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Lawmakers hear competing views on Atchafalaya Basin water quality, Corps study and CPRA master plan
Summary
Federal and state officials briefed lawmakers on a five‑year, $25 million Lower Mississippi River study that could change Old River operations, while local stakeholders and conservation groups urged faster fixes to sedimentation and reduced hydrologic connectivity that they blame for fisheries declines in the Atchafalaya Basin.
State and federal officials and local stakeholders debated management options for the Atchafalaya Basin during a lengthy committee segment focused on hydrology, sediment movement and fisheries decline.
Colonel Colin Jones, commander and district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District, briefed the committee on the congressionally authorized Lower Mississippi River comprehensive management study (LMR comp study): a five‑year, $25 million effort covering the river from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to the Gulf of Mexico to produce actionable recommendations across flood risk management, navigation, ecosystem restoration, water supply and recreation.
“Is the 70/30 split still optimal for the Old River Control Complex?” Colonel Jones said the study will evaluate whether forecast‑informed operations, flexible flow scenarios and some structural or operational changes could provide environmental benefits to the basin while maintaining navigation and national flood‑control responsibilities.
CPRA Director Glenn Ladey and planning chief Brian Lazina described the agency’s parallel effort to prepare Louisiana’s first Atchafalaya Basin master plan, which will prioritize restoration and conservation measures, identify projects (hydrologic restoration, dredging, sediment trapping and public access), and aim to align state priorities with the Corps’ LMR study and potential tiered federal studies.
Local stakeholders expressed sharp disagreement about past and proposed sediment‑diversion projects. Jody Mesh, a crawfish producer and local elected official, and Dean Wilson of Atchafalaya Basin Keeper urged repairs to the basin’s hydrologic connectivity, removal or gapping of spoil banks and targeted dredging of infilled lakes so fish and crawfish have refuge during low water. They also urged that any sediment traps be designed for repeat maintenance and beneficial use—rather than creating permanent silt fills.
Several public commenters criticized recent pilot projects (identified by stakeholders as Buffalo Cove and similar sediment diversion experiments) as moving large volumes of sand into swamp areas and causing unanticipated infilling. Those commenters asked CPRA and the Corps to pause or re‑evaluate projects that introduce river water and bedload sand into shallow bayous without clear maintenance or dredge‑out plans.
Officials emphasized coordination: Colonel Jones said the Corps will examine Old River operations, dredging opportunities and dedicated sediment measures during the LMR comp study and can recommend tiered follow‑up work. CPRA staff said the state’s Atchafalaya master plan will include community input and prioritize scalable projects the agency can fund or seek federal partners to implement.
Committee members asked for continued briefings; several legislators asked for more communication and frequent updates as the Corps’ modeling and CPRA’s master plan progress.
