West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project

(Satellite, the project builds a levee north of the towns between Garyville and the spillway.)

Hurricane Isaac in 2012 demonstrated that the towns along the Mississippi River west of Lake Pontchartrain have a bigger flood risk from a storm surge from the lake than from the river flooding. That hurricane not only flooded homes in LaPlace, MS, it closed parts of I-10, which is a major hurrican evacuation route. A project has been designed to protect that land and highway. The 2018 estimated cost was $744m. [wwltv]

lailluminator, USACE
Construction began in Jul 2021. The estimate is up to $760m.The project consists of "17.5 miles of levees, a mile of concrete flood wall, pumping stations, drainage structures and other non-structural protection measures to form an integrated hurricane protection system....The project is expected to be completed in 2024." 60,000 people live in the area to be protected.

It was not completed in 2024. This is a Feb 2026 update.

USACE, New Orleans District posted

We’re making great strides on the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share the updates with you! Take a look at our latest progress map to see the incredible work happening in real-time.

Every step forward brings us closer to providing vital risk reduction for over 60,000 residents in the region.

Lowell McCormick: How do you drive piles or sheet piles for the floodwall when it runs under the interstate close overhead? Or are those locations dirt levees?

US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District: Lowell McCormick The area beneath I-10 will function as a floodwall. Because of limited overhead clearance, the piles will be installed in short sections. Each section will be driven to the length that fits beneath the interstate, then an additional section will be welded on top. This sequence will continue until the required pile depth is reached.

Michael Carter commented on Lowell's comment

Current plans are that three of the contracts won't even be awarded until Summer 2027. [0:26]

USACE, New Orleans District posted

Construction partners with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, place concrete for a T-wall being constructed at Site 102 of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project. The WSLP project consists of a 100-year level risk reduction system extending from the Bonnet Carre' Spillway to Garyville, La., on the east bank of the Mississippi River in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes. Risk reduction features, like the one pictured here, will include 18.5 miles of levees, 11 floodwalls, seven drainage structures, five gates, and two pump stations for this project.

(Courtesy photo by Patrick Danton)

Lowell McCormick: Will the interstate be raised to clear the floodwall?