Plaquemines Parish Government hosted a Dredging Industry Day at the Belle Chasse Auditorium on Thursday, August 14.
The parish will be going out to bid on Reach B-2 from Fort Jackson to Venice on vegetated ridge projects in Plaquemines. The project will allow for enhanced flood protection to reduce levee overtopping and the creation of ridge and marsh habitat.
There will be the construction of ridges to reduce wave heights during storm events as well as the construction of marsh platform for wetland impact mitigation. It will fill material dredged from the Mississippi River, and the ridge and marsh platform will be planted with vegetation after settlement under a separate contract.
“ By getting essential feedback from dredging industry, we are making sure that we are addressing their questions and concerns prior to bidding, with the goal of obtaining the best price for the Parish, ” said PJ Hahn, Plaquemines Parish Coastal Management Director. “ By organizing this event, the Parish is getting great input from potential bidders on various aspects of the project that may ultimately get us better value on our projects.”
“ Plaquemines Parish is excited to begin this new project which has such historical significance to our coastal restoration plans. We are moving forward diligently to have these ridges constructed in a timely fashion in order to provide new protection to Louisiana’s coast,” said Billy Nungesser, Plaquemines Parish President.
The project is expected to go out to bid in early October and construction should begin around December.
“Industry Day was very productive. It was a great opportunity to receive feedback from the dredging contractors and learn how construction of the project and bid process can be improved in the best interest of the Parish, ” said Joel Gilliam, GCR Inc. Project Manager .