Posted on May 19, 2025
(The Center Square) − The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority reported at its May 2025 board meeting that it currently has 106 active projects underway across the coast, with a focus on hurricane protection, marsh creation, and ecosystem restoration.
The CPRA’s update detailed that out of the 106 total projects, 39 are in construction, 63 are in the engineering and design phase, and four are in planning.
The data presented highlights the agency’s continued emphasis on building resilience and restoring Louisiana’s rapidly eroding coastal landscape.
Hurricane protection topped the list with 35 total projects — 16 under construction, 16 in engineering and design, and two in planning. Marsh creation followed closely with 34 projects, including nine already being built and 26 in design.
Other project types included shoreline protection (seven), ridge restoration (two), and barrier island/headland work (three).
Notable progress includes the substantial completion of the Reach L levee and TLC projects, and the awarding of a construction bid for Reach H3 of the Houma Navigation Canal to the Gulf.
The $150 million Lake Borgne Marsh Creation project — Louisiana’s largest marsh creation effort and possibly the largest in the U.S. — is about 80% complete and on track to finish this fall. The project will restore 3,100 acres of marsh using 13 million cubic yards of sediment, enough to fill the Superdome nearly three times.
Officials also announced upcoming bids for marsh creation in St. Tammany Parish and the start of flood protection work in St. Mary Parish.
The $80 million Bayou Chene floodgate—featuring a 400-foot gate and 1,100-foot floodwall — was closed for the first time for backwater flood protection, officials said. Previously used during Hurricane Barry, the structure safeguards 30,000 residents across six parishes and serves as a defense against both storm surge and high river flooding.
