Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin

Restoration - Restoration of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin

• Restoration in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
• Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation Restoration Accomplishments
  • Urban Runoff
  • Urbanization
  • Poorly Treated and Untreated Sewage
  • Wetland and Habitat Loss
  • Saltwater Intrusion
  • Agricultural Runoff
  • Public Awareness
• Other Restoration Programs in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin

Figure 8: Abandoned oil and gas structures have been removed from lake.

Figure 9: Shell dredging was banned in Lake Pontchartrain in 1990.

Figure 10: SAV planting project monitored by UNO researchers and volunteers.

During the 50 years prior to 1990, 75% of the Lake's productive SAV died due to alteration of the shoreline, especially on the south shore, as well as increased turbidity and poor water quality resulting from shell dredging and other sources of pollution.

In order to protect habitats in the Basin, the LPBF have been working with others to:

1. Prevent damage to over 1,000 acres of aquatic and terrestrial habitat by coordinating efforts of five companies proposing new cross-Basin pipelines to combine operations into a single pipeline.
2. Assist countless citizens to participate in federal state wetland permitting programs.
3. Coordinate the removal of more than 20 abandoned oil and gas structures from the Lake (Figure 8).
4. Organized efforts to end shell dredging in the Lake (Figure 9), resulting in a ban in 1990.
5. Coordinate ongoing replanting and monitoring of SAV (Figure 10).