Located in Cameron Parish, the Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration Project continues to advance critical restoration work in the Cameron-Creole Watershed, where decades of subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and storm impacts have altered marsh hydrology and reduced vegetative productivity.

The project is focused on substantially improving the health of the wetlands in the Cameron-Creole Watershed. It seeks to reduce the rate of land loss and improve marsh health by tackling the flood stress problem from two sides: 1) adding substantially more passive drainage capacity to the Calcasieu Lake rim to enable the marsh to drain every time a low tide or cold front provides the opportunity, and 2) increasing the elevation capital through dredged sediment input. The project will be implemented through two main components, marsh creation and hydrologic restoration, that will work together to both improve hydrology and restore the area’s eroding marsh.

Major conveyance and marsh creation components remain on schedule, with continued coordination between CPRA and stakeholders, including the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, landowners, Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA), and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities, guiding the next phases of implementation.

MARSH CREATION

Material excavated from historic bayous will be strategically placed to create and nourish marsh within the project footprint, building upon the system’s natural resilience. The marsh creation component aims to restore ecosystem balance and improve conditions for fish, wildlife, and nearby commercial fisheries.

HYDROLOGIC RESTORATION

The project’s hydrologic restoration component focuses on improving the exchange of water and drainage within the basin by re-establishing flow through these historic bayous. Dredging of these natural channels, along with the construction of the lake rim drainage structure, will enhance circulation between the marsh and Calcasieu Lake, reducing water level stress and supporting healthier wetland habitats. The Cameron-Creole Hydrologic Restoration effort complements these improvements, expanding basin-wide benefits by increasing overall water management capacity and habitat connectivity.