Calcasieu River & Pass

Official Project Name
Calcasieu River & Pass, LA Operations and Maintenance

Location
The Calcasieu River is a 68 mile deep draft navigation channel located in southwest Louisiana.The northern boundary of the ship channel is located at Mile 36.0, just south of Interstate 10 in Lake Charles, LA. The southern boundary extends to Mile (-32.0) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Purpose
Provides deep draft access to the Port of Lake Charles, which is currently the 11th largest port in the nation based on tonnage. The project also provides for a salt-water barrier structure located north of Lake Charles, approximately 3 miles north of the northern boundary of the deep draft ship channel.

Authority
The project is authorized under the River & Harbor Act of 14 July 1960 House Document 436, 86th Congress, 2nd Session. Authorized dimensions are -42 feet MLG by 800 feet from the jetties to Mile (-32.0) in the Gulf of Mexico (bar channel), and -40 feet MLG by 400 feet from the jetties to Mile 36.0 in Lake Charles, LA.

Scope
The bar channel requires dredging one to two times per Fiscal Year. The inland reaches between Mile 5.0 and 28.0 require dredging every other year, alternating between Mile 5 and Mile 17 and Mile 17 and Mile 28 every other year, and the uppermost reaches between Mile 28.0 and 36.0 require dredging every 5 to 8 years. The Salt-Water Barrier Structure is operational 7 days a week, from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Progress to Date
The project is operated and maintained annually as described in the Project Scope above.

Partner/Sponsor
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District