The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has begun placing rock for the first of 31 breakwaters along the gulf shoreline of Grand Isle, Louisiana, the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) said on Wednesday, October 14.
Each structure will be about 250 feet (76 metres) long, with 250 feet left between them.
CPRA said the spacing is intended to let offshore sediment pass through and help nourish Grand Isle Beach. The authority said the breakwaters are intended to curb erosion caused by waves and protect against storm surge.
The works will close a three-mile gap between existing shoreline protection at the island's eastern and western ends. Construction is expected to be completed in July 2027.
USACE marked the start of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 27.
The agency put the cost of the federally funded project at $51 million and estimated that 260,000 tons of stone will be required. Each breakwater is expected to rise about six feet (1.8 metres) above the water's surface.
The construction scope also includes 10 navigation lights. The contract was awarded to TKTMJ.
USACE has previously repaired the existing federal project on Grand Isle following storm damage, including damage caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021. The agency also added six breakwaters near Caminada Pass on the island's western side.