Court Victory Halts Harmful East Grand Lake Project in the Atchafalaya Basin
By: Waterkeeper Alliance
In a historic victory for Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper and its partners, including Waterkeeper Alliance, have successfully stopped the East Grand Lake (EGL) Project.
On March 31, 2026, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana vacated and enjoined a federal permit for the proposed project, halting a development that threatened to accelerate sedimentation, degrade wetlands, and reduce critical flood capacity.
This outcome is in response to the groups’ May 2024 legal action that challenged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ approval of the project under the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit argued that the permit allowed dredging and filling of wetlands that are essential to the Basin’s ecology, economy, and flood protection systems.
“It’s an enormous relief that the Court recognized the serious violations of federal law that affected the defective dredge-and-fill permit issued by the Army Corps for the EGL project, which threatened the sustainability and health of the Atchafalaya Basin’s wetlands and the communities who live and earn a living there,” said Daniel E. Estrin, General Counsel and Legal Director for Waterkeeper Alliance. “We hope the state will now abandon this dangerous project, but if it proceeds, we are prepared to continue to hold the state and federal governments accountable for any future violations of the law.”
For communities and ecosystems that depend on the Basin, the stakes could not have been higher. The project, framed as a “swamp enhancement” effort, would have introduced sediment-heavy water and dredged material into already stressed areas, risking the conversion of vital swamp habitat into bottomland forest and reducing flood storage capacity.
The Court’s decision recognized these risks and found the permit was unlawfully issued, citing failures to adequately analyze environmental impacts and alternatives. By vacating the permit, the ruling safeguards critical habitat and fisheries and helps preserve the Basin’s essential role in flood protection for south-central Louisiana. This latest ruling is the culmination of more than 15 years of advocacy and legal action to stop the project, which posed serious risks to one of the nation’s most important river systems and one of the world’s most productive swamp ecosystems.
“By doing sediment diversion projects under the guise of water quality, the State is destroying the future of south-central Louisiana. The massive loss of flood capacity of the Basin and Morganza Spillway will spell doom for all of us,” said Dean Wilson, executive director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper. He added that he is “very proud of all the parishes that stood up to support this lawsuit in the face of political pressures.”
This historic win reflects years of tireless work by local advocates, scientists, legal experts, and community members, including fishermen and parish leaders, who stood firm in defense of the Basin despite significant pressure. Read Atchafalaya Basinkeeper’s press release here.