Breaking New Ground in Louisiana: 

The 2003 Evaluation Report to the U.S. Congress 

on the Effectiveness of Coastal Wetlands Planning,

Protection and Restoration Act Projects
Table of Contents

Breaking New Ground.................................................................................................................................. 2

The Crisis Hits Home ................................................................................................................................ 8

Building a Program That Delivers Results .............................................................................................. 12

Building Projects That Restore Wetlands ................................................................................................ 16

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 26

References .................................................................................................................................................................. 27

Submitted by the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force in accordance

with the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA), Public Law 101-646,

Title III, commonly referred to as the “Breaux Act.” This report fulfills the Breaux Act mandate, which

requires a report to the U.S. Congress every three years on the effectiveness of Louisiana’s coastal

wetland restoration projects.

Breaux Act Task Force Member Agencies

•U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Planning, Programs, and Project Management Division:

504-862-2204 or www.mvn.usace.army.mil

•U.S. Department of the Interior: 337-291-3100 or www.fws.gov

•U.S. Department of Agriculture: 318-473-7690 or www.nrcs.usda.gov

•U.S. Department of Commerce: 225-389-0508 or www.noaa.gov

•U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 225-389-0735 or

www.epa.gov.earth1r6/6wq/ecopro/em/cwppra/index.htm

•Louisiana Governor’s Office: 225-342-3968 or www.goca.state.la.us

Acknowledgements

The Breaux Act Task Force wishes to thank the state and federal Louisiana Delegations, as well as

Governor Mike Foster for their support of this crucial program. 

Suggested Citation

Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force. 2003. The 2003 Evaluation Report

to the U.S. Congress on the Effectiveness of Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act

Projects. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. 27 pp.

This public document was printed for a total cost of $3,525.00 for the Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4027 by Moran Printing Inc., Baton Rouge, LA. This

material was printed on recycled paper in accordance with the standards for printing by state agencies

established pursuant to LA R.S. 43:31.

Text written by Amy Clipp.

Layout, design, and illustrations by Lisa Boe.

Map images provided by the USGS National Wetlands Research Center.

Document direction and review provided by the 2003 Breaux Act Report to Congress Ad Hoc Committee.
September 26, 2003

Louisiana is quietly being invaded, not by a conventional army, but by the constant

encroachment of Gulf waters into our coastal communities. Every half hour, a parcel of land

nearly the size of a football field washes away, robbing our state not just of land, but of the

resources on which our economy and quality of life depend.

In the face of this emergency, the Breaux Act program has been a steady source of constructive

action. Since 1990, the program has provided resources for coastal restoration projects, and it

has fostered partnerships among local and state government officials, citizens, and leaders in

Washington.

When the Breaux Act program began 13 years ago, the scope of Louisiana's land loss problem

was still coming into focus, and we had not yet formulated a plan of action. We have come a

long way from those uncertain times. We now know what it will take to sustain our coast, and

although many important problems remain to be solved, we continue to apply increasingly

sophisticated science and engineering to the problem.

The Breaux Act program has been at the forefront of the state's evolving response to the land

loss crisis. The annual allocation of funds has been used to construct restoration projects while

consistently improving project quality, effectively learning as we go how best to approach the

nuts and bolts of sustaining the coast. In addition, the program's collaborative structure has

helped create a constituency for coastal restoration among key interest groups.

As Louisiana moves toward a greatly expanded coastal restoration program in the coming

years, the Breaux Act program's role remains important. We depend on the program to field test

innovative restoration techniques. We count on the coalitions developed by the program to guide

our restoration activities, and we rely on the program's ability to respond to land loss

emergencies that arise throughout south Louisiana. For all of these reasons, the Breaux Act

program has been and will continue to be an essential part of our state's fight to sustain our

coast for ourselves and future generations.

Sincerely,

M.J. “Mike” Foster, Jr.

Governor of Louisiana

A Letter from Governor Foster

1
2

Breaking New Ground

Louisiana’s wetlands are truly a

wonder of nature; the ecosystem

includes nearly 3.4 million acres

of swamp and marsh that stretch

east of New Orleans to the Texas

border. The coastal zone also

harbors thousands of animal and

plant species, as well as human

communities and vast industrial

holdings. But for all their bounty,

the wetlands are disappearing

at a shocking rate. Every 38

minutes, a football field sized

parcel of Louisiana’s wetlands

t u rns to water. The U.S. Geological

Survey estimates that if present

trends continue, the state will

have lost 2,400 square miles of

land between 1932 and 2050

(USGS, 2003). Life is being lived

differently every day in south

Louisiana because of coastal

land loss. Across the region,

communities are being

threatened, jobs are being lost,

and habitats are vanishing.
3

land loss. Like the two previous Breaux Act

reports to Congress published in 1997 and

2000, this document describes results

achieved by the program. These results

include restoration projects built with

designated funds and long-term policy

initiatives that implementation of the act

has fostered. 

Building Coalitions

The Breaux Act established a new template

for partnership building on coastal issues.

The Departments of the Army, Agriculture,

Commerce, and Interior as well as the

Environmental Protection Agency, together

with the governor’s designee comprise the

Breaux Act Task Force. Each year, this

team is responsible for working with the

public to: 

•create a prioritized list of coastal

restoration projects, and

•allocate the approximately $50 million

provided by the Breaux Act each year.

The Task Force meets quarterly, and its

committees meet regularly as well. The

public is invited to all Breaux Act meetings.

Citizens are encouraged to provide

comments on issues discussed, i n c l u d i n g

project selection and programmatic matters.

The program also conducts teacher

workshops, makes presentations at national

symposiums, and produces an electronic

n e w s l e t t e r, among other outreach initiatives.

The program’s collaborative structure

encourages a blending of perspectives and

brings a collective expertise to the task of

addressing coastal land loss.

