Officials from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) joined their colleagues from St. Tammany Parish yesterday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Mandeville Lakefront Wetlands Project.
This groundbreaking launches the construction of a multi-faceted restoration project, supported by $1 million from the Parish Match Program, that includes marsh creation, a rock berm, and a weir along the Pontchartrain lakefront.
According to CPRA, the project will protect a cypress swamp, redirect urban runoff, and enhance the resiliency of the surrounding community.
Construction is underway on the berm barrier, which will help safeguard the area between Sunset Point and Lakeshore Drive in Mandeville from ongoing erosion while also restoring valuable wetlands.
By constructing a rock berm along the southern edge of the swamp, the work is set to significantly reduce damaging wave energy and prevent further loss of the cypress swamp.
The project is expected to be completed in January 2026.