Posted on October 30, 2024
ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — St. Tammany Parish leaders broke ground Tuesday on a critical coastal restoration project.
The Tchefuncte Habitat Restoration project is the first coastal restoration project in St. Tammany Parish, according to Parish President Mike Cooper.
Cooper said construction started on the $1.6 million Tchefuncte Habitat Restoration project, an initiative that will protect the shoreline surrounding the historic Tchefuncte River Lighthouse in Madisonville on Tuesday.
“This is a memorable day for the citizens of St. Tammany, as we are not only protecting one of our most historic assets, but also enhancing our coastline,” said President Cooper in an issued statement. “St. Tammany is a coastal parish and our decisions have reflected that by improving flood prevention and coastal restoration. I look forward to completion of these projects, which will have immeasurable benefits for our community.”
Once completed, the Tchefuncte Habitat Restoration will include a breakwater to protect the coast from wave erosion, a bulkhead, a 300’ pier near the Lighthouse and rip-rap shoreline, according to Cooper’s office.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.
Cooper said the Tchefuncte Habitat Restoration is the first of three projects to enhance the Madisonville coastal region.
The next two projects, the Tchefuncte West Bank Marsh Creation, borrows sediment from Lake Pontchartrain to rebuild neighboring marshland, and the Lower Tchefuncte Breakwater Restoration, creates a rock wall to protect wave erosion near the mouth of the Tchefuncte River.
According to Cooper, there are 16 projects across St. Tammany’s coastline from Madisonville to Slidell and up the Pearl River, funded by federal Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) dollars.
