Terrebonne Barrier Island Restoration

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

Through its work on the Terrebonne Barrier Island Project, Kiewit subsidiary Weeks Marine, Inc., was part of Louisiana’s decades-long program of barrier island restoration, ran by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) off the coast of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. Serving as a vital component of the Comprehensive Master Plan for Louisiana’s coastline, the project acts as a buffer against erosion, storm surges and saltwater intrusion, safeguarding estuaries, wetlands, critical infrastructure and wildlife habitats.

The project, covering Trinity-East Island, Timbalier Island and West Belle Headland, added more than 1,100 acres to these areas. Utilizing 9.2 million cubic yards of sand from Ship Shoal and South Pelto Borrow Areas, strategically chosen for compatibility, Weeks employed its diverse dredging fleet, including three trailing suction hopper dredges (the Magdalen, RN Weeks and BE Lindholm) and two cutter head dredges (the RS Weeks and EW Ellefsen). With a combined capacity of 16,500 cubic yards, the crews of the dredges work in careful coordination to complete the project efficiently and safely