Wetland Phase

Watershed

In 1993, the City of West Monroe purchased a seventy acre tract once used for mining gravel. The city originally intended to create a storm water detention basin. However, this project never materialized because of wetland mitigation problems.

In 1995, the City chose a different approach and contacted the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality about its non-point source management program. The Planning Department, along with Dr. Rod Emmer organized the project team that consisted of DEQ, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana Department Wildlife and Fisheries, West Monroe Chamber of Commerce, environmental planners, environmental engineers, civil engineers, and teachers from the local public school system. The team proposed a multi-objective watershed plan that included several compatible activities.

• Water Quality Enhancement
• Wetland Conservation
• Flood Damage Reduction
• Environmental Education
• Urban Habit Conservation
• Native Plant Enhancement
• Recreation

In May 1995, the City submitted its proposal and continued to work closely with DEQ over the next two years in fine tuning the scope of the project. In May of 1997, West Monroe was awarded $1.3 million to accomplish its multi-objective watershed plan. The City of West Monroe provided a match of $581,400 in cash, land, and in kind services. This is the largest grant ever awarded for a non-point source project in the State of Louisiana. To date, there are no other known examples in Louisiana of a watershed approach to water resource management.

Since being awarded this grant, West Monroe has taken this project one step further with the plans of constructing a Wetlands Visitation Center, a Research Center that will be utilized by both universities and public and private schools in northeast Louisiana.

West Monroe continues its philosophy in preserving its natural environment in an urban setting.

Click on the thumbnail pictures below to see the full-sized pictures taken during the construction.