New Orleans Marsh Creation Map – created by CPRA illustrating phases of their effort to restore and protect the wetlands in this critical area near New Orleans.
An aerial view of the Lake Borgne Marsh.
Settlement plates with instrumentation installed, ready for transport.
Transfer of two ISP’s from Flatboat to Barge.
Another view of the marsh.
Lake Borgne Marsh Creation
Louisiana’s largest coastal restoration project to date
GeoEngineers supported one of Louisiana’s most significant coastal restoration efforts at Lake Borgne, where decades of erosion, subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and major storms had transformed once-thriving marshland into open water. The loss of this natural buffer increased vulnerability for surrounding communities and reduced protection from hurricanes and Gulf storms. Led by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Lake Borgne Marsh Creation Project aimed to restore large areas of intertidal marsh along the lake’s south shore, strengthening the region’s Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System and enhancing long-term coastal resilience for the Greater New Orleans area.
Approach
- Performed subsurface investigations and laboratory testing to characterize site conditions and support marsh creation design
- Provided geotechnical engineering recommendations to inform fill quantities, marsh creation potential, and containment dike design, including settlement, bearing capacity, and slope stability considerations
- Evaluated the settlement behavior of hydraulically dredged sediment to support long-term marsh elevation goals
- Supported the hydraulic dredging approach, which involved pumping sediment from the lake bottom into contained marsh creation areas
- Provided construction-phase monitoring services, including guidance on installation and use of instrumented settlement plates (ISPs) to track fill placement and consolidation
- Assisted with data collection, processing, and interpretation of settlement monitoring to support construction progression and decision-making
- Conducted laboratory testing on bulk sediment samples to help verify monitoring data and performance assumptions
Results
Through phased geotechnical engineering and construction monitoring services, GeoEngineers helped support the successful creation of thousands of acres of new marshland along Lake Borgne. The restored marsh is designed to evolve over time into a stable, vegetated landscape that enhances storm surge protection and coastal resilience while supporting diverse habitats. By combining subsurface characterization, settlement analysis, and long-term monitoring, the project delivered a durable restoration solution that strengthens natural defenses and contributes to Louisiana’s broader coastal protection goals. GeoEngineers’ continued collaboration with CPRA on this and other restoration efforts reflects a long-standing commitment to protecting coastal communities and ecosystems throughout the Gulf South.
