Performance measures for a Mississippi River reintroduction into the forested wetlands of Maurepas Swamp

Abstract

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://store.usgs.gov.Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Krauss, K.W., Shaffer, G.P., Keim, R.F., Chambers, J.L., Wood, W.B., and Hartley, S.B., 2017, Performance measures for a Mississippi River reintroduction into the forested wetlands of Maurepas Swamp: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5036, 56 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20175036. ISSN 2328-0328 (online) iii AcknowledgmentsThe development of these performance measures was supported by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) of Louisiana. Specifically, we thank Carol Parsons Richards, Honora Buras, Brad Miller, and Richard Raynie, all with CPRA, for tasking this effort and providing much needed feedback along the way. Along with these partners, additional reviews of this document were provided by Danielle Richardi (CPRA), Christopher M. Swarzenski (U. S AbstractThe use of freshwater diversions (river reintroductions) from the Mississippi River as a restoration tool to rehabilitate Louisiana coastal wetlands has been promoted widely since the first such diversion at Caernarvon became operational in the early 1990s. To date, aside from the Bonnet Carré Spillway (which is designed and operated for flood control), there are only four operational Mississippi River freshwater diversions (two gated structures and two siphons) in coastal Louisiana, and they all target salinity intrusion, shellfish management, and (or) the enhancement of the integrity of marsh habitat. River reintroductions carry small sediment loads for various design reasons, but they can be effective in delivering freshwater to combat saltwater intrusion and increase the delivery of nutrients and suspended fine-grained sediments to receiving wetlands. River reintroductions may be an ideal restoration tool for targeting coastal swamp forest habitat; much of the area of swamp forest habitat in coastal Louisiana is undergoing saltwater intrusion, high rates of submergence, and lack of riverine flow leading to reduced concentrations of important nutrients and suspended sediments, which sustain growth and regeneration, help to aerate swamp soils, and remove toxic compounds from the rhizosphere.The State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) has made it a priority to establish a small freshwater river diversion into a coastal swamp forest located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, to reintrodu...

Remotely sensed habitat assessment of bottomland hardwood and swamp habitat : West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System potential impact area

“…1 This area is part of the Upper Pontchartrain hydrologic basin known for its extensive forested wetland habitat. Previous studies and reports have evaluated forested wetland processes, productivity, and degradation near the WSLP project area (Effler et al 2007;Shaffer et al 2009 and2016;Krauss et al 2017). In 1998, the Upper Pontchartrain basin consisted of 44,515 ha of BLH and 77,550 ha of swamp (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force and the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Authority 1998).…”