JULY 5, 2023, New Iberia, LA – Port of Iberia Executive Director Craig Romero announced today that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) signed a joint agreement to complete the AGMAC Channel Dredging Project’s Validation Study. It was announced in March of this year that $1,200,000 in federal funding was successfully appropriated for the Port of Iberia’s AGMAC Channel Deepening Project, through Community Project Funding Appropriations by U.S. Congressman Clay Higgins (LA 3rd District) and the Port’s Executive Director, Craig Romero would like to recognize Congressman Higgins’s for his continued support of the Port of Iberia and the AGMAC Channel Dredging Project. 

These Project Funds will be used to cover all cost associated with the completion of the  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Validation Report for the AGMAC Channel Deepening Project.  This Report is required for the Corps of Engineers to begin the construction of the Freshwater Bayou By-Pass Channel and to establish an Operations and Maintenance Program for the total AGMAC channel alignment. 

The Port of Iberia is currently working on Phase 1 of AGMAC Channel Deepening Project in Commercial Canal and plans to begin the dredging of Freshwater Bayou in the 4thquarter of 2023, with the USACE scheduled to dredge the southern portion of Freshwater Bayou below the lock to the Gulf of Mexico. When completed, Phase 1,  Phase 2 and the southern portion of Freshwater Bayou, the AGMAC Project will provide local industries in Iberia and Vermillion parishes   with approximately 50 miles of navigable waterway with a channel depth of -16.0’ (NAVD88). 

For more information contact Craig Romero at (337) 364-1065 or craigr@portofiberia.com.