Land loss in coastal Louisiana (U.S.A.)

Abstract

/ This paper examines causes and consequences of wetland losses in coastal Louisiana. Land loss is a cumulative impact, the result of many impacts both natural and artificial. Natural losses are caused by subsidence~ decay of abandoned river deltas, waves, and storms. Artificial losses result from flood-control practices, impoundments, and dredging and subsequent erosion of artificial channels. Wetland loss also results from spoil disposal upon wetlands and land reclamation projects.

Valuation and management of wetland ecosystems

“…Wetland destruction has accelerated, not abated. Canal dredging and other hydrologically disruptive activities have resulted in a current land loss rate of over 100 km*/year in coastal Louisiana (Craig et al, 1979;Gagliano et al, 1981;Scaife et al, 1983). To understand why it has not worked we must understand the structure of the short term reinforcements facing the various players in the game of wetlands management.…”

Sediment Trapping by Emerged Channel Bars in the Lowermost Mississippi River during a Major Flood

“…The Mississippi River Delta (MRD), a 25,000 km 2 dynamic region on the southeastern coast of Louisiana in the USA, has been experiencing rapid land loss since the early 20th century [1][2][3][4]. The loss rate varied from 17 km [5,6].…”

“…The loss rate varied from 17 km [5,6]. In the past 80 years, a total of 4877 km 2 coastal land have lost [6]. A number of factors have been attributed to the rapid land loss, including riverine sediment reduction due to upstream dam construction and river engineering, subsidence, and sea level rise [7].…”

“…A number of factors have been attributed to the rapid land loss, including riverine sediment reduction due to upstream dam construction and river engineering, subsidence, and sea level rise [7]. It has been projected that, if no actions were taken, at least another 2118 km 2 land of Louisiana's coast would be lost over the next 50 years [8,9]. This possesses a serious threat to the energy industry, river transportation, and commercial fisheries in this region, all of which have the level of national importance.…”

Analysis of environmental constraints on expanding reserves in current and future reservoirs in wetlands. Final report

“…The subsequent widening increases land loss to 10% to 20%. Previous studies also have linked density of canals with land loss rates (Scaife et al 1983) and have implicated canals as being responsible for up to 90% of the land loss because of the indirect influence on coastal subsidence (Craig et al 1979, Scaife et al 1983, Turner et al 1981. Canal dredging creates spoil along the edges of the canal.…”