LOUISIANA PARISH AND PORT COMMISSION STEP UP TO HELP FUND NAVIGATION CHANNEL DREDGING

In August the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District and the Terrebonne Parish Port Commission signed an agreement for additional funds for more dredging and improved channel depth in the Houma Navigation Canal.

Along with the congressionally appropriated $1.1 million Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government and the Terrebonne Port Commission are providing a combined $2 million to remove 700000 cubic yards of material to meet the authorized 15-foot depth.

The Corps said Terrebonne Parish’s economy depends heavily on the Houma Navigation Canal which is used extensively by the oil industry. The Terrebonne Parish council and the Terrebonne Port agreed to supplement the Corps budget this year.

The Houma Navigation canal was last dredged in 2014. The start date of the project has not yet been set. A cutterhead dredge will work for 90 days to create a 15-foot deep by 15-foot wide channel from Mile 11.0 to Mile 0.0 at the Gulf of Mexico.

“Every year local industry and our local economy depends on the Corp to maintain the 15-foot depth of the Houma Navigation Canal” said David Rabalais executive director Terrebonne Port. “This year the New Or-leans District Corps office had their budget cut and did not have the funds available to fully dredge the HNC to its authorized depth. Out of desperation for our economic survival during these hard times and as a gesture of our appreciation for the hard work that the Corps does every year for this region the Terrebonne Parish Council and the Terrebonne Port Com-mission have agreed to commit these funds.”