Alabama Port Authority project set to create 1,200 acres of new wetlands, critical wildlife habitat
MOBILE, Ala. — An Alabama Port Authority (APA) project designed to create new wetlands and restore critical wildlife habitat is moving forward thanks to $24 million in RESTORE Act funding.
Last week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) approved $403 million dollars in funding for coastal restoration efforts across the Gulf of America. Among several projects approved in Alabama was a $24 million allocation to APA’s Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Creation Project, which has been in the works since 2016.
Using suitable material from routine berth maintenance dredging operations at the Port of Mobile, the project will construct the first 100 acres of a planned 1,200-acre restoration site just south of the Causeway in Mobile Bay. Designed to strengthen coastal resilience and support the long-term health of the bay, the project will keep valuable sediment in Mobile Bay by using it to create new wetlands and restore critical wildlife habitat.
Once complete, the Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Restoration Project will be one of the largest coastal restoration efforts in Alabama history—building on years of planning, engineering, environmental review and collaboration among local, state and federal partners.
“Berth dredging at the Port of Mobile is critical to supporting Alabama’s economic growth, and this project will transform that routine task into an opportunity to restore and strengthen one of our most important natural resources,” said Alabama Port Authority Director and CEO Doug Otto. “We’re proud to be part of this effort and grateful to our state leaders, the RESTORE Council and the many partners who have helped advance this project over the years.”
With RESTORE Act funding approved and a construction permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in place, work on the first phase of the Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Creation Project is expected to begin in early 2027. For more information about the project or to see the latest maps and renderings, visit uppermobaywetlands.com.
Strategically located along the central Gulf Coast, the Port of Mobile continues to emerge as a major logistics hub by connecting Alabama businesses and inland markets to international trade lanes.
As one of Alabama’s most important economic engines, the Port of Mobile supports 1 in 7 jobs statewide and has generated more than $415 billion in statewide economic impact since 2019. To learn more, visit alports.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Contact: Jason Johnson, Director of Communications, Alabama Port Authority
251-441-7120 (o) | 334-701-9145 (c) jason.johnson@ALPorts.com