Although most of the immediate effects of

land loss are felt in south Louisiana, the

problem impacts the rest of the nation as

well. Louisiana’s coast is the scene of

intense economic activity. The region’s

ports, inland navigation routes, and oil and

gas infrastructure influence the flow of

energy and other essential resources

throughout the United States. Without the

wetlands, all of these assets—and the

national security they provide—would be

located in the open water of the Gulf of

Mexico and at high risk from storms.

Halting Louisiana’s rate of wetland loss,

therefore, is about more than saving a

world-renowned ecosystem. It’s about

preventing a national catastrophe with

associated liabilities that could well exceed

$100 billion.

In a situation that demands action and

innovation, the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands

Planning, Protection and Restoration Act,

commonly known as the Breaux Act, has

served as a catalyst for breaking new

ground. The Breaux Act includes several

important features: it stipulates that a

coalition of five federal agencies work with

the state to address the problem, it

recognizes that a coast-wide approach is

required, and it provides approximately $50

million each year for coastal restoration

projects. Together, these measures are

designed to support the development of a

comprehensive coastal restoration program.

Since 1990 when Congress passed the act,

the state and its partners have fulfilled this

mandate, using the Breaux Act framework

as Louisiana’s front line response to coastal
4

Building Plans

This stakeholder-based structure also helps

the Breaux Act Task Force mobilize large

constituencies. For example, the key themes

of the America’s Wetland: Campaign to Save

Coastal Louisiana were honed by interviewing

many of the citizens and local government

officials affiliated with the Breaux Act

program. The Breaux Act’s Outreach

Committee also provides technical support

to the America’s Wetland campaign, which

is sponsored by the Governor’s Office and

privately funded.

The Coast 2050 planning initiative is

another effort that began with the Breaux

Act Task Force. Coast 2050 was designed to

build on prior restoration plans while

providing a more strategic, ecosystem-wide

approach. The Breaux Act Task Force

encouraged many groups to participate in

the plan’s development, including citizens,

local government representatives, non-profit

representatives, researchers, and agency

personnel. In a process that included 65

public meetings, a blueprint was developed

for reestablishing a sustainable estuarine

system along Louisiana’s coast. 

The Coast 2050 team divided the coast into

four planning regions, offered strategies for

restoring the health of each region, and

established a preliminary estimate of how

much the overall program would cost. The

resulting plan called for an integrated

restoration effort involving large-scale river

diversions, barrier shoreline restoration

projects, and other activities estimated to

cost approximately $14 billion. The plan

Evolution of the 

Breaux Act program

1990. U.S. Congress passes the Breaux

Act, which dedicates $50 million on

average each year for restoration projects

in Louisiana. 

1993. Breaux Act Task Force submits the

state’s first comprehensive wetland

restoration plan to Congress. 

1994. Completion of the first Breaux Actfunded project.

1998. Coast 2050 report completed. The

Breaux Act Task Force and State

Wetlands Authority jointly adopt the

study as their official restoration plan.

1999. Breaux Act Task Force adopts a

cash flow management system.

2000. Coordination with Coast 2050 plan

used as a criterion for Breaux Act project

selection.

2002. The Breaux Act conducts the first

cycle of Adaptive Management Review, a

structured quality control process for

integrating lessons learned into the

objectives and designs of new projects.

2002. The Corps of Engineers and state

begin work on the Louisiana Coastal

Area-Comprehensive Coastwide

Ecosystem Restoration Study.

Representatives from Breaux Act Task

Force member agencies participate on the

report writing team. 

2003. The Breaux Act program adopts the

Coastwide Reference Monitoring System,

which uses a coastal ecosystem approach

to evaluate project effectiveness. 
5

was adopted by the 20 parishes in the

coastal system, the State Wetlands

Authority, and the Breaux Act Task Force.

This unified vision is a direct outgrowth of

the technical expertise and partnership

building engendered by the Breaux Act. 

With the Coast 2050 strategies in hand, the

next step is to move toward implementation.

The Army Corps of Engineers and the state

are now developing the Louisiana Coastal

Area-Comprehensive Coastwide Ecosystem

Restoration Study (LCA Report), which will

provide the scientific and technical analyses

needed to more fully describe the Coast

2050 strategies. A request for LCA

authorization will be sent to Congress in

2004. If the LCA plan is authorized, it will

operate in tandem with existing restoration

programs, providing funds for large

restoration projects that are beyond the

current scope of the Breaux Act.

The planning and preliminary engineering

performed for Breaux Act projects have

provided invaluable support to the teams

writing the LCA Report. Adaptive

Management Review and the Coastwide

Reference Monitoring System—two Breaux

Act measures that are designed to enhance

project effectiveness—will also supply data

to the LCA effort. As a further demonstration

of the link between the two programs,

representatives from the Breaux Act Ta s k

Force member agencies are helping to write

the LCA Report. Coordination between the

Breaux Act program and the projects built

as part of the LCA effort will continue as

the two programs evolve. For example,

project ideas may be designed and field

tested under the Breaux Act program

umbrella and subsequently built with

appropriations secured through the process

initiated by the LCA Report.

Building Projects

From 1990 through November 2003, the

Breaux Act program has constructed 68

projects. These projects will create, restore,

or protect approximately 71,000 acres of

wetlands. Breaux Act projects are typically

built on a smaller scale than the landscape

altering river diversions and shoreline

restoration efforts called for in the Coast

2050 report. But regardless of size, Breaux

Act projects have a vital role to play in

Louisiana’s restoration program. 

In the early 1990s when the state had not

yet formulated a comprehensive coastal

restoration plan, the Breaux Act represented

a stable source of funding that allowed the

state to begin building projects and

experimenting with innovative restoration

techniques. Since the mid-1990s when the

first Breaux Act projects were completed, the

state has been gathering hands-on

experience about which methods work and

which do not. This experience provided

critical information during the development

of the Coast 2050 strategies. Now that the

state is moving toward a new phase in the

restoration process, the field verification

function provided by the Breaux Act

projects is no less important. As projects a r e

built using the Coast 2050 blueprint, the

state will continue learning how specific

strategies must be revised for optimal results. 
6

In addition, because project priority lists

are developed each year, the Breaux Act

program can respond to short-term

ecosystem needs and opportunities. This

flexibility is especially helpful given the

changing nature of the coast. For example,

the 2002 hurricane season was particularly

hard on many of Louisiana’s barrier islands.

