisiana. As canals are dredged through the marsh for shipping navigation, saltwater easily moves into freshwater areas. The increased salinity in these areas causes the die-off of freshwater plants not adapted to high salinity.