Posted on September 18, 2025
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) has been awarded over $122 million through a RESTORE Act Direct Component programmatic grant to support construction of the first phase of the Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration project.
This award represents a significant step forward in delivering long-planned restoration across the 65,000-acre Cameron Creole Watershed (CCW), located within the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin in Cameron Parish. This region is vital to both Louisiana’s ecological resilience and the economic stability of Southwest Louisiana.
“Southwest Louisiana plays a crucial role in our state’s economy and coastal identity, and for too long, we’ve watched this region suffer from land loss and erosion,” said Gov. Jeff Landry. “This funding allows us to move from planning to construction on one of our most critical restoration efforts. We will now be on the ground, moving dirt, restoring wetlands, and building real protections for the people, communities, and industries that depend on a strong, resilient coast.”
The Calcasieu-Sabine Basin has experienced dramatic land loss, with more than 128,000 acres of wetlands lost since 1932. Projections show that an additional 110,000 acres would be lost over the next 50 years without intervention. The Calcasieu-Sabine project will progress in stages, focusing on large-scale restoration, improved marsh hydrology, and sustainable ecosystem health.
The project aims to reduce wetland loss by addressing inundation stress and improving marsh drainage to sustain vegetative productivity and ecosystem health. Utilizing RESTORE grant funds, CPRA will begin the first phase of the project by constructing seven lake-rim gravity drainage structures with backflow prevention along the southeastern rim of Calcasieu Lake. These structures will capitalize on natural water level fluctuations, such as low tides and cold fronts, to improve drainage and alleviate persistent inundation stress in the CCW.
“This funding allows us to move from planning to construction for one of our most important coastal restoration efforts in Southwest Louisiana,” said CPRA Chairman Gordon ‘Gordy’ Dove. “This project will help protect not only wetlands, but also the people, communities, and industries that depend on a healthy coast in this region.”
These efforts will help combat the impacts of sea level rise, subsidence, and tropical events while delivering long-term economic and environmental benefits to the region. By preserving the wetlands of the Chenier Plain, the project also offers vital storm surge protection for the Lake Charles area.
Funding for the Calcasieu-Sabine project comes from the RESTORE Act Direct Component, administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The total estimated cost of the project is approximately $260 million. CPRA was previously awarded a RESTORE grant for $28.6 million for engineering, design, and permitting, with remaining costs allocated for construction, monitoring, and future maintenance.
Additional phases of the project include improvements of up to 18 miles of conveyance channels to reestablish hydrologic flow and strategic marsh creation and nourishment using dredged material to restore up to 2,000 acres of wetlands. The project also includes ongoing monitoring and maintenance of existing water control structures along the Calcasieu Lake rim to ensure long-term performance and the health of the marsh.
“The Calcasieu-Sabine project reflects the kind of large-scale, science-based restoration prioritized in Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan,” said Michael Hare, Executive Director of CPRA. “We’re now moving from planning to action in one of the most vulnerable areas of our coast, where this investment will make a measurable difference.”
The project is expected to generate substantial economic benefits for the region through job creation, infrastructure protection, and increased resilience for ports, fisheries, and industry.
