“Coastal Restoration Strategies”
Europeans long searched for the riches that were undoubtedly hidden among the powerful landscapes shaped by the Mississippi River. Vast deposits of gold, a strategic northwest passage, and the life-giving waters of the fountain of youth were never discovered. The treasures that awaited early Louisiana settlers were far greater than they imagined.
The fertile soils of coastal Louisiana produced bountiful harvest. The lakes, bays, and bayous were overflowing with delectable seafood. Marshes, swamps, and upland forest provided game and fur. Later, the earth’s hidden secrets were unveiled as wells tapped valuable oil and gas reserves.
Settlers knew the risk. Powerful storms blew in from the Gulf of Mexico, covering low-lying land with water while strong winds strained sturdy homes. The risks were acceptable. At that time, a vast complex of wetlands protected residents by acting as a buffer against high tides and hurricane storm surge. Communities were built on natural ridges formed by the great rivers and bayous and, where necessary, homes were slightly elevated so that flood waters could flow harmlessly beneath them.
As the economy grew, man wrestled with nature for control. Earthen levees severed wetlands from the life-giving flood waters of the Mississippi and canals sliced gaping wounds through fragile marsh. In 70 years, man destroyed what took nature 7000 years to build.
Today we face the constant risk of flood from storm surge and high tide, but it hasn’t always been this way. When our ancestors settled here, natural defenses protected them. The unwitting results of man’s battle with nature have resulted in the collapse of our shielding wetland system. We are not a people who settled where we shouldn’t have been; we are a people whose home was sacrificed for the good of the nation and today we ask the nation to repay that debt.
Debates over the correct course of action continue, but one thing is certain; we must move forward. We need the return of our defensive wetland complex now. The varied techniques that have been covered in this calendar all play a role in the long-term restoration of a sustainable coast. Of these, one has the potential to build meaningful amounts of land in an acceptably short time frame, providing the protection we can’t live without.
In January, this calendar introduced you to Pipeline Sediment Delivery. Pipeline Sediment Delivery is the harvest and transport of sediment from river bottoms, lakes, bays, and the Gulf of Mexico. Construction using these materials is effective and efficient, and to date, has been the primary tool used to rebuild Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands.
The most effective of Pipeline Sediment Delivery projects will harvest sources in Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers, contributing millions of cubic yards of new material into our wetland complexes that were cut off from our rivers nearly a century ago. Funding is limited, and our efforts today must be focused on the most effective strategies that go the furthest in providing the protection we so desperately need.
Excerpt from BTNEP’s 2010 Tidal Graph Calendar, “Coastal Restoration Strategies.” Please call 1-800-259-0869 to find out how to receive your free copy.