NEW ORLEANS, LA — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of federal levee construction for the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico Storm Risk Reduction System, Reach A.
The Morganza to the Gulf Project is a hurricane and storm damage risk reduction project and part of the Mississippi River and Tributaries system. The project is a 98-mile alignment consisting of earthen levees, floodgates, environmental water control structures, road/railroad gates, and fronting protection for existing pump stations. Major project features include two floodgates in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and a lock complex on the Houma Navigation Canal (HNC) consisting of a lock and an adjacent floodgate.
“The importance of this project and the urgency to provide flood risk reduction cannot be understated," said Lt. Colonel Nathaniel Weander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Morganza to the Gulf will reduce the risk of flooding due to storm surge to more than 52,000 structures and over 200,000 people in the area. Deterioration of coastal marshes due to saltwater intrusion, land subsidence, and the lack of interchanges from the Mississippi River and Tributaries system have steadily increased storm surge inundation over time.”
The non-federal sponsors — Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority along with the North and South Lafourche Levee Districts — have constructed over 80 miles of levees in the vicinity of the authorized Morganza to the Gulf levee system. However, in the area of Reach A, no levee segments have been constructed. Therefore, the city of Houma and surrounding communities remain vulnerable to flooding, storm surge, and sea level rise.
“[This] marks a significant step in protecting more than 200,000 residents in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes from hurricanes and other major storms,” CPRA Chairman Gordon Dove said. “The Reach A gap has long been a vulnerable point in the Morganza to the Gulf system, leaving Houma and nearby communities exposed to flooding, storm surge, and rising sea levels. With this groundbreaking, we are one step closer to closing that gap and offering these communities greater protection and peace of mind.”
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“When a storm hits, we know flood mitigation efforts can save lives and also significantly limit potential damage," Majority Leader Steve Scalise said. "[The] groundbreaking signifies the next crucial step in providing a stronger flood protection system for the people of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. I’m glad to see continued progress on this monumental flood protection effort and will continue fighting to ensure the Morganza to the Gulf project receives all the resources needed for its completion.”
Acknowledging the sense of urgency, the Morganza to the Gulf team took on the charge to advance the greatest amount of risk reduction within Reach A as soon as possible, while minimizing or avoiding impacts to high quality wetland habitats and utilities within the project area. Though the full construction of the Reach A levee will be accomplished over several contracts, the team expedited the design of Contract 1. Contract 1 was awarded in July of 2024 and will provide flood risk reduction to vulnerable communities along Bayou Dularge while other important design and impact considerations are developed and assessed.
“We’ve spent years breaking logjams to force the federal government to fulfill its commitment to the people of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes,” Congressman Garret Graves said. “[This] groundbreaking signals that South Louisiana’s safety is a non-negotiable. I'm proud to have delivered $469.3 million from Congress to this project, with an additional $93 million pending in upcoming federal funding legislation.”
Reach A set precedence for executing expedited design and environmental clearance two years early with the end goal of providing flood risk reduction for residents from Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico.
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“We are honored that Terrebonne Parish has been selected for the first federal levee construction for the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico Hurricane and Storm Risk Reduction System," Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron said. "Hurricane Francine highlighted the need for levee protection, and this project starts the process of shoring up our system and raising the levees up to the level we need them. We are continuously working to reduce the risk our residents face during weather events."
