A U.S. Army Corps of Engineering project, the IHNC Surge Barrier is similar to a floodwall, but on a much larger scale, and is designed to reduce the risk of storm surge to some of the region’s most vulnerable areas – New Orleans East, metro New Orleans, the 9th Ward, and St. Bernard Parish. This project aims to protect these areas from storm surge water coming from the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Borgne.

The project was constructed near the convergence of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (GIWW) and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). Navigation gates were constructed where the barrier crosses the GIWW and Bayou Bienvenue, and near Seabrook where the IHNC meets Lake Pontchartrain; to block the storm surge water from entering the IHNC from the lake.

Southern Earth Sciences, Inc. provided drilling, laboratory testing, construction materials testing services including soil and cement testing services, concrete testing, and welding inspection services for several different areas of this massive project.