Archive for the ‘Recent News’ Category

TNC Acquires 5,000 Acres in AB Floodway!

Thursday, July 2nd, 2015

On July 2, 2015, The Nature Conservancy announced the addition of 5,359 acres in the Atchafalaya River Basin to their preserve system! The acquisition in the Bayou Sorrel region “marks the first step in a long-term vision to conserve and restore America’s great swamp forest.” according to the press release.

The newly-acquired land, along with adjacent State Land parcels in the Pigeon Bay and Flat Lake [aka East Grand Lake] Water Management Units, as defined by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will enable easier implementation of features included in the Atchafalaya Basin Program East Grand Lake Project, which was approved in the FY2012 Annual Plan of the Basin Program.

The land is also part of a large area in the lower Floodway which has not been protected by easements being acquired by the USACE.

The Friends of the Atchafalaya support this effort and will continue to work with The Nature Conservancy to protect, conserve and restore the Atchafalaya Basin ecosystem.

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MRC Presentation August 2014

Monday, September 1st, 2014

This is the document delivered to the Mississippi River Commission in August 2014 at the hearing in Houma after the Corps of Engineers low-water boat trip down the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya:

20140821_MRC_doc

 

This is the short  oral presentation made in the hearing, in conjunction with the delivery of the above document:

MRC_2014_Speech

 

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Recent Atchafalaya Basin Press

Monday, January 20th, 2014

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July 2012 Meetings_Report

Saturday, July 28th, 2012

Click HERE for a recap of several meetings held around the Basin over the past month.

Included are the Atchafalaya Basin Program Technical Advisory Group meeting, Friends of the Atchafalaya Board Meeting, and the Atchafalaya Trace Commission Regular Meeting, concerning the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.

The document is an Adobe PDF file. You will need Adobe Reader or a similar PDF reader to open it.

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May 2012 Meetings Report

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Click HERE for a recap of several meetings held around the Basin over the past month.

Included are the Friends of the Atchafalaya Board and Annual Meetings, the Atchafalaya Basin Program Technical Advisory Group meeting, a portion of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority meeting, and the Atchafalaya Trace Commission Regular Meeting, concerning the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.

The document is an Adobe PDF file. You will need Adobe Reader or a similar PDF reader to open it.

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Basin Inventory & Assessment Tool

Monday, September 5th, 2011

NEWS RELEASE
www.dnr.louisiana.gov

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Contact: Anna Dearmon, 225.223.3835

Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory Assessment System Now Available Online

BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is pleased to announce that the Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System (ABNRIAS) is now available online at http://abp.cr.usgs.gov/

“The Department of Natural Resources is proud to have led the collaborative effort of state and federal agencies to develop a system that is useful not only to scientists who collect valuable information for the improvement of the area, but also to the people of Louisiana and its visitors who take advantage of the Sportsman’s Paradise of the Basin, enjoying world class fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking and other outdoor activities.” said DNR Secretary Scott Angelle

This system that was approved in the FY2010 Annual Basin Plan and funded by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), will serve not only as the primary tool for decision making in the Basin for the Atchafalaya Basin Technical Advisory Group, but also as an important information portal for the many stakeholders of the Atchafalaya Basin.  This system has been developed as a cooperative effort between the DNR, CPRA, United States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), and Louisiana State University School of Renewable Natural Resources.

“This system is vital to our restoration and conservation efforts in the Atchafalaya Basin and allows us to plan projects that will improve water quality and are cost effective” said Louis Buatt, Assistant Secretary of DNR’s Office of Coastal Management.

The latest information available on the Atchafalaya Basin may be accessed through the ABNRIAS including Elevation Data (LIDAR), Satellite Imagery, Historical Survey Maps, Project Information, Presentations, and many other items that are of interest   The ABNRIAS was developed with input from a number of stakeholders in the Basin whose suggestions were incorporated into the development of the system.  Continued feedback from users will provide a means to continue to improve this system as a user friendly natural resource management system that is beneficial to scientists as well as every day users of the basin.

“The Atchafalaya Basin Program Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System is a huge step forward in providing visibility into water conditions within the Floodway and the processes that drive the health of the Great Swamp,” according to Charles Caillouet of the Friends of the Atchafalaya.

The ABNRIAS is a web based system that serves as a clearinghouse of information that is collected or developed regarding the Atchafalaya Basin.  It includes custom tools that will assist users in both navigating the basin, managing resources, identifying public lands and boat launches and review or develop projects for the Annual Basin Plan. The system is also a repository of data that is collected in the Basin so that everyone will be able to view and use this information.

“Those of us who hunt and fish in the Basin will now be able to see and use the information that is collected by the scientific organizations, and compare to what we see.  That will help us to take an active role in the project planning process,” said Carroll Delahoussaye, St. Martin Parish Councilman.

“This system is a powerful tool to assist with the management of resources in the Atchafalaya Basin,” added Vic Blanchard, President of the Louisiana Landowners Association.

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Much Water in the Basin

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

It has been interesting to watch the water coming in and going out of the Atchafalaya Basin.

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2011 Flood Info Links

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Here are some links for 2011 Flood information – I’ll post more as i get them.

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Carl Carline Paddles Away

Friday, April 8th, 2011

Word came today, April 8, 2011, that our friend in the Basin, Carl Carline, 80, life-long resident of Charenton, passed on this morning. (more…)

Proclamations Issued

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Here are downloads of the Proclamation of Atchafalaya Month by Governor Jindal and the
Declaration of Support and Commendation from Representative Karen St. Germain
and the Legislative Oversight Committee.

Thank you to the Governor and Representative St. Germain for their support of our activities from
the Friends of the Atchafalaya and the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.