Rebuilding a Louisiana Bayou: Upper Barataria Restoration

Louisiana's coastline has experienced significant land loss and to address this, the Upper Barataria Marsh Creation Project is restoring vital habitats. It's part of NOAA's larger effort to rebuild the region's coasts after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Project partners created 1,259 acres of wetland habitat-including 1,170 acres of marsh and 89 acres of water features. Just 1 year later, species like white and brown shrimp, blue crab, and red drum are using the newly created habitat. As the marsh stabilizes and the food web matures, it will serve as a thriving home for fish, birds, and wildlife.

A Coastline Under Pressure

Nestled between the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche, the Barataria Basin's wetlands provide vital ecosystem services to Louisiana's coastal communities. Yet these important habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate. Since the 1930s, the basin has lost nearly 300,000 acres of land-an area larger than New York City. This land loss is due to erosion, storm surge, and a lack of sediment flow from the Mississippi River.

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill accelerated Louisiana's land loss. The severe oiling of the state's shores caused a sharp decline in plant cover and marine species production. It further threatened the Barataria Landbridge, a critical hydrologic barrier separating fresh marshes in the upper basin from saltier waters of the lower basin.

Large-Scale Restoration

To restore these wetland habitats, the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group -a joint effort of the State of Louisiana and federal trustees-developed a plan for the Barataria Basin. They undertook one of the largest habitat restoration efforts in the Gulf region: the Upper Barataria Marsh Creation project .

Between 2022 and 2023, contractors from Weeks Marine dredged 8 million cubic yards of sediment-enough material to fill the Caesars Superdome twice-from the Mississippi River to create:

• 1,170 acres of emergent wetland habitat
• 89 acres of water features, including a tidal pond and 18,815 linear feet of flow pathways that emulate natural tidal creeks
• Strategic dike gaps that ensure water and wildlife can easily move between the new marsh and the larger basin

The project focuses on building a functional, dynamic ecosystem. By restoring the basin's structural integrity, it aims to ensure that fish and wildlife return, preserving Louisiana's legacy as a "sportsman's paradise."

One Year In: Wildlife and Key Species Return

To measure success, NOAA and partners are tracking everything from the height of the land to the number of shrimp in the water. The process is hot, muddy, and long: Research scientists from The Water Institute spend 12-hour days in the marsh, sometimes neck deep. As they scoop or pump sediment onto a giant cylinder topped with mesh, the mud slips through and reveals crabs, fish, and grass shrimp they hope to see. They count and measure the many creatures in partnership with Nicholls State University, where students get first-hand experience with the project and learn about fisheries ecology.

Teams saw all target species-blue crab, brown and white shrimp, and red drum-using the new water features and channels. Their presence is a signal that the constructed marsh is connected to the surrounding basin, key for functional habitat. This connectivity allows tides to carry nutrients in, larval fish to mature, and shrimp to move in and out. It also points to the project's impact on the basin's fisheries at large, which benefit from the increase in available food.

Healthy marshes are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth and engines for the economy. They sustain a massive seafood industry, generating approximately half of commercially harvested seafood in the United States. In 2024, the harvest of blue crab and white shrimp generated more than $120 million in Louisiana alone.

"I don't think there's anywhere in the world where you'll find the health of an ecosystem so intrinsically tied to the health of our economy," says Jonathan Hird, Project Principal at Moffatt & Nichol and lead engineer on the project.

Exceeding Land Creation Goals

The project successfully created 1,259 acres of land and water features, exceeding the original target by 76 acres. All five marsh creation areas met their initial target elevation ranges, providing a solid foundation for plant growth. Monitoring performed in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey indicates that native species are naturally taking root in the marsh. Notably, a community effort led to the planting of 500 cypress saplings in one section of the project area. While survival has been challenged by extreme weather, these efforts are teaching restoration experts how to build more resilient forests in the future.

The results after just 1 year indicate the marsh is recovering. "It's amazing to already see not just fish in here, but there are tons of fishermen on the water," said Erin Kiskaddon, Coastal Ecologist at the Water Institute. "It's a big win."

Looking to the Future

Construction may be complete, but the project's mission is just beginning. Over the next two decades, the area will settle and stabilize, increasing inundation-the time the marsh is flooded by tides-which further improves nutrient cycling and wildlife access.

To support long-term success, the project is governed by a 20-year monitoring and adaptive management plan. This rigorous oversight provides transparency and accountability. If the data shows the marsh isn't thriving, the plan allows for corrective actions like adjusting water flow or replanting vegetation.

World-class fishing, hunting, and birdwatching throughout Louisiana's wetlands are defining aspects of the region. Restoration also helps ensure the next generation of fishermen and outdoorsmen can continue these long-standing traditions.

Connor Gilbert, the Sportsman Outreach and Policy Specialist at the National Wildlife Federation, said "when I think about sitting in a duck blind or out on the water and watching the sunrise, I get goosebumps. So many people have the same excitement about this place."