TWO Corps Approved Banks in TWO Weeks
Moss Lake Mitigation Bank
The Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District issued their final approval of Delta’s Moss Lake Mitigation Bank, located in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The Moss Lake Mitigation Bank can now offset forested, scrub-shrub and emergent wetland impacts for permit applicants in Southwest Louisiana.
The 301.2-acre bank site will generate bottomland hardwood and coastal prairie credits through the re-establishment and rehabilitation of bottomland hardwood and coastal prairie/meadow wetlands.
Due to the unique wetland types restored within the project area, the bank provides mitigation for two service areas. The Bottomland Hardwood (BLH) service area provides mitigation for impacts to BLH, mixed forest, scrub-shrub, scrub-herbaceous wetlands, and herbaceous wetlands. Pending the Corps’ coordination with the Inter-Agency Review Team (IRT), it is being considered that the Coastal Prairie service area provides mitigation for impacts to farmed wetlands, wetland pasture, non-tidal emergent and scrub-shrub wetlands, as well as for low-quality bottomland hardwood forest or mixed pine-bottomland hardwood occupying known prairie soil mapping units.
Servicing All or Parts of the Following Watersheds and Parishes
Watersheds:
Primary – Lower Calcasieu/08080206
Secondary (Bottomland Hardwoods) – West Fork Calcasieu/08080205; Upper Calcasieu/08080203; Whisky Chitto/08080204
Secondary (Coastal Prairie Wetlands) – Mermentau/08080202; Mermentau Headwaters/08080201 (Partial); Vermillion/08080103 (Partial); Bayou Teche/08080102 (Partial)
Parishes:
Calcasieu, Cameron, Beauregard, Jefferson Davis, Vermillion, Allen, Vernon & Acadia
Moss Lake Mitigation Bank Service Area Map (764 KB)
Bayou Fisher Mitigation Bank
The Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District issued their final approval of Delta’s Bayou Fisher Mitigation Bank, located in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. The Bayou Fisher Mitigation Bank can now offset forested wetland impacts for permit applicants in the Atchafalaya Basin.
The 507.8-acre bank site will generate BLH credits through the re-establishment of BLH wetlands in the Atchafalaya Watershed. Phase II of the Bayou Fisher Mitigation Bank has also been submitted to the New Orleans District and will provide another 243.7-acres of BLH and 120.1-acres of baldcypress swamp credits upon approval in late 2014. Additionally, the restoration of forested wetlands at the site will benefit the recovery of the threatened Louisiana black bear by establishing a forested corridor between two existing forested systems currently designated as critical habitat for the species.
Servicing the Following Watershed and Parishes
Watersheds:
Primary – Atchafalaya/08080101
Parishes:
Pointe Coupee, Avoyelles, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Iberia & Iberville
