Atchafalaya River Coastal Hub plan released

The Water Institute, in partnership with St. Mary Parish government and St. Mary Excel, on Wednesday announced the release of the strategic plan for the Atchafalaya River Coastal Hub — a community-driven vision to strengthen economic opportunity, build resilience, and support long-term growth across the Atchafalaya Basin.

The plan will be unveiled at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Residents, business leaders and community stakeholders are invited to attend and learn more about the vision for ARCH and its role in shaping the Parish’s future.

“ARCH is more than a plan — it’s a shared commitment to building a stronger future for St. Mary Parish,” said Catherine Holcomb, president of St. Mary Excel. “From the intensive workshop sessions to the planning meetings and industry interviews, this process reflects our community’s collective determination to innovate and create solutions that merge economic opportunity, resilience, and quality of life. With the voices of our residents, ARCH becomes a cornerstone for revitalization and transformation.”

The ARCH initiative builds on the Parish’s long history of innovation and its unique coastal setting to create a hub for collaborative research, industry partnerships, and community-focused projects. Informed by extensive workshops, industry interviews, and direct engagement with residents, the plan identifies strategies that merge best practices from business, industry, and research partners to address challenges while seizing opportunities unique to Louisiana’s coast.

The Water Institute facilitated the year-long planning process in partnership with St. Mary Parish and St. Mary Excel. Using a structured decision-making framework, the institute’s cross-disciplinary team worked with stakeholders to identify fundamental community objectives, prioritize actions, and shape the long-term vision for ARCH.