Spanish Pass

Weeks is an expert at rebuilding marshland along the coastline of Louisiana. Much of this marshland is no longer being replenished by the Mississippi River due to structural improvements along the river, primarily its channelization with rocks. As a result, the river no longer branches out to feed the surrounding marshland, natural habitats for diverse wildlife like birds, gators, turtles and more.

Working under the direction of the CPRA, Weeks is dredging sand from the bottom of the Mississippi River and pumping it along a pipeline to area that was once open water. Through this process, we are generating a new land mass, creating 7 miles, about 1600 acres, of marshland. Additionally, this project includes building a ridge adjacent to the marsh, similar to a beach dune, that will exist 3-4 feet above the water and about 200 feet wide. This ridge will then be planted with trees providing an additional wildlife habitat in the area. Beyond the creation of much needed marshland from the ecological perspective, this new land area and ridge will also provide much needed storm protection, offering a buffer to hurricane storm waves along the coast.