URBANWATERS
FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP
Restoring Urban Waters, Revitalizing Communities
New Canal Lighthouse Museum and Education Center Project
Lake Pontchartrain (New Orleans, Louisiana);
2012 - Present
Summary
The 1890s-era New Canal lighthouse located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain in New
Orleans was destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Lake Pontchartrain
Basin Foundation (LPBF) enlisted the assistance of the Urban Waters Federal
Partnership (UWFP) and local citizens to rebuild the New Canal Lighthouse,
transforming it into a museum and education center.
Federal Agency Partners include:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), National Park Service (NPS), Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Development
Association (EDA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Non-Federal Partners include:
Bayou Land Resource Conservation & Development Council, City of New Orleans, City Planning Commission, Friends of Lafitte
Corridor, Groundwork NOLA, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and
Development, Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation, New Orleans City Council District A, New Orleans City Council
District D, Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences University of New Orleans, Regional Planning Commission,
Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, Sierra Club, South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East Coastal Advisory
Committee, Waggoner and Bail, and Woodlands Conservancy
Goals
The effects of Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans by destroying important community landmarks, which led to a loss of
community identity. This project seeks to address these challenges by engaging the local communities, organizations, and
agencies, aiming to:
•	Restore an important community asset,
•	Increase public engagement in restoration efforts, and
•	Serve tourists, adults, and children throughout the state of Louisiana.
Major Actions to Date
Since 2012, the New Canal Lighthouse Museum and Education Center project has become an important community asset. The
hard work of many agencies and organizations has resulted in:
•	Raising $1 million in private funds to restore and transform this landmark into a public environmental education center
focused on water resources and water quality in Lake Pontchartrain and New Orleans,
•	Opening the New Canal Lighthouse Museum and Education Center to the public in April 2013, and
•	Educating over 1,000 visitors monthly about environmental challenges, and the future of Southeast Louisiana.
(Photo credit: Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Foundation)
In summary, reconstructing the lighthouse and creating the museum has launched efforts to rebuild a community landmark
devastated by the hurricanes of 2005. Additionally, the project has inspired public and private investment in related projects
within the region, further restoring the community and watershed.

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