Restoring Coastal Louisiana since 1990
Meet Caron Sharpe. Creative Currents new featured artist. Caron Sharpe is a “natural artist.” Her art is inspired by what she loves and finds in nature in south Louisiana. Caron lived in the Azores Islands as a child and began her life-long fascination with tropical flowers and wildlife. Lush tropical images in her art reflect the islands as well as south Louisiana and her love for all things botanical.
What inspires me about our beautiful state are our rivers, bayous and marshes that thrive with wildlife and I get to observe and photograph them! To be one with nature and to witness the shrimpers, crabbers and fisherman all going about their day is something not everyone gets to see. And the sunrises are unbelievable! I am obsessed. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, an occasional visitor into their wonderful world! — Darlene Boucher
Bayou Sale Shoreline Protection (TV-20) is a great example of CWPPRA’s role as an incubator for coastal restoration planning! This project needs funding and a sponsor to go into construction…
Cathy’s romance with the birds of Louisiana started oh so long ago. Their personalities whether still or in motion captured her imagination. She documents her interpretations through her paintings with subtle and vibrate images and colors.
“The intimacy of small lush places and vast panoramic scenes have inspired me over the years. Observation is the key to knowing. I discovered when you know about the land and wildlife, you begin to love it. That love is what I try to share over and over again.”
Cathy gravitated to workshops in her teaching career through the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program based at Louisiana State University as well as information through the CWPPRA outreach materials. When National Geographic education made a call for teachers to be trained as Teacher Consultants, Cathy made her way to Washington, D.C. That opportunity led to a 2 ½ month trek across public lands. A website was developed that educated the public about their lands, another opportunity to love the land. The knowledge learned became a part of her work. Images of her work can be seen in her illustrations of “OH NO! Hannah’s Swamp is Changing” an education book on exotic aquatic invasive species. Her website https://www.cathybadermillsfinearts.com/ documents the scope of her work, real and imagined. You can also check her out on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/cathys.flock
Degraded marsh in coastal Louisiana.
The project is located in Region 2, Breton Basin, Plaquemines Parish.
Two major causes of wetland loss for this area are sediment deprivation and saltwater intrusion. Altered hydrology and oil/gas development have exacerbated this loss. Much of the fresh and intermediate marsh that once existed earlier in this century has either converted to more saline habitats or has become open water as a result of oil/gas canals, subsidence, and a lack of sediment deposition. The 1984 to 2019 USGS land change rate is -0.78% per year.
The project goal is to restore 392 acres of marsh in the open water areas between Bayou la Croix and River aux Chênes through the placement of dredged material via hydraulic dredging. This project will work syngeristically with projects to the east by creating continuity with the Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation (West) Project (BS-38) and the Mid Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation and Terracing Project (BS-32). This proposed first increment would extend the reach of the Breton Landbridge and is part of an overall, long-range, restoration goal to create/nourish 1,000 to 2,000 acres of intermediate marsh across 5 miles of the Breton Sound Basin from River aux Chênes to the Mississippi River.
Sediment will be hydraulically dredged from the Mississippi River. The dredged riverine sediments will be pumped via pipeline into two semi-confined disposal areas. Where feasible, existing marsh will be used as containment instead of containment dikes.
Vegetative plantings are not proposed in the marsh creation areas, and containment dikes will be gapped no later than year three post construction.
Service goals include restoration/protection of habitat for threatened and endangered species and other at-risk species. This project would restore habitat potentially utilized by the black rail, which is proposed for listing as a threatened species. The project could also benefit other species of concern including the saltmarsh topminnow and seaside sparrow.
The project was approved for Phase I Engineering and Design in January 2020.
The project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 29.
The Federal Sponsor is US Fish & Wildlife Service.
The Local Sponsor is CPRA.
The original proposed restoration strategy included installing two small siphons (averaging 400 cubic feet per second) to divert water from the Mississippi River; gapping spoil banks on Bayou Chevreuil; gapping spoil banks along the borrow beside Louisiana Highway 20; installing culverts under Louisiana Highway 20; improving drainage in impounded swamps; and planting cypress and tupelo seedlings in highly degraded swamp areas.