In the aftermath of the storm season,

scientists and engineers from government

agencies and academia assessed damage to

the barrier islands. In the course of this

investigation, various methods were found

to improve the durability of several Breaux

Act funded projects. These refinements are

being integrated into other Breaux Act

barrier island projects still in the design

phase, thereby insuring that future projects

are built using the best available science

and engineering.

Coastal Land Loss Imagery
other landscape-sized projects now being

considered as part of the LCA process. As

mentioned above, the Breaux Act program

offers an ideal vehicle for fine tuning

restoration techniques before they are

implemented on a larger scale.

Although the Breaux Act program does

build large projects, it is best known for its

ability to respond when a localized area has

a land loss emergency that must be

addressed. The program’s structure allows

relatively small projects to be designed and

built within two to four years, in most

cases. This quick turnaround capability on

projects of limited scope will complement

the longer timelines of river diversions and

7
8

Every year, Louisiana’s coast

provides billions of dollars in

national resources and services—

assets that greatly enhance our

nation’s security and well-being.

Because the health of this region

so directly affects the daily life of

our nation’s citizens, it is referred

to as “America’s Wetland.” 

“The effects of wetland loss

will not be limited to Louisiana.

Citizens throughout the

nation will see the results as

shipments of energy and

goods are disrupted and

industrial operations are

curtailed. Taxpayers will 

be required to spend

billions to rebuild and 

move infrastructure. For a l l

of these reasons, re s t o r i n g

the coast to a sustainable

level is an investment that

makes sense—both now

and for future generations.”

The Crisis Hits Home

Louisiana’s Wetlands: A Valuable Resource

Industrial Infrastructure. More than

80% of the nation's offshore oil and gas is

produced off Louisiana's coast, and 25% of

the nation's foreign and domestic oil comes

ashore on Louisiana roads and w a t e r w a y s .

The coastal zone also contains the Louisiana

Offshore Oil Port; over 43,000 oil and gas

wells; two storage sites for the Strategic

Petroleum Reserve; and the Henry Hub, one

of the nation’s major natural gas distribution

centers. Louisiana has 3,819 vendors and
9

equipment suppliers in 165 different

communities to service this array of

infrastructure. These suppliers received an

estimated $2.4 billion in oil and gas related

business in 1992 (Waldemar S. Nelson &

Company, 2002). 

Transportation Infrastructure.

Louisiana’s coast is a national hub for

navigation. Nearly 3,000 miles of deep and

shallow-draft channels are located in the

wetlands (Waldemar S. Nelson & Company,

2002). Five of the nation’s 15 largest ports

are located in south Louisiana, and these

facilities carry 21% of all waterborne

commerce by tonnage in the United States

each year (USACE, 2001).

Water Quality. The Mississippi River

Basin terminates in Louisiana’s coastal

zone, bringing with it nutrient rich runoff

from 31 states and two Canadian provinces.

Today, levees channel most of this runoff

into the Gulf of Mexico. Before the levees

were built, however, Louisiana’s wetlands

filtered many of these sediments and

nutrients, converting them into biologically

useful materials. This purification function

has an estimated mean value of $325 per

acre per year (Waldemar S. Nelson &

Company, 2002). 

Fisheries. Each year, Louisiana's

commercial and recreational fishing

industries contribute $3.5 billion and over

40,000 jobs to the state's economy

(Southwick Associates, 1997). Almost onethird of the fish harvested by weight in the

lower 48 states comes from Louisiana’s

coastal zone (USDOC, 2001). The annual

economic impact of recreational fishing is

approximately $944 million (Southwick

Associates, 1997).

Coastal Communities. Over two million

people live in Louisiana’s coastal zone, and

the wetlands are an integral part of life for

many residents. The wetlands provide the

setting for the region’s primary economic

activities, such as navigation and oil and

gas production. In addition, the cultural

impact of the ecosystem can be traced to

traditions of music, food, and living off the

land that continue to this day. Much of

what gives Louisiana its unique heritage

finds its roots in the coast. 

Storm Protection. Every 2.7 miles of

wetlands may absorb an average of one foot

of storm surge (USACE, 1963). Louisiana’s

wetlands thus create a natural buffer zone

on which all of the infrastructure and

communities located in the coastal zone

depend. Using one estimate, the coast’s 2.5

million acres of wetlands have annual storm

protection values of between $520 million

and $2.2 billion (Costanza, Farber, and

Maxwell, 1989). 

Habitats. Louisiana’s wetlands provide

habitats for thousands of plant and animal

species. The intrinsic value of these lands

as a haven for wildlife is felt by all who

visit, and as such, the wetlands represent a

precious aspect of our nation’s natural

heritage. In addition, hiking, bird watching,

photography, and camping in south

Louisiana contribute more than $220

million annually to Louisiana’s economy

(Coreil, 1994). 
10

An Ecosystem in Peril

The coast’s seemingly endless productivity

belies its weakened condition. The natural

processes that created the wetlands have

been altered, and the region is quickly

approaching a point of no return. Before the

Mississippi River was confined by levees, the

river's annual floods deposited vast amounts

of sediment across the region. The thick

layers of sediment laid down by the river

nourished the wetlands and compensated

for the natural subsidence to which the land

is naturally prone. Today, most of that

sediment is channeled directly into the Gulf

of Mexico. As a result, when the wetlands

sink, there is no regenerative material

available to rebuild them. As the land sinks

and sea level continues to rise, more

saltwater is able to invade coastal areas. 

