By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

NORCO – Sturdier restrooms, new established areas for horseback riding and four-wheeling and a more aggressive public outreach education program are just a few of the proposed improvements included in a master land use plan for the Bonnet Carre Spillway that has been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers.

The plan, drawn up early last year and discussed at a series of public hearings last summer, also includes various road upgrades for the 8,000-acre recreational area in addition to construction of a new administration building on Airline Highway that would complement the River Road Offices.

Chris Brantley, project manager of the spillway, said the revisions stem from the original master plan for the spillway completed in 1998. He said changes have become necessary since the spillway has evolved from a man-made flood control channel into one of the River Parishes largest recreational areas. Residents have been known to use the spillway for boating, biking, running, horseback riding, ATV riding and wildlife watching.

Brantley said the plan designates a specific section of the spillway for riding horses and moves it away from areas where mountain bikes and off-road vehicles are prevalent.

“We have found that a lot more people are riding horses near the Montz side of the spillway and sharing space with mountain bikers,” Brantley said. “A separate location for horse riders keeps the mountain bike riders from frightening the horses.”

The plan also calls for the creation of a series of nature trails in the wetland areas on the western side of the spillway and improved wildlife areas on the northern side. The corps also wants to improve roads that run through the spillway, including a more established route to the Wetland Watchers Park along Lake Pontchartrain that is set to open in the fall.

The spillway was constructed following a devastating 1927 flood that ravaged the Mississippi River Valley. Its true purpose is to redirect water out of the river away from New Orleans and into Lake Pontchartrain through a flood control structure that can be opened and closed at will. The last full scale opening of the spillway was in 2008.

Brantley said the new administration building, to be built along Airline Highway in Norco, will serve as an information center where visitors could learn about events and amenities. Brantley said the spillway annually attracts about 350,000 visitors.

In addition to recreation and infrastructure improvements, Brantley said the corps has also included a vegetation management plan as well as a few changes to the spillway’s sand hauling program.

He said the changes mostly pertain to companies with larger trucks who have a contractual relationship with the corps. He said the usable sand will be put out for bid among commercial haulers.

The new plan will set up specific areas of the spillway designated for sand removal. Brantley said the move will improve the aesthetics of the spillway, help battle erosion along the lakeshore and ensure there is enough clay preserved for construction of a new levee in St. Charles Parish.