Bayou Greenbelt Master Plan

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With an eye towards attracting and retaining talent, local business leader Mike Nodier looked at a map of Lake Charles and noted the waterways flowing through and surrounding the community. Inspired, he envisioned a 23-mile loop offering outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors alike. He shared his idea for the Bayou Greenbelt with the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, whose leadership quickly recognized its alignment with their goal of enhancing quality of life in the region. Since then, two board members, Jon Manns and Lee Boyer, have been hands-on advocates for the project and the Foundation continues being the lead organization moving the vision for the Bayou Greenbelt from concept to implementation.

After Hurricane Laura, the vision for the Bayou Greenbelt garnered the interest and support from FEMA and NPS-RTCA to help further develop the concept. The community engagement outlined in the Just Imagine SWLA 50-Year Resilience Master Plan highlighted the high value residents place on natural resources and their desire for greater access to them. This momentum led to the Bayou Greenbelt becoming Just Imagine SWLA's 11th Catalytic Project, creating an Implementation Team to help turn the vision into reality.

The Bayou Greenbelt, much of which is already in place, connects English, Kayouche, and Contraband Bayous, Lake Charles, and the Calcasieu River to form a network of:

• Blueways: Water trails that provide paddling and boating opportunities.
• Greenways: Riverbank trails, parks, natural areas, and sites for programs and events.
• Trailheads: Public access points to the blueways and greenways.

The National Park Service worked with local partners to review and enhance the Bayou Greenbelt concept. Through multiple site visits and public meetings, they gathered invaluable information and input. With funding from FEMA, the Water Institute was commissioned to model the proposed connection between Kayouche and Contraband Bayous and to assess its impact on drainage capacity. The Water Institute hosted a series of public meetings to help develop the model, ensure transparency, and test the model’s accuracy by utilizing residents' real-time observations from a historic flood. Initial indications indicate that the watershed connection would not increase drainage issues, though further work is required to determine its impacts on saltwater intrusion.

Combining their expertise with public feedback and the Water Institute’s analysis, NPS-RTCA developed the following recommendations for project partners:

• Share this concept widely with the public and local leaders, and reference this report in grant-seeking and fundraising efforts.
• Implement the Bayou Bike and Hike Southwest Louisiana Trail Network.
• Add paddling access facilities and programming where feasible for “quick wins” that can build community excitement.
• Develop and adopt a signage plan to establish the Bayou Greenbelt brand at trailheads.
• Consider regional connections between the Bayou Greenbelt and the Creole Nature Trail.
• Look to case studies for insights on water trails and the River Keeper Program.
• Utilize the targeted funding resources provided.
• Explore Big, Little Projects so individuals, groups, and small businesses can support and participate.
• Create a Strategic Action Plan to guide this transformational project to completion.

The Bayou Greenbelt would improve the quality of life for residents, expand outdoor recreation opportunities, and enhance health and wellness, while strengthening local and regional connections, boosting tourism, and attracting and retaining a quality workforce.