Canals dug throughout the coastal zone

intensify the problem. The canals widen

dramatically over time, further encouraging

the breakup of marsh. Canals cut from north

to south create pathways directly from the

Gulf into freshwater marshes, allowing

saltwater to enter the ecosystem. Canals

cut from east to west disrupt the natural

hydrology that keeps the wetlands healthy.

The end result in either case is further

stress on an already endangered ecosystem.

The coast loses about 24 square miles of

land each year, and Louisiana is projected

to lose an additional 500 square miles of

land by the year 2050 (Barras et al., 2003).

The Price of Land Loss

The loss of this one of a kind habitat would

be reason enough to take decisive action. But

the effects of continued wetland loss on human

communities could very likely be catastrophic.

Without the wetlands to offer protection

from flooding and storm surge, Louisiana’s

fisheries, coastal communities, and

infrastructure are at risk. One recent study

showed an increase in combined storm

surge and wave height of 8 to 10 feet

between 1960 and 1990. The study projects

that this increase could grow to between 10

and 12 feet between 1990 and 2020 if

present trends continue (Stone et al., 2003).

The effects of these conditions are already

being felt. Oil and gas equipment that was

designed for inland conditions is now

exposed to open water, and may ultimately

have to be abandoned or replaced.

Highways, bridges, and navigation channels

are also being buffeted by more frequent

flooding and higher storm surges. These

conditions not only pose immediate

monetary costs, they threaten national

security and the long-term stability of

economic markets. 

Homes and businesses in the coastal zone

are also in danger. Flood protection levees

were designed to work alongside the

sheltering wetlands. But if the wetlands

continue to wash away, the state’s coastal

flood protection system will be seriously
11

compromised. Fortifying the levee system

against storms will require billions of

dollars. And even if new levees are built and

maintained, the mounting risk of storm

damage will limit the availability of basic

insurance in south Louisiana. 

Water quality has been affected by wetland

loss. The Mississippi River ’s outflow is no

longer filtered by swamps and marshes. As

a result, the nutrient load pouring into the

Gulf of Mexico has increased substantially.

This increase has created a “dead zone” of

fluctuating size, which has spanned up to

8,500 square miles of Gulf waters in recent

years. The nutrient levels in this area a r e

so high that they severely reduce available

o x y g e n, killing fish and other aquatic life. 

Wetland loss endangers freshwater supplies

as well. Saltwater from the Gulf now creeps

further and further inland each year,

degrading the quality of water allocated for

drinking supplies, agriculture, and other

commercial uses. 

As these examples illustrate, the

consequences of wetland loss have farreaching effects. Besides the loss of cultures

and ecosystems that can never be replaced,

a vanishing coast will cripple Louisiana’s

economy. The vital infrastructure at risk is

valued at $90 to 100 billion (Waldemar S.

Nelson & Company, 2003). Economic losses

from damaged fisheries alone could top

$500 million annually (CRCL, 2000). The

effects of wetland loss will not be limited to

Louisiana. Citizens throughout the nation

will see the results as shipments of energy

and goods are disrupted and industrial

operations are curtailed. Taxpayers will be

required to spend billions to rebuild and

move infrastructure. For all of these

reasons, restoring the coast to a sustainable

level is an investment that makes sense—

both now and for future generations. 

Infrastructure Located in America’s Wetland
12

Since its creation in 1990, the

Breaux Act program has served

as a catalyst for Louisiana’s

coastal restoration efforts. 

“All Breaux Act projects

operate in a rapidly

changing environment. To

accommodate both the

dynamic nature of the

coast and emerging

program goals, the Task

Force continues to build

new levels of flexibility into

its evaluation procedures.”

Building a Program That Delivers Results

In the program’s first years, projects

focused on providing relief to targeted areas

along Louisiana’s coast. The program

continues to allocate a portion of its funds

to localized projects, but in recent years, it

has also begun to support an ecosystemwide restoration approach. Balancing these

contrasting priorities is the job of the Breaux

Act Task Force, which invites the public,

local government officials, and other agency

partners to take part in a yearly process for

deciding how program funds are spent.
13

How the Breaux Act program Selects Pro j e c t s

The selection process begins with the

nomination of candidate projects at public

meetings held each year between January

and March. The Breaux Act Task Force

committees then assess the proposed project

concepts. Several criteria are used for this

assessment, including cost, feasibility, and

coordination with the Coast 2050 plan. 

The projected effectiveness of candidate

projects is one of the most important

selection criteria. In order to gain a rough

estimate of the environmental benefits a

proposed project could be expected to

provide, the Task Force uses Wetland Value

Assessment (WVA) models. By providing a

quantitative basis for comparing diverse

projects, WVA models have been helpful

decision making tools, particularly in the

Breaux Act program’s early years. In a

parallel effort, scientists who designed the

WVA models are working with the LCA

Report team to more accurately assess

wetland benefits gained from restoration

activities. When these conceptual models

How Breaux Act Projects Move from Concept to Reality

Step 1: Projects are named as candidates for funding.

Step 2: Breaux Act committees and partners choose annual priority list. 

Step 3: Lead agencies are assigned to each priority project.

Step 4: Site analysis, engineering, and design are conducted for each project.

Step 5: Construction and initial monitoring are performed for each project.

Step 6: Completed projects are maintained and monitored for 20 years. 

have been refined, the Breaux Act Task

Force may integrate them into program

decision making. 

After the projects have been assessed, those

found to be the most beneficial are placed

on the Breaux Act priority list for that year.

Each selected project is assigned to one of

the federal agencies that sit on the Breaux

Act Task Force. This lead agency then

partners with the local sponsor, the

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

(LDNR), to design the project, acquire land

rights, and resolve user conflicts. Once

these issues have been dealt with, the project

is built. Bringing a project from nomination

to completed construction typically requires

at least two to four years. Some projects are

finished more quickly, and some are built in

phases over several years. 

