A scientist prepares to do sampling for gravel cleanliness and dissolved oxygen levels.

A close-up of the sediment sampling process.

An excellent close-up of the suction dredge process where water and sediments are passing through the screen.

A view of the entire pumping and dredging operation used at Duck Creek.

Another image of the suction and dredging machinery used at Duck Creek.

Sediments are being pumped onto the screen and filtered into totes below.

A close-up of the pumping and filtering process.

An overview of the pumping and filtering process.

Larger cobbles of gravel are trapped in the screening process as they are pumped onto the screen from the riverbed.

Water and sediment jets through the screen as it is pumped from the riverbed.

Two men work the pumps at the Duck Creek restoration site.

An overview of the pumping and dredging operation, the modified gold digger is on wheels in the background.

A man works at the dredging process.

A pond on Duck Creek

Americorp volunteers manually sort sand and gravel using shovels.

Water quality monitoring

Rock dike along Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW).

Rock dike along Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW).

Louisiana DNR project manager inspecting rock dike.

Close up view of rock dike.

Contractor's barge loaded with rock, crane in background.

Another view of contractor's barge and crane.

Pile driver pounding sheet metal into location of the self-regulating tide gate SRT.

Another view of the pile driver.

A view of the canal on the interior side of the SRT.

A view of where the self- regulating tide gate will be installed.

A view of where the self- regulating tide gate will be installed.

Barge and crane preparing to unload rock.

NMFS and DNR project managers inspecting installation of sheet metal which will house the SRT.

NMFS and DNR project managers inspecting installation of sheet metal which will house the SRT.

Workers installing sheet metal

Sediments at the Big Island restoration site are pumped into the rectangular area after being dredged from the main channel of the project. The deposition of these sediments will help create new wetland habitat.

Taken at a higher elevation than the previous image, this image shows the pumping of sediments into the restoration area.

The spilt of a tributary channel shows the beginning of a delta lobe. The restoration work is intended to create a delta pattern. This image illustrates the success of the project as demonstrated by the formation of the delta lobe.

A bucket dredge, the Captain Bufford Berry, working to create the containment dike.

A bucket dredge at work.

An aerial view of the restoration site. The containment dike, in the left corner, will soon hold the created wetlands that will abut the natural marsh.

A containment dike, looking east toward the main channel of the Atchafalaya River.

The small dredge in the center of the image, the Katrina, is an hydraulic dredge that pumps sediments into the containment area.

A close up image of the containment areas.

The containment areas at the Big Island restoration site.

A ground view of the containment dike at the restoration site.

The containment dike at the restoration site.

A close-up view of the containment dike and the newly emerging created wetlands.

A view of the emerging wetlands at the Big Island restoration site.

Roseate spoonbills wade in the emerging wetlands created by the restoration project at Big Island.

Roseate spoonbills in flight.

This image shows the vegetated edge of the containment dike in the center of the main project dike off the newly dredged project channel.

Another view of the vegetated edge of the containment dike.

The containment dike as seen from a distance, the murky water indicates the rich sediment sources of the Atchafalaya River.