Baton Rouge, LA — The Amite River Basin Commission (ARBC) today announced the acquisition of a legacy sand and gravel mine that will be restored and repurposed as part of a major flood risk reduction initiative in the Amite River Basin. The project represents a significant milestone in the region’s ongoing efforts to improve flood resilience while restoring natural landscapes.
The newly acquired property, formerly used for sand and gravel mining, will be transformed into a restored floodplain and water storage area designed to capture and slow stormwater during major rainfall events. By strategically restoring the site’s natural hydrology, the project is expected to reduce downstream flood pressures while also providing environmental benefits such as habitat restoration and improved water quality.
“This acquisition represents a historic opportunity to turn a former industrial site into a working piece of flood protection infrastructure,” said ARBC President John Clark. “Instead of allowing legacy mines to remain underutilized or degraded, we can restore them in ways that reduce flood risk for communities throughout the basin.”
Large sand and gravel pits are uniquely suited for flood mitigation because their existing excavation areas can temporarily store substantial volumes of stormwater. Through restoration, grading, and reconnection to surrounding waterways, the site can function as a natural detention basin during high rainfall events, helping reduce peak flows in nearby rivers and tributaries.
The project also advances a broader regional strategy to integrate nature-based infrastructure into flood management across the seven-parish Amite River Basin, which includes Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, Iberville, St. Helena and St. James Parishes.
In addition to flood risk reduction, restoration of the site is expected to create significant ecological benefits. Planned improvements include wetland restoration, reestablishment of native vegetation, and the creation of wildlife habitat that will support biodiversity throughout the basin. Restoration of the site will also prevent sand from washing downstream and clogging the mouth of the Amite River, thereby increasing natural tidal flows in the low-land swamps and reducing the cost of future maintenance events to keep the mouth of river at a navigable depth.
“This project demonstrates how innovative land management can deliver multiple benefits at once,” said Clark. “We are reducing flood risk, restoring ecosystems, and creating opportunities for long-term environmental stewardship.”
ARBC continues to identify underutilized lands that can be restored to improve watershed function and enhance regional resilience to increasingly intense rainfall events. Planning and restoration work on the site will begin in the coming months, with additional opportunities for partnership with state agencies, local governments, and conservation organizations.
Located in the Upper Amite River Basin, the acquisition is part of ARBC’s multi-tiered, multi-project approach, which includes $428.8 million dedicated to transformational and regional projects in the Lower Amite Basin that are currently under various stages of development and implementation in:
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About the Amite River Basin Commission
At ARBC, our mission is to mitigate flood damage, coordinate river management, promote responsible watershed management, and to conserve and restore the unique natural resources in the Amite River Basin watershed. The Basin includes Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, St. Helena, and St. James Parishes. For more information visit www.amitebasin.org.
