Project: E-40 Levee Enlargement

Location: Iberville Parish, Louisiana

Project Background & Description

Bloomsdale Excavating Company, Inc. worked to enlarge the levee inside Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana. The basin is the largest swamp in the United States. The project included raising four miles of the existing levee by two to three feet and the establishment and maintenance of a new access road and turf. Three borrow pits within the swamp were cleared, grubbed and  excavated to gather enough material for the project. Due to the high moisture content, Bloomsdale had to dry the material by discs and dozers before placing it on the levee. 

As an added challenge, this borrow material was  transported across a 300 foot stream which divided  
the borrow pits from the levee. To accomplish this Bloomsdale installed a string of barges which were used to haul approximately 500,000 cubic yards of borrow material to the levee work site. Bloomsdale encountered major flooding and a hurricane while on site. To continue their work while the water level was high, material was hauled across the barges and stockpiled. 

Bloomsdale completed project with the highest standards of safety, quality workmanship and in accordance to the planned time and budget allowance.