The proposed diversion from the Mississippi River was to bring fresh water, fine-grained sediments, and nutrients into the upper des Allemands swamps, which would have helped maintain swamp elevation, improve swamp water quality, and increase productivity and regrowth of young trees as older trees die. However, after hydrologic modeling and more detailed engineering/design and cost estimation, it was determined that the siphon would cost far more than originally anticipated. For that reason, the CWPPRA Task Force approved the project sponsors’ request to re-scope the project to eliminate the siphon feature, and to focus on the remaining project features.
Location: The project is located West of Lac des Allemands in St. James Parish, Louisiana, south of the town of South Vacherie, bordered on the south by Bayou Chevreuil, and on the east by LA Highway 20.
Progress to Date: The Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force approved Phase 1 funding in January 2001. In June 2013, the Task Force approved a request to change the scope of the project to eliminate a siphon feature and focus on the remaining original hydrologic restoration and vegetative planting project features. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority performed the engineering and design services. Design was completed in October 2015 and Phase 2 funds for construction was approved by the Task Force in January 2016. Construction activities for excavation and placement began in October 2017 and ended on December 20, 2017, vegetative plantings occurred in late January, and officially completed on February 2, 2018.
1. Eight (8), 400-foot-long, strategically designed gaps were cut in the northern Bayou Chevreuil spoil bank to reverse the effects of impoundment;
2. Sixteen (16) spoil placement areas were created on each side of the channel banks; (1 placement area on both sides of each gap) to beneficially use the dredged material on site;
3. Seven hundred (700) Bald Cypress and one hundred (100) Water Tupelo saplings were planted in the constructed spoil placement areas to start swamp regeneration and swamp productivity.
This project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 10.
The sponsors include:
Federal Sponsor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Local Sponsor: Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA)
Last week’s Wetland Wednesday mentioned 3 main criteria as part of identifying a wetland (wetland hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils). – Today we’ll look at how plants and soils help scientists delineate wetlands.
In the field, scientists identify and sample soils and plants as part of wetland delineation. The LSU AgCenter groups plant species based on where the plant is naturally found as seen in the table below.
Wetland plants have adapted to flooded soils. “Obligate” plants can tolerate water at high levels or when soil saturation is a normal condition to that area. Examples of these plants include the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), or cattail (Typha latifolia) [3].
In contrast, plants that cannot handle flooded conditions for an extended period would naturally be in the “upland” area of land (i.e. winged sumac (Rhus copallina), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), or panic grass (Dichanthelium sp.) [3].
People delineating wetlands focus on a project area according to aerial and soil maps along with aerial photographs [1]. Delineators then take soil samples and determine characteristics seen in hydric soils which relate to cycles of flooding and drying. – Examples of those include oxidized soils, hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) and organic bodies found on plant roots. Finally, the plant and soil types are compared, tested, then matched to determine wetland boundaries for mapping and policy purposes [1].
Wetland delineation is a tool for protecting and documenting these important landscapes which contribute to a healthy and functional environment. It is important to note that wetland delineation requires much more than just plant and soil identification. CWPPRA utilizes sound science, engineering, mapping, and geo-technical surveys in the process of planning, approving, constructing, and maintaining coastal Louisiana wetland restoration projects.
Sources:
[1] Bedhun, Rebecca. 2018. “Watch and Lean Now: How To Do A Wetland Delineation”. Shoret Elliot Hendrickson Inc. Available: http://www.sehinc.com/news/watch-and-learn-now-how-do-wetland-delineation [September 9, 2018]
[2] Jon Kusler. “Common Questions: Wetland Definition, Delineation, and Mapping”. Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. Available: https://www.aswm.org/pdf_lib/14_mapping_6_26_06.pdf [September 9, 2018]
[3] LSU Ag Center. 2018. Louisiana Plant Identification: Plant List. Available: http://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/listcommon.htm [September 10, 2018]
When we think of wetlands, our mind may paint a picture of a swampy area with open water, and maybe a heron or alligator. Despite common perception, not all wetlands are the same. — These watery features come in all shapes, sizes, and locations along with a unique system of processes and purpose.
Wetlands are diverse and the difference between dry and wet environment lies along a gradient. Therfore, there cannot be one perfect definition to represent what a wetland is. Scientists have developed criteria to identify wetlands and aid in assessment, inventory, and management [1].