Ensuring Project Quality

After a project is built, the Task Force must

ensure that it is operating efficiently. To

meet this need, the LDNR works with the

Breaux Act Task Force to monitor all
14

constructed projects. Environmental

monitoring usually begins at the project site

before construction in order to establish

baseline conditions. Over the 20 year

monitoring period for each project, the

LDNR collects data on hydrography,

vegetation, sedimentation, and soil

properties.

The Breaux Act program requires

evaluations not just of individual project

results, but also of the program’s ability to

restore entire hydrologic basins and

ecosystems. In order to meet these

requirements, the Breaux Act Task Force

formally adopted the Coastwide Reference

Monitoring System (CRMS) in August 2003.

CRMS is designed to provide a pool of sites

to serve as monitoring reference areas.

Even more important, the system allows

examination of project results at both the

watershed level and at smaller, regional

levels. By allowing micro and macro

analyses, CRMS will support rigorous

examinations of how constructed projects

create, restore, and protect Louisiana’s

coastal wetlands.

All Breaux Act projects operate in a rapidly

changing environment. To accommodate

both the dynamic nature of the coast and

emerging program goals, the Task Force

continues to build new levels of flexibility

into its evaluation procedures. The latest

innovation, Adaptive Management Review,

involves both a comprehensive review

process and mechanisms for revising new

project designs and objectives as data about

constructed projects are received. The first

adaptive management review was conducted

in 2002 and resulted in a series of 35

recommendations for improved operations

in all aspects of the Breaux Act program.

These recommendations are being

implemented by the Breaux Act member

agencies. Annual status reports will be

developed to ensure continued upgrades in

project quality.

Occasionally, the conditions at a project site

change radically, particular project design

goals are found to be unattainable, or project

costs increase unexpectedly. When these

unforeseen circumstances occur, the Task

Force may decide to deauthorize the project

and reallocate unused funds. Deauthorized

projects provide valuable lessons learned, and

are an expected result of the program’s emphasis

on field testing new restoration techniques. 

Other Areas of Innovation

Feasibility Studies. The Breaux Act

program has conducted three feasibility

studies, each focusing on a different

restoration challenge: a barrier shoreline

study was completed in 1999, a study

examining options for Mississippi River

diversions was completed in 2000, and an

investigation of the hydrology of the

Louisiana Chenier Plain was completed in

2002. Data collected in the three studies

helped jumpstart research being undertaken

as part of the LCA Report preparation.

Other studies from Breaux Act projects, such

as the National Marine Fisheries Service

Barrier Island Complex initiatives, offer

cutting edge information of use to natural

resource planners, scientists, and engineers.
15

Oyster Program. The state, in

consultation with fishermen and other

interested members of the public, has

developed a program to help resolve

conflicts between its objectives and citizens

holding oyster leases. The program, which

went into effect in April 2003, gives the

state a mechanism for acquiring active

oyster leases in areas that will be affected

by Breaux Act projects. The oyster program

will help ensure that potential effects on

leases are identified early in the project

design phase, so that recommendations for

compensating lease holders can be

proactively developed. The program will

operate in tandem with other state

initiatives designed to resolve user conflicts

that could impede the overall coastal

restoration program.

Cash Flow Management System. In

1999, the Breaux Act program revised its

procedures for funding projects. Formerly,

the total budget for each project was placed

in escrow once the project was selected, and

funds were drawn down as needed. This

approach was intended to provide a

dedicated source of capital for individual

projects. In practice, however, this

procedure encumbered hundreds of millions

of dollars—sometimes for projects that were

later deauthorized. To ensure both stable

funding sources and programmatic

flexibility, the Breaux Act program has

begun using a cash flow management policy

to govern fiscal operations. The new policy,

which follows state guidelines for other

public works programs, employs a “pay as

you go” approach. Cash flow management

allocates program funds only when they are

needed, thereby encouraging an efficient

and targeted use of program dollars,

particularly for the initial phases of project

design. This, in turn, helps ensure that

projects have a solid scientific grounding

before they are built. 
16

These 142 projects are projected to create,

restore, or protect approximately 140,000

acres of coastal wetlands over the next 20 to

30 years. Project size ranges from 9 acres to

36,121 acres, illustrating the diverse

objectives and methods being employed by

program initiatives.

The Breaux Act Task Force uses the Coast

2050 framework to guide the selection and

implementation of restoration projects. The

Coast 2050 plan divided south Louisiana

Since 1990, the Breaux Act has

authorized 142 projects and

constructed 68, for a total cost of

approximately $504 million. 

“Halting Louisiana’s rate of

wetland loss is about more

than saving a worldrenowned ecosystem. 

It’s about preventing a

national catastrophe 

with associated liabilities

that could well exceed

$100 billion.”

Building Projects That Restore Wetlands
into four regions, according to the unique

geology and hydrologic regimes found along

the coast. Strategies for sustaining each

region were then developed. To be selected

for funding, all Breaux Act projects must

incorporate at least one of these strategies.

When the projects are built and monitored,

therefore, they provide valuable information

about how well the Coast 2050 strategies

actually work on the ground. These lessons

learned are then integrated into the

planning and design of projects still on the

drawing board. In this way, the program

helps spur constant improvements in the

state’s coastal restoration efforts. 

