Rockefeller Refuge Gulf Shoreline Stabilization Project

• Client

  Cameron Parish, LA

• Division

  Environmental, Survey

• Scope

  Project Management, Construction Administration, Onsite Inspection, Topographic, Bathymetric and Magnetometer Surveys

• Completion

  2021

The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge’s gulf shoreline erodes at a rate of 70 feet/year, resulting in the direct loss of pristine emergent saline marsh habitat. Due to poor soil conditions and a lack of bearing capacity, traditional coastal protection measures are not feasible along this shoreline. A series of previous projects found a lightweight core breakwater to be a viable solution to combat the shoreline retreat. The Cameron Parish Police Jury selected Fenstermaker to expand a previous lightweight core breakwater project westward. The structure is designed to reduce shoreline retreat along this stretch of the gulf, as well as promote shallowing, settling out, and natural vegetative colonization of the overwash material landward of the breakwater.

Fenstermaker was responsible for overall project management and construction administrator for this project. A major emphasis was placed on communication and coordination with the Cameron Parish Police Jury (CPPJ) Project Manager to ensure timely project execution. Fenstermaker assisted with grant applications, obtained and reviewed all relevant existing and available data to aid in the design, led the bid and award process, and provided on-site inspection services throughout construction. Even with restrictions resulting from the COVID 19 pandemic, Fenstermaker adjusted the traditional methodology to keep this project moving to construction completion as originally scheduled.

Additionally, Fenstermaker’s in-house Survey Group was responsible for pre-construction surveys, construction staking, progress surveys, and as-built surveys for this project.

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