ONE COMPANY'S EXPERIENCES WITH WETLANDS CONSERVATION 



W. L. Berry, Director 

 Environmental Affairs & Safety 



Gerald J. Voisin, Manager 

 Houma District 



The Louisiana Land & Exploration Company 



P.O. Box 60350 



New Orleans, LA 70160 



ABSTRACT 



The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's (LL&E) experiences with wetlands conservation 

 are discussed in this paper. Wetlands conservation is used to describe these activities rather than 

 the much maligned term "marsh management." Apparently, in the minds of many people marsh 

 management has become synonymous with impoundment or doing some other perceived harm to 

 the wetlands. LL&E recommends that the use of the term "marsh management" be dropped and 

 replaced with "wetland conservation." The latter term is actually more descriptive of a landowner's 

 goal in preserving his property. 



Since the 1920's LL&E has owned in fee simple some 600,000 acres of land in south Louisiana, 

 mainly wetlands. Over 30 years ago, the company recognized the importance of the brackish and 

 intermediate marshes. At that time it became apparent to LL&E that uncontrolled ebb and flow 

 of tides through the many small streams, ditches, gullies, ponds, and lagoons within the marshes 

 were causing increased erosion and saltwater intrusion and subsequent land loss. Studies were 

 begun to determine how erosion could be retarded, if not stopped. The problem was discussed 

 with many individuals familiar with the marshes and estuarine areas such as trappers and 

 fishermen, and various conservation groups and government agencies. 



A program to preserve the wetlands evolved from these studies. In April 1954, LL&E 

 constructed its first water control structure, weirs built across small streams and ditches. The 

 primary purpose of weirs is to retard the quantity of waterflow (not the velocity) and to stabilize 

 water levels in the marshes. The structures prevent total drainage of the marshes during excessively 

 low tides, thereby effectively reducing erosion caused by fast runoff. Since the weirs are 

 constructed below normal tide levels, the necessary flowing and mixing of saltwater and freshwater 

 are retained and the estuarine nature of the area is preserved. In addition, water is maintained 

 for water dependent species in the many shallow water ponds, lagoons, and potholes, even during 

 extremely low tides. Areas protected by water control structures have become important nursery 

 grounds for fish, shrimp, and other marine life, homes for many fur bearing and other animals, 

 wintering areas for waterfowl, and sanctuaries for a great variety of other birds. 



Since 1954, the company has constructed over 400 water control structures on fee lands, totaling 



-almost five miles in length. All of the weirs installed by LL&E were designed and located in close 



coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (SCS), and were 



based on recommendations made by SCS. The cost of the program, however, has been borne 



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