Region 1 Basins

Pontchartrain

Region 2 Basins

Breton Sound

Mississippi River

Barataria

Region 3 Basins

Terrebonne

Atchafalaya

Teche/Vermilion

Region 4 Basins

Mermentau

Calcasieu/Sabine

Coastwide

Total

$25,475,934

25,475,934

$171,267,903

10,742,032

33,082,303

127,443,568

$191,813,675

150,471,719

11,965,718

29,376,238

$99,246,747

27,369,914

71,876,833

$16,233,889

$504,038,148

7

7

14

1

4

9

23

14

2

7

22

7

15

2

68

17

17

42

6

9

27

47

32

3

12

33

14

19

3

142

11,856

11,856

66,018

3,542

43,046

19,430

20,328

9,296

4,381

6,651

26,745

6,381

20,364

14,963

139,910

Table 1: Projected Results of Breaux Act Initiatives (As of 11/03)

Breaux Act 

Projects Authorized

Breaux Act 

Projects Constructed

Expected Wetland

Benefits in Acres*

(Authorized Projects)

Total Cost Estimates

(Authorized Projects)

17

* Expected wetland benefits are defined as the number of wetland acres created, restored, or protected over the 20 year project life.
18
19
20

Freshwater Diversion. Freshwater is

channeled from a nearby river or waterbody into

surrounding wetlands. This infusion of water,

sediment, and nutrients helps slow saltwater

intrusion and promotes the growth of new marsh.

Outfall Management. A variety of techniques

are used to regulate the flow of freshwater

diversions to ensure that water and sediment

reach needed areas. These techniques maximize

the benefits of freshwater diversions.

Sediment Diversion. A gap (called a crevasse)

is cut into a river levee, allowing river water

and sediment to flow into nearby wetlands and

mimic natural land-building processes.

Dredged Material/Marsh Creation. Dredged

sediment is placed at specified elevations in a

deteriorating marsh to encourage plant

recolonization.

Shoreline Protection. Eroding shorelines are

protected by buttressing the land with rock

berms, or by diffusing wave energy in front of

the shore using breakwaters and fences.

Sediment and Nutrient Trapping. Brush

fences and low land ridges are built to slow

water flow and promote sediment accumulation.

Hydrologic Restoration. Natural drainage

patterns are restored as much as possible, either

on a large scale by gating navigation channels

and rebuilding natural ridges, or on a smaller

scale by blocking dredged canals and cutting

gaps in artificial levees.

Marsh Management. The water level and

salinity in a contained marsh area are controlled

to promote the regrowth of desired vegetation

and wildlife habitat.

Barrier Island Restoration. Several methods

are used to stabilize and protect islands,

including shoring up dunes with fences and

vegetative plantings, rebuilding islands with

dredged material, and using breakwaters to

protect islands from waves.

Vegetation Planting. Flood and salinity-tolerant

marsh plants are established in project areas to

hold sediment together and stabilize the soil.

Region 1: The Pontchartrain Basin

Overview: Region 1 encompasses the New

Orleans metro area, which includes Lakes

Pontchartrain, Maurepas and Borgne.

There are an estimated 576,570 acres of

coastal wetlands in this urban estuary.

Between 1932 and 1990, 74,800 wetland

acres were lost, an average of 1,290 acres

per year. Because this region includes an

urban center, the area’s wetland habitats

are particularly vulnerable to human

impacts. As a result, the primary challenges

in this region center on preserving habitat

and maintaining current levels of

productivity.

The Coast 2050 plan identified a total of 20

ecosystem restoration strategies for this region.

Table 2: Breaux Act Project Types
21

Breaux Act Constructed Projects

These strategies are designed to restore and

sustain swamp and marsh as well as protect

the integrity of shorelines and critical

landforms, such as the Chandeleur Islands. 

As of November 2003, the Breaux Act

program had authorized 17 projects in

Region 1 and constructed 7. Over their 20

year lifetimes, these authorized projects are

expected to benefit approximately 11,856

acres of wetlands at a cost of $25,475,934.

Constructed Projects in Region 1 as of 11 / 0 3 :

•Fritchie Marsh Restoration

•Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

Hydrologic Restoration, Phase 1

•Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

Hydrologic Restoration, Phase 2

•Bayou LaBranche Wetland Creation

•MRGO Disposal Area Marsh Protection

•Bayou Chevee Shoreline Protection 

•Chandeleur Islands Marsh Restoration

Examples of Projects Constructed in

Region 1: 

Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

Hydrologic Restoration, Phase 2. Completed

in 1997 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, this project is anticipated to benefit

approximately 1,280 acres of wetlands.

Excess water was removed from the project

area to promote the growth of fresh marsh

vegetation.

Chandeleur Islands Marsh Restoration.

Sponsored by the National Marine Fisheries

Service and completed in 2002, this project

will help a barrier island recover from the

effects of hurricane storm surge. Vegetation

plantings established as part of this project

are expected to benefit approximately 220

acres of wetlands. 
22

Region 2: Breton Sound, Mississippi River,

and Barataria Basins

Overview: This region encompasses the

coastal area east of the Mississippi River to

Bayou Lafourche and includes 894,700

acres of wetlands. This area has

experienced one of the highest rates of land

loss in coastal Louisiana, a total of 360,000

acres of wetlands between 1932 and 1990,

or 6,207 acres per year. Between 1978 and

1990, the loss rates spiked to an average of

8,960 acres per year. Restoring wetlands

and barrier shorelines is thus a critical

priority for this region.

The Coast 2050 plan identified a total of 27

ecosystem restoration strategies for this

region. In addition to restoring swamp and

marsh habitats, these strategies are intended

to protect bay, lake, and barrier island

shorelines, and maintain critical landforms

on the Central Basin Land Bridge.

As of November 2003, the Breaux Act

program had authorized 42 projects in

Region 2 and constructed 14. Over their 20

year lifetimes, these authorized projects are

expected to benefit approximately 66,018

acres of wetlands at a cost of $171,267,903.

Examples of Projects Constructed in

Region 2: 

Delta Wide Crevasses. This National Marine

Fisheries-sponsored project was completed

in 1999 and is designed to encourage the

formation of new marsh. The project

involves maintaining existing crevasses

(openings cut in levees) and maintaining

and constructing new crevasses in the Passa-Loutre Wildlife Management Area and the

Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The project

is expected to benefit 2,386 acres of marsh

over its 20 year lifetime.