Figure 1. An example used by scientists to start the process for wetland delineation.
| Criteria | Definition |
| Wetland hydrology | the gradient or degree of flooding or soil saturation across a landscape [2]. |
| Hydrophytic vegetation | plants adapted to grow in water or in a soil that is occasionally oxygen deficient due to saturation by water [2]. |
| Hydric soils | soils that are sufficiently wet in the upper root zone and may develop anaerobic (oxygen lacking) conditions during the length of at least 1-2 growing seasons [2]. |
As seen below in Figure 2 and 3; some wetlands are flooded year-round while other water levels fluctuate. The wetland hydrology differs depending on location and the geography of the landscape.
Figure 2: A simplified example of a wetland water gradient dependent on elevation and tidal ranges.
Figure 3.
You may not live close to a coastal marsh, but many water sources eventually connect to a wetland on the coast, making the streams, lakes, and swamps in your backyard an important link to the larger watershed. That’s why it’s important to support, respect, and appreciate the water systems and land of everyday life. CWPPRA projects restore and protect these systems to support the livelihood and cultures of Louisiana and to protect the land we value so dearly.
In next week’s edition of Wetland Wednesday, we’ll look at how scientist use vegetation and soils to classify wetlands!
This week marks 13 years since Hurricane Katrina, an event some citizens of Louisiana are still recovering from. We may have all heard the name, but do we know what a hurricane is, how wetlands are affected, and how coastal landforms can decrease hurricane impacts?
“Hurricanes” are low-pressure tropical storm systems that differ from other storms in severity as well as location. A hurricane is a storm with winds above 64mph accompanied by heavy rain that originates in either the NE Pacific or the N Atlantic Ocean (the oceans that touch the USA). Due to a phenomenon called the Coriolis Effect, hurricanes rotate counter-clockwise, whereas a southern hemisphere storm would rotate clockwise. Hurricanes develop a characteristic “eye of the storm” in the center, which is an area of low pressure and low wind. Just outside of the eye is the most severe weather, the eyewall, with winds reaching up to 210mph in the strongest storms! Hurricane “category” ratings are as follows:
Hurricanes develop over areas with warmer waters, typically nearer the equator, and move away from the equator. [1] Coastal Louisiana is hit by hurricanes on an increasingly regular basis, and those hurricanes all develop in the North Atlantic Ocean in late summer and fall. Our “Hurricane Season” occurs from June through November each year. [2] Several aspects of hurricanes pose major threats to our wetlands statewide. High winds can topple trees, rip up shrubs and grasses, and move sediments around. High rainfall can cause flooding in areas that are not well-adapted to high-water conditions. Storm surge can push saline seawater into brackish and freshwater systems. Hurricanes cause massive disturbance in coastal wetlands, but wetlands are a crucial barrier that protects major cities from taking as much damage. CWPPRA works to combat land loss and protect the future of coastal Louisiana.
Some CWPPRA projects restore barrier islands, which are natural defenses that develop in the Deltaic Cycle. Barrier islands lessen storm surge during hurricanes, bearing the brunt of the waves. Sadly, they cannot provide perfect protection because they are degrading, but they are not the last line of defense. We still have coastal marshes that are great at storing water and acting like a speed bump to storm surge. It is estimated that each mile of coastal marsh decreases storm surge by about a foot. Unfortunately, many coastal marshes are decaying into open water and are no longer protective barriers. CWPPRA will continue to restore wetlands and nourish barrier islands to #ProtectOurCoast!
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone
[2] https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
Featured image from [1]
The constructed rock breakwater located in Bay L’Ours will assist in reducing wave energies before they impact the shore and will also arouse the curiosity of local waterfowl such as these pelicans.
The center of the project area is in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, approximately 5 miles southeast of Cut Off. It is bordered to the north by a pipeline canal north of the Clovelly Canal, to the west by West Fork Bayou L’Ours, to the east by Little Lake, and to the south by oilfield canals. The project encompasses 14,948 acres of primarily intermediate (94%) and brackish (6%) marshes.
The wetlands in the project area are of great importance to the ecological future of the Barataria estuary and to the protection of adjacent developed areas. The area is losing approximately 450 acres per year due to channelization, shoreline erosion, and saltwater intrusion.
