Relationship between canal and levee density and coastal land loss in Louisiana

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5564013

Turner, R E

Nearly 1% of Louisiana's coastal land becomes water each year. This land loss affects everything from wildlife, fisheries, and recreation to the economy and culture. A part of this loss results from natural, unmanageable factors, but manageable factors are also responsible. This report discusses one of the manageable factors: canals and their dredged-material levees. In coastal Louisiana wetlands, canals are constructed primarily to facilitate navigation and oil and gas recovery. The density of canals in this region is now about equal to the natural network of bayous and creeks. The primary effect of these canals and associated levees is to alter the process of flooding and drainage. The influence of canals and their levees on coastal Louisiana erosion rates are modified by local geologic, hydrologic, and biologic interactions. The empirical relationship between canals and erosion is, however, clear; land loss is directly related to canal density. Comparisons with mosquito ditches, which are smaller analogues of canals, reveal similar patterns of wetland changes and suggest management options.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA). Center for Wetland Resources
• OSTI ID: 5564013
• Report Number(s): BR-85(14); ON: TI88900361
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
03 NATURAL GAS
030800 -- Natural Gas-- Environmental Aspects
520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
COASTAL REGIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EROSION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
INLAND WATERWAYS
LAND USE
LOUISIANA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
USA
WETLANDS