Dustpan Maintenance Dredging Operations

(Demonstration Project). The U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers is the lead agency for

this project, which uses dredged material

from the Mississippi River Navigation

Channel to create and restore adjacent

Constructed Projects in Region 2 as of 11/03: 

•Caernarvon Diversion Outfall

Management

•Channel Armor Gap Crevasse

•Delta Wide Crevasses

•GIWW to Clovelly Hydrologic

Restoration

•Naomi Outfall Management

•Barataria Bay Waterway Wetland

Restoration

•Jonathan Davis Wetland Protection

•Barataria Bay Waterway West Side

Shoreline Protection 

•Barataria Bay Waterway East Side

Shoreline Protection

•Barataria Basin Landbridge Shoreline

Protection (Construction Units 1 and 2)

•Vegetative Plantings of a Dredged

Material Disposal Site on Grand Terre

Island

•West Bay Sediment Diversion

•Dustpan Maintenance Dredging

Operations for Marsh Creation in the

Mississippi River Delta Demonstration

•Lake Salvador Shore Protection

Demonstration
23

marsh. This technique will restore

approximately 273 acres of marsh between

2002 and 2005.

Region 3: Terrebonne, Atchafalaya and

Teche/Vermilion Basins

Overview: This region includes coastal

land between Bayou Lafourche to the east

and Freshwater Bayou to the west. The

region covers 1,078,800 acres of wetlands.

Between 1932 and 1990, a total of 247,650

acres of wetlands were lost, an average of

4,270 acres per year. Between 1978 and

1990, the land loss rates climbed to 6,912

acres per year. Severe shoreline erosion,

altered hydrology, and high subsidence

rates are the principal causes of this

region’s land loss. 

The Coast 2050 plan identified a total of 18

ecosystem restoration strategies for this

region. These strategies are designed to

restore and sustain swamp and marsh

habitats and protect bay, lake, and barrier

shorelines. The strategies also focus on

maximizing land building in Atchafalaya

Bay, and maintaining brackish conditions in

the Vermilion, West Cote Blanche, East

Cote Blanche Bay complex while reducing

turbidity and sedimentation.

As of November 2003, the Breaux Act

program had authorized 47 projects in

Region 3 and constructed 23. Over their 20

year lifetimes, these authorized projects are

expected to benefit approximately 20,328

acres of wetlands at a cost of $191,813,675.

Constructed Projects in Region 3 as of 11 / 0 3 :

•Isles Dernieres Restoration East Island

•Point Au Fer Canal Plugs

•West Belle Pass Headland Restoration

•Isles Dernieres Restoration Trinity

Island

•East Timbalier Island Sediment

Restoration, Phase 1

•East Timbalier Island Sediment

Restoration, Phase 2

•Lake Chapeau Sediment Input and

Hydrologic Restoration, Point Au Fer

Island

•Whiskey Island Restoration

•Brady Canal Hydrologic Restoration

•Atchafalaya Sediment Delivery

•Big Island Mining

•Vermilion River Cutoff Bank Protection

•Cote Blanche Hydrologic Restoration

•Boston Canal/Vermilion Bay Bank

Protection

•Little Vermilion Bay Sediment Trapping

•Oaks/Avery Canal Hydrologic

Restoration, Increment 1

•Marsh Island Hydrologic Restoration

•Falgout Canal Planting Demonstration

•Timbalier Island Planting

Demonstration

•Raccoon Island Breakwaters

Demonstration

•Cheniere Au Tigre Sediment Trapping

Demonstration

•Thin Mat Floating Marsh Enhancement

Demonstration

•Mandalay Bank Protection

Demonstration
24

Examples of Projects Constructed in

Region 3: 

Cote Blanche Hydrologic Restoration.

Completed in 1999, this Natural Resources

Conservation Service-sponsored project

used weirs to reduce water exchange

between the marshes of Cote Blanche and

East and West Cote Blanche Bays. Targeted

shorelines were also armored. The project is

expected to benefit approximately 2,223

acres of wetlands.

Whiskey Island Restoration. The

Environmental Protection Agency sponsored

this project, which involved dredging sand,

building a retaining dune, and planting

vegetation. Completed in 1999, this

restoration project is expected to benefit

1,239 acres of wetlands on and around a

barrier island in the Isles Dernieres chain.

Models predicted that the island would

have been lost by the year 2007 if no

restoration activities had been undertaken. 

Region 4: Mermentau and

Calcasieu/Sabine Basins

Overview: This region covers the

Louisiana Chenier Plain, from Freshwater

Bayou in the east to the Louisiana/Texas

border in the west. The region covers

768,210 acres of wetlands. Between 1932

and 1990 a total of 226,000 acres of

wetlands were lost, an average of 3,897

acres per year. From 1978 to 1990, loss

rates averaged 4,288 acres per year. Habitat

objectives for this region focus on reducing

the salinity of marsh habitats. 

The Coast 2050 plan identified a total of 23

ecosystem restoration strategies for this

region. These strategies are designed to

restore and sustain wetlands, control

Constructed Projects in Region 4 as of 11 / 0 3 :

•Cameron-Creole Maintenance

•Sweet Lake/Willow Lake Hydrologic

Restoration

•Cameron Creole Plugs 

•Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Erosion

Protection

•West Hackberry Vegetative Planting

Demonstration

•East Mud Lake Marsh Management

•Highway 384 Hydrologic Restoration

•Clear Marais Bank Protection

•Replace Sabine Refuge Water Control

Structures at Headquarters Canal, West

Cove Canal, and Hog Island Gully

•Perry Ridge Shore Protection

•Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration

•Sabine Refuge Marsh Creation,

Increment 1

•GIWW - Perry Ridge West Bank

Stabilization

•Holly Beach Sand Management 

•Freshwater Bayou Wetland Protection

•Dewitt-Rollover Vegetative Plantings

Demonstration (Deauthorized)

•Cameron Prairie National Wildlife

Refuge Shoreline Protection

•Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration

•Freshwater Bayou Bank Stabilization

•Pecan Island Terracing

•Plowed Terraces Demonstration

•Southwest Shore White Lake

Demonstration (Deauthorized)
25

salinity in the Calcasieu/Sabine Basin,

protect bay and lake shorelines, restore and

maintain barrier shorelines, and maintain

critical landforms.

