The barrier runs generally north-south from a point just east of Michoud Canal on the north bank of the GIWW and just south of the existing Bayou Bienvenue flood control structure.

Navigation gates where the barrier crosses the GIWW and Bayou Bienvenue can be worked to reduce the risk of storm surge coming from Lake Borgne and/or the Gulf of Mexico.

This project aims to protect these areas from storm surge coming from the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Borgne.

In October 2008, the New Orleans District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed the Tier 2 portion of the Individual Environmental Report (IER), which investigated alternative alignments and designs within the location range identified by Tier 1 and explained the impacts of these alignments and footprints, construction materials and methods, and other design details.

In the Bayou Bienvenue navigation channel, a vertical lift gate was installed for use with recreational craft and shrimpers.