The project features include three rock weirs and four canal plugs. There is also a plug with a flap-gated culvert and one with a variable crest weir. In addition, there is a weir with a barge bay in the Clovelly Canal, 5,000 feet of shoreline reestablishment along project-area canals, and 6,000 feet of lake-rim reestablishment at Bay L’Ours. Finally, the spoil and marsh banks along canals in the project area’s southern perimeter are being maintained.
The project was divided into two contracts in order to expedite implementation. The first contract was to install most of the weir structures. The second contract was to install bank protection, one weir, and one plug. The construction of the project’s unit 1 was completed in November 1997. Unit 2 was completed in October 2000.The O&M plan was signed in 2002. This project is on Priority Project List 1.
This winch which is permanently attached to the variable crest, water control structure located right off Briton Canal, will help to configure the structure according to a pre-determined water management plan.
The project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 1.
The Federal Sponsor is Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Local Sponsor is CPRA.
Approved Date: 1991
Project Area: 14,948 acres
Approved Funds: $12.7 M
Total Est. Cost: $12.8 M
Net Benefit After 20 Years: 175 acres
Status: Completed October 2000
Project Type: Demonstration: Hydrologic Restoration
On this episode of Coastal Connection, you’ll hear from folks along the Mighty Mississippi from the perspective of infrastructure and navigation, culture and economy. We get a quick backstory from historian John Barry, discuss Mississippi River navigation and flood control with US Army Corps of Engineers’ Colonel Stephen Murphy, who leads the New Orleans District, and explore the human relationship with the Big Muddy with photographer Philip Gould and curator Ben Hickey.
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Get in touch at coastalconnectionpodcast@gmail.com, and find us on Instagram @coastal__connection and Twitter @coastal_podcast!
In this episode, we learn about the five species of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, find out more about sea turtle research with Dr. Kristen Hart of US Geological Survey, and explore conservation efforts with Joanie Steinhaus of Turtle Island Restoration Network’s Gulf Program.
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CWPPRA Technical Committee Meeting
September 3, 2020 @ 9:30 a.m.
Instructions to Participate Virtually
click here to download the agenda
Due to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations, the CWPPRA Technical Committee will hold a virtual meeting in place of the regularly scheduled public meeting. This virtual meeting will take place on September 3rd at 9:30 a.m. via WebEx. The public is invited to participate. Detailed instructions on how to access the meeting and how to submit comments and questions are provided on the following pages of this document.
Join us for the September 3, 2020, CWPPRA Technical Committee meeting and learn more about the decision matrix and funding process as well as the projects under construction and the status of PPL29!
You will also have the option to activate your webcam and share your video connection during the meeting. Instructions on how to do so can be found on the following pages. Though not required, sharing your video is encouraged so that our virtual meeting more closely resembles an in-person public meeting.
INSTRUCTIONS
click here to download complete instructions
1. In your internet browser, search: https://usace.webex.com/meet/alice.p.kerl
*The best method is to copy and paste the above link into Internet Explorer. WebEx appears differently in various internet browsers such as: Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc. Each visual shown in these instructions are screenshots of WebEx using the Internet Explorer browser.
2. Fill in Your Name (first and last), include your affiliation in this box as well, and Your Email Address in their respective dialogue boxes.
3. Select the ‘Join Meeting’ button.
4. Underneath the ‘Select Audio Connection’ section, ensure that the ‘Call Me’ option is selected.
5. Underneath the ‘Select Video Connection’ section, you have the option to enable your camera by selecting the webcam option from the drop down menu; or if you do not wish to show yourself, select the ‘No Video’ option.
6. Type in your phone number, including the area code, in the dialogue box (a green arrow in the image above points directly to this box) and then click ‘Connect Audio’
7. The program will then call your phone, Answer it! Using your phone keyboard, type “1” when directed to.
In the case that you encounter a lost or interrupted audio/telephone connection, you may either dial in directly using the information provided below,
————————– Audio Conference ————————–
USA Toll-Free: 866-390-1828
ACCESS CODE: 1411878
SECURITY CODE: 1234
https://usace.webex.com/meet/alice.p.kerl
Meeting Number: 968 999 794
By placing riprap in front of the existing shoreline, further wetland loss will be decreased dramatically. It is anticipated that open water areas behind the rock structure will accumulate sediments and eventually become vegetated.
