Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority

Atchafalaya Master Plan

Home to the largest floodplain river swamp in North America, the Atchafalaya River System is a unique landscape with unique challenges that require science-based solutions to manage the System’s sediment and water. The Atchafalaya Master Plan is a multi-year planning effort driven by best available science and extensive engagement from local interests. The Plan will assess the System’s current condition and prioritize future management to maximize ecosystem functions and support continued human use. The Plan will be the cornerstone to guide future investments to care for the System for decades to come.

Atchafalaya Master Plan Project Area

Recognizing the diverse needs across the System, the project area, starting south of Simmesport and continuing south to the Gulf of America, is split into 11 geographic regions called Watershed Planning Units. These Watershed Planning Units help organize the Plan around distinct areas of the System, each with its own conditions, challenges, and restoration needs.