Port Fourchon, Louisiana

Geobox Settlement
name = Port Fourchon
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Unincorporated community


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flag_size =
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country = United States
state = Louisiana
region = Lafourche
region_type = Parish
area_imperial =
area_land_imperial =
area_water_imperial =
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 29
lat_m = 06
lat_s = 21
lat_NS = N
long_d = 90
long_m = 11
long_s = 40
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 0
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of =
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population_density_imperial =
population_density_round = 1
established_type =
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mayor =
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code =
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area_code = 985
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map_size =
map_caption = Location of Port Fourchon in Louisiana
map_locator = Louisiana
map1 = Map of USA LA.svg
map1_caption = Location of Louisiana in the United States
website =

Port Fourchon is a small community on the southern tip of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a sea port, with significant petroleum industry traffic from off shore Gulf oil platforms and drilling rigs as well as the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port pipeline coming through it. There are over 600 oil platforms within a 40-mile radius of Port Fourchon. This area makes up 16 to 18 percent of the US oil supply.

Port Fourchon is part of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History and hurricanes

Port Fourchon was damaged by Hurricane Lili in October of 2002.Fact|date=August 2008 It did not take a direct hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and was only slightly damaged.cite news
url=http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPORTFOURCHON20080828?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true
title=Three years after Katrina, Gulf ports at risk
publisher=Reuters
date=2008-08-28
accessdate=2008-08-28]

As of mid-2008, $350 million from state bonds and federal assistance had been budgeted to begin replacing a 17-mile (27-km) stretch of LA-1, the road into Port Fourchon, because that part of the highway is not inside the hurricane levee system that protects inland communities. The replacement will be an elevated highway that can stand up to a major storm and remain open even if the land around it floods. A seven-mile (11-km) section of the project, including a higher bridge across Bayou Lafourche, is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2011. Funds have not been found for replacing the northern ten miles of the road.

Geography

Port Fourchon is a short distance off Louisiana Highway 1, the road to Grand Isle, Louisiana, via Louisiana Highway 3090.

Culture

In an odd twist of fate, FX Networks broadcasted on June 7, 2005 the docudrama "Oil Storm", which first depicted a fictional Category 4 hurricane named "Julia" hitting Port Fourchon in September of 2005. The port was severely crippled leading to the events that occurred late.

Port Fourchon also is also the base for a number of fishing boats, and has a beach that automobiles can drive on.

References

External links

* [http://www.lafishmag.com/publicbeach.html Directions and info to the beach on lafishmag.com]
*