As of November 2003, the Breaux Act

program had authorized 33 projects in

Region 4 and constructed 22. Over their 20

year lifetimes, these authorized projects are

expected to benefit approximately 26,745

acres of wetlands at a cost of $99,246,747.

Examples of Projects Constructed in

Region 4: 

Sabine Refuge Marsh Creation, Increment 1.

Jointly sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, this project involved creating marsh

in deteriorated wetlands of the Sabine

National Wildlife Refuge. The project used

materials that the Army Corps of Engineers

has dredged from the nearby Calcasieu Ship

Channel during routine channel

maintenance. The project was completed in

2002 and is expected to benefit 993 acres of

wetlands over its 20 year lifetime.

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) - Perry

Ridge West Bank Stabilization. 

The Natural Resources Conservation

Service sponsored this project, which was

completed in 2002 and is expected to create,

restore, or protect 83 acres of wetlands. The

project involved installing rip-rap along the

northern bank of the GIWW to protect

interior marshes threatened by breaches in

the waterway’s bank. In addition, 22,952

linear feet of terraces were constructed in

shallow open water north of the GIWW to

reduce interior marsh erosion.
26

C o n c l u s i o n

Louisiana has entered a new era in the

effort to sustain its wetlands. The vision

expressed in the Coast 2050 report is clear:

only a landscape altering restoration

program will preserve vital national

infrastructure, sustain critical habitats, and

protect the communities of over two million

south Louisiana residents. In order to

implement this vision, the state and its

partners are examining options for

constructing massive river diversions and

barrier shoreline restoration projects. This

comprehensive approach to coastal

restoration is a first for Louisiana, and it is

a product of the coalitions and technical

foundation built by 13 years of Breaux Act

program activity.

The Breaux Act program also has a crucial

role to play as the state brings the Coast

2050 vision to fruition. In addition to

serving as an incubator for testing project

ideas, the program’s collaborative decision

making structure fosters ongoing

partnerships at the local, state, and federal

levels. These partnerships are essential if

the state is to fund and construct a multibillion dollar restoration program. 

The Breaux Act program fulfills another

important niche as well. Constructing largescale restoration projects takes time—a

decade or more in some cases. In the

meantime, the coast will continue to

change, and communities throughout the

coast will continue to experience land loss

emergencies. With its annual project

authorization cycle and relatively quick

project construction time, the Breaux Act

provides a vehicle for responding to acute

local wetland restoration needs.

For all of these reasons, the Breaux Act

remains an essential element of Louisiana's

response to the coastal crisis. The members

of the Breaux Act Task Force are committed

to continuing the program's tradition of

innovation—a tradition focused on securing

the state's coast and its future.
27

Barras, J., S. Beville, D. Britsch, S. Hartley,

S. Hawes, J. Johnston, P. Kemp, Q.

Kinler, A. Martucci, J. Porthouse, D.

Reed, K. Roy, S. Sapkota, and J. Suhayda.

2003. Historical and projected coastal

Louisiana land changes: 1978-2050:

USGS Open File Report 03-334. 39 pp.

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL).

2000. No time to lose: Facing the future of

Louisiana and the crisis of coastal land

loss. Baton Rouge, LA: Coalition to

Restore Coastal Louisiana. 57 pp.

Coreil, P. 1994. Wetlands functions and

values in Louisiana. Baton Rouge:

Louisiana State University, Cooperative

Extension Service. Pub. 2519. 11 pp.

Costanza, R., S. Farber, and J. Maxwell.

1989. Valuation and management of

wetland ecosystems. Ecological

Economics. 1:335-361.

Southwick Associates. 1997. The economic

benefits of fisheries, wildlife and boating

resources in the state of Louisiana.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and

Fisheries. 21 pp.

Stone, G., A. Sheremet, X. Zhang, and A.

Braud. 2003. Coastal land loss and wavesurge predictions during hurricanes in

coastal Louisiana: Implications for the oil

and gas industry. Final Project Report

Prepared for the Louisiana Department of

Natural Resources, U.S. Geological

Survey, and U.S. Minerals Management

Service. 35 pp.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

1963. Overland surge elevations coastal

Louisiana: Morgan City and vicinity. File

No. H-2-22758, Plate A-4.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

2001. Water-borne commerce of the

United States, Calendar Year 2001. Part

5- National Summaries. Fort Belvoir, VA:

Water Resources Support Center, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers. Internet URL:

http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ndc/wcsc/

pdf/wcusnat101.pdf.

U.S. Department of Commerce, National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

and National Marine Fisheries Service

(USDOC). 2001. Fisheries of the United

States, 2001. Washington D.C. Internet URL:

http://www.st.nms.gov/st1/fus/fus01/index.

html.

U.S. Geological Service (USGS). 2003. 100+

years of land change for coastal

Louisiana. Unpublished manuscript by

Jimmy Johnston. 700 Cajundome Blvd.,

Lafayette, LA 70506.

Waldemar S. Nelson and Company, Inc.

2002. Louisiana Coastal Area Restoration

Feasibility Study economic linkages

literature review. Nelson Project No.

20010052. A report to the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District

and the Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources.

Waldemar S. Nelson and Company, Inc.

2003. Valuation of assets in the Louisiana

coastal area: August 29, 2003 draft. A

report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

New Orleans District. 7 pp. plus A p p e n d i c e s .

R e f e re n c e s
Contacts for Additional Information

Breaux Act Home Page: www.lacoast.gov

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Restoration Division:

P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804, 888-459-6107, www.saveLAwetlands.org