#222: Mississippi By Nature: River As Rebuilder
Published by Travis Loop, Founder of waterloop, a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for sustainability in water. for waterloop in Case Studies
Louisiana faces severe coastal erosion and land loss, making coastal restoration a critical challenge. One of the innovative solutions is the $2.9 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, which aims to restore about 20 square miles of wetlands and land.
In this episode, Brad Barth, Diversions Program Manager from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, discusses this massive engineering feat, which aims to harness the Mississippi River's natural sediment flow to rebuild the coast.
Barth explains the multiple factors contributing to coastal erosion and how this project integrates with other restoration efforts. He details the design and functionality of the sediment diversion, highlighting its role in delivering sediment and nutrients to sustain marshlands.
Additionally, Barth shares insights into the broader strategy of using nature-based solutions, such as barrier island reconstruction and marsh creation, to protect and restore Louisiana's coast.
The Mississippi By Nature series is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.
Tags
Category: Case Studies
- River Engineering
- River Basin management
- River Restoration
1 Comment
At $145 million per acre, that is some expensive real estate. Sooner or later, Mother Nature will say enough is enough and send the river down the Atchafalaya Basin. The money would be better spent preparing for the inevitable.
Published by Eugene Smith