This project is located along the west bank of Freshwater Bayou Canal near Little Vermilion Bay, 4 miles southwest of Intracoastal City, Louisiana, in Vermilion Parish. It
extends north from North Prong and Belle Isle Bayou to Sixmile Canal.
Increased tidal action, saltwater intrusion, and boat wakes have accelerated erosion long the banks of the Freshwater Bayou Canal. The spoil banks have completely eroded in some areas. The remaining spoil banks along the southern reach of the project area separate Freshwater Bayou Canal from several interior marsh ponds. If the banks breach, shoreline erosion will accelerate interior marsh loss.
The objective of this project was to prevent further wetland loss through the reduction of bank erosion and subsequent tidal scour of shoreline marshes. Approximately 23,193 linear feet of freestanding rock dike were constructed in shallow water along the west bank of Freshwater Bayou Canal (from its confluence with Sixmile Canal on the northern end and North Prong to the south).
The local cost share for this project was provided by Acadian Gas Company. Construction began in March 1998 and was completed in May 1998. The monitoring plan was approved in February 1997. To date, monitoring has consisted of documenting the pre-construction shoreline position relative to the rock dike and a land-to-water analysis of the preconstruction aerial photography that was taken in January 1997. This project is on Priority Project List 5.
The project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 5.
The Federal Sponsor is National Resources Conservation Service
The Local Sponsor is CPRA.
Approved Date: 1996
Project Area: 1,724 acres
Approved Funds: $5.56 M
Total Est. Cost: $8.91 M
Net Benefit After 20 Years: 511 acres
Status: Completed June 1998
Project Type: Shoreline Protection
We explore the impact of the invasive nutria in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, dispel myths about their origins and consider the value of its pelt. This episode includes interviews with Jennifer Hogue-Manuel at LDWF and manager of the state Nutria Control Program, Shane Bernard, historian and archivist at Avery Island, and founder of Righteous Fur, Cree McCree.
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Today’s episode features an interview with artist and biologist Brandon Ballengée, who is based in Arnaudville, LA. He talks about his conservation homesteading and his research into 14 species in the Gulf of Mexico identified as missing since the 2010 BP Oil Spill.
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Settlement plates such as the one pictured here will be used to determine if settling of the structure has occurred. Technicians from NRCS’s Crowley Watershed Office are shown taking baseline elevations before more rock is deposited. Future elevation readings will be taken after the structure is completed.
The project is located along the northern bank of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) between Perry Ridge and the Sabine River in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
This section of the GIWW was dredged to allow the use of doublewide barges, and, consequently, has intensified the occurrence of wake erosion. In addition, the construction of the Calcasieu Ship Channel and the deepening of Sabine Pass have increased the salinity and water currents within the GIWW. These activities have caused the GIWW shoreline to breach, thus impacting the interior marsh of the project area.
Proposed project components involve installation of 9,500 feet of rock riprap along the northern bank of the GIWW from Perry Ridge to its intersection with the Sabine River.
An additional 2,200 feet of rock riprap will be installed from the Sabine/GIWW intersection north along the Sabine River. This proposed work is referred to as “construction unit number 2.” Approximately 22,952 linear feet of terraces will
be constructed in the shallow, open water areas north of the GIWW to reduce fetch (distance a wave can travel) and allow recovery of the interior marshes. Terraces will be
vegetated with 9,400 trade-gallon-sized plantings of California bulrush. This proposed work is referred to as “construction unit number 3.”
Project construction is complete. The monitoring plan is currently in development and should be finalized in the spring of 2002.
The project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 9.
The Federal Sponsor is Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Local Sponsor is CPRA.
Approved Date: 2000
Project Area: 1,132 acres
Approved Funds: $2.19 M
Total Est. Cost: $2.20 M
Net Benefit After 20 Years: 83 acres
Status: Completed
Project Type: Shoreline Protection
We learn more about wild Louisiana irises and effort to both preserve and reintroduce native Louisiana irises through research, stewardship and university partnerships. Joining us for an interview is Paul Pastorek, a wild Louisiana iris hunter.
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Get in touch at coastalconnectionpodcast@gmail.com, and find us on Instagram @coastal__connection and Twitter @coastal_podcast!
