The Louisiana coast and its associated wetlands and barrier shorelines are the product of the continuous accumulation of sediments deposited by the Mississippi River and its distributaries over the past 7,000 years. Due in part to the same natural processes that built most of Southern Louisiana, the coastal region continues to subside or sink as part of its natural and ongoing geologic development.

In a completely natural environment, the process of natural deltaic subsidence in one place was typically offset by the deposition or accretion of new sediment material delivered by the Mississippi River in another location. But as colonists arrived and settled in South Louisiana, they began to construct levees along the Mississippi River to provide flood protection for Louisiana’s developing cities and ports. The construction of these artificial levees restricted the river’s natural delivery of fresh water and sediment to the coastal wetlands and further accelerated the natural subsidence processes along Louisiana’s coastal region.

With the arrival of the industrial age came the demand for high volumes of fossil fuels to drive the growth of the nation. Blessed with an abundance of natural resources, Louisiana’s coastal region became the focus for oil and gas development. To expedite energy exploration and development, a myriad of pipeline canals and navigation channels were dug through Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. Ultimately, these canals and channels have upset the natural hydrology and escalated salinity gradients, further destroying this fragile estuarine system.

Under the combined impact of natural processes and human intervention, Louisiana's coastal wetlands stand on the verge of collapse.

• Since 1932, Louisiana has lost 1.2 million acres of wetlands, or about 1,900 square miles. That is an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.
• On average, Louisiana currently loses approximately 10 square miles per year.
• Without immediate and decisive action, Louisiana stands to lose an additional 500 square miles of land by the year 2050.
• Louisiana is home to 3.4 million acres of coastal wetlands, 28% of all wetlands that still exist within the 48 contiguous states. Over 80% of all coastal wetlands loss in the lower 48 states is occurring in South Louisiana.

In recent years, dire predictions of catastrophic consequences have fueled Louisiana's efforts to restore our failing coast. Comprising nearly 1/3 of our state's land area and home to 2/3 of Louisiana's residents, Louisiana's coastal zone has been battered by hurricanes and shaped to meet the demands of modern development.

STORM AND HURRICANE PROTECTION

Wetlands and barrier islands form a natural buffer zone that absorbs storm surges and blunts the force of high winds.

• Scientists estimate that every 2.7 linear miles of wetlands absorb one foot of storm surge.
• As the barrier islands and wetlands erode, south Louisiana communities will be exposed to the direct brunt of storms and hurricanes.
• If wetlands and barrier islands continue to erode as projected, more than 2 million people living in south Louisiana could be subjected to more frequent and severe flooding.

OIL AND GAS

Wetlands and barrier islands protect billions of dollars worth of oil and gas infrastructure from wave and storm damage. This disappearing land is a key part of the nation's energy system.

• Nearly 25% of all the oil and gas consumed in America and 80% of the nation's offshore oil and gas travels through Louisiana's wetlands.
• As wetlands and barrier islands erode, our oil and gas infrastructure will become exposed to open water and increasingly susceptible storm damage.
• At a time when our nation is attempting to move toward a self-sufficient energy policy, the rich resources of Louisiana will become increasingly more important to the future of the United States.

NAVIGATION

Louisiana's barrier islands and wetland shorelines protect navigation channels, anchorages and ports from winds, waves, storms and hurricanes.

• Louisiana's ports provide the nation with approximately 20% of the nation's foreign waterborne commerce.
• They contribute billions to local economies and provide Louisiana with thousands of jobs.
• Without the protection of our rapidly eroding coastal wetlands and barrier islands, 155 miles of waterways will be exposed to open water in 50 years and billions of taxpayer dollars will have to be spent on increased dredging and maintenance costs.

FISHERIES

Louisiana's wetlands provide critical habitat and food resources for some of our nation's most productive recreational and commercial fisheries.

• 15 to 20% of the entire seafood catch of the U.S. (by weight) comes from the Gulf of Mexico. 95% of that catch use Louisiana’s wetlands as a nursery to mature.
• The abundance of our fisheries is generated by the millions of acres of coastal marsh that is used as a nursery by young fish and shellfish.
• Wetlands also serve as natural filters of sewage and other pollutants introduced through drainage basins and the larger watershed region.
• As our wetlands and estuarine marshes collapse, saltwater intrusion will escalate salinity levels and disturb the delicate balance between fresh and salt water that support the bountiful fisheries of Louisiana.

REMEDIES

A variety of ideas have been put forward as partial solutions to the dramatic loss of barrier islands and wetlands along the Louisiana coast.

• Most ideas include soft engineering solutions such as coastal restoration through barrier island stabilization and nourishment.
• Sediment and dredged materials could be redistributed onto wetlands through beneficial use dredging and dedicated dredging projects.
• Other ideas include the creation of new deltaic plains through large scale river reintroductions designed to mimic the natural hydrology of the region.
• Hard engineering solutions, such as building sea walls, breakwaters and levees are also possible; however, these solutions are not only expensive but would all but eliminate the presence of natural wetlands and the resources and protection they provide.

The implications of continued coastal land loss are indeed catastrophic, but they are not inevitable. The decisions we make today will determine if future generations will enjoy the same coastal bounty that has made this region a national treasure. Considering what is at stake we do not have the luxury of time or inaction. Together, we must make a dedicated and united commitment to the security, prosperity and future of south Louisiana.