DONALDSONVILLE – Area residents voiced their concerns Tuesday over the planned Bayou Lafourche dredging project.
The Bayou Lafourche Freshwater Diversion project plans to dredge 6.2 miles between Donaldsonville and Belle Rose.
During the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District meeting Tuesday at Donaldsonville High School, many spoke out against the project, which aims to improve the quality of drinking water for the more than 300,000 people in the Assumption, Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish areas.
With a current pumping capacity of about 150 cubic feet per second, officials plan to increase the capacity in Donaldsonville to 300 cubic feet per second.
An increase would push freshwater into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, freshen drinking water and benefit wetlands.
Residents expressed concerns over the demolition of structures along the bayou, and many contended that they have deeds stating that they own the land the state claims.
The project is set to begin in late August, and will take up to two years to complete.
Contractor bids will be opened July 8.
About 700,000 cubic yards will be dredged, and four pumps will be used full time to double the water flow.
