sessions 51-60
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Sessions
• #51 Educating Future Stewards
• #52 Addressing Insurance Affordability and Availability in the Northern Gulf Coast
• #53 Feathers and Feedback: What Birds Reveal About Coastal Restoration
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 286
#51 Educating Future Stewards
As coastal and environmental challenges continue to mount, fostering the next generation of informed and engaged stewards is more critical than ever. Through innovative, place-based education, these programs bridge knowledge and action. This session will explore how programs can promote environmental literacy, stewardship, and equips students from an early age with the tools to understand and make decisions about our environment and to protect their natural surroundings.
Moderator: Jacqueline Richard – Nunez Community College
Presenters:
• Stephanie Aubert – Louisiana Children’s Museum
• Alahna Moore – Louisiana Children’s Museum
• Brittney Palode – International Crane Foundation
• Irvin Louque – International Crane Foundation
Living With Water: Educating Future Environmental Leaders
Stephanie Aubert – Louisiana Children’s Museum
Alahna Moore – Louisiana Children’s Museum
The Louisiana Children’s Museum is actively working with youth to shift our community’s perception of water from a nuisance to a valuable resource. Living With Water is the museum’s place-based environmental education program for K-8th graders in New Orleans. Recently expanded beyond its initial focus on 3rd graders, this program includes classroom visits, outdoor experiences, custom museum field trips, a summer camp, and interactive design challenges. Through this diverse array of experiences, we illustrate students’ roles in our ecosystem.
This presentation will detail Living With Water, an environmental education initiative by the Louisiana Children’s Museum. The program teaches New Orleans youth about the importance of wetlands and how both humans and animals adapt to survive in coastal landscapes. In its current iteration and planned expansion, Living With Water aims to enhance students’ scientific and environmental literacy by bridging knowledge and action, while emphasizing science standards related to earth and life sciences.
LCM’s goal is to educate and empower the next generation of environmental scholars and change-makers by illustrating the connections between place-based information and environmental monitoring data. This approach fosters a solutions mindset, highlighting young people’s capacity to experiment, engage others, and enact meaningful change based on their own firsthand observations.
Creating a Youth Library Education Program to Support Whooping Crane Reintroduction Efforts in South Louisiana
Brittney Palode – International Crane Foundation
We are offering summer programming to local libraries to proactively support positive attitudes and behaviors toward Whooping Cranes (WHCR) among rural youth. Since reintroductions began in 2011, Whooping Cranes are slowly returning to Louisiana’s coastal avifauna community, but that return has been slowed by anthropogenic mortalities, especially shootings which account for about 30% of known mortalities. Since 5 of 6 convictions involved either minors or young adults who shot one or more Whooping Cranes, youth are one of our priority demographics for outreach programs. In 2023, we began partnering with parish libraries in a pilot program to provide “Dance like a Crane” programming to young children in area libraries. Each program included a crane mask craft where children could make their own wearable crane mask. That year we delivered 17 programs in 15 libraries in 5 south Louisiana parishes reaching 288 youth. In 2024, we adapted our program for a wider age range and increased our reach to 29 programs in 7 parishes reaching 510 youth and 277 adults with nearly all programs within the core WHCR range. Post-program surveys indicate that we’re reaching families of hunters and that we’re increasing knowledge and positive attitudes. We have found that libraries are enthusiastic partners for conservation programs, who often have deep ties to the local community. We have gained access to smaller but very important communities on a meaningful level with positive conservation messaging. We will continue adapting our programs in 2025 and aim to reach libraries we previously missed.
Directed Outreach in South Louisiana to Protect Whooping Cranes
Irvin Louque – International Crane Foundation
We are working to reduce the incidences of Whooping Crane (WHCR) poaching using directed outreach focused on increasing knowledge, positive attitudes, and reducing negative behaviors of gunowners and youth who may encounter WHCR. Since reintroductions started in 2011, WHCR are slowly returning to Louisiana’s coastal avifauna community, but that return has been slowed by anthropogenic mortalities, especially shootings which account for about 30% of known mortalities. In a baseline survey of waterfowl hunters, our LSU partners found more negative views toward WHCR and less support for poaching penalties among shooting sports enthusiasts and youth compared to other groups of hunters. We reach youth and families at community festivals and events, library programs, and schools with messaging focused on appreciation of WHCR while educating about their endangered status and unique biology. We reach gunowners through distributing marketing materials about identification, consequences for poaching, and how gunowners can help protect WHCR at gun shops and shooting ranges. Since 2021, we’ve reached nearly 9,000 people in person with others reached through webinars, social media, and other media. While we are seeing increased knowledge and positive attitudes among outreach program participants indicated by post-program surveys implemented in 2024, it is difficult to quantify effects on behavior, especially with a behavior as rare as poaching incidents. We are actively adapting our outreach methods and messaging based on our data and partner feedback to better reach target audiences.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 287
#52 Addressing Insurance Affordability and Availability in the Northern Gulf Coast
Hazard and flood insurance is rapidly becoming a critical driver of coastal flood resilience, influencing housing affordability and ability to secure financing for residential and commercial property which comes with ripples throughout coastal communities. As is true with many impacts of climate change, shrinking insurance affordability and availability has disparate impacts on residents that need to be considered if equitable climate resilience is to be pursued.
There are a myriad of approaches that can be implemented to address affordability of existing flood and hazard insurance products, explore alternative and more flexible insurance products, and to understand how future action could further exacerbate insurance costs. However, many of these approaches are still in early phases of being scaled and implemented and have challenges that need to be addressed. For example, innovations such as parametric insurance or community pools could provide alternative products to traditional insurance structures but there is still a need for multiple and diverse pilots of these approaches so that we can understand their practical utility and limitations.
This session invites speakers to present their research, innovative ideas, and case studies at the intersection of climate change and insurance. The session will serve as an opportunity to raise awareness of the cutting-edge advancements around insurance that are underway and to bring together those working to identify practical products, approaches, and better understanding of potential challenges on the horizons.
Moderator: Renee Collini – The Water Institute
Panelists:
• Allison DeJong – The Water Institute
• Carolyn Kousky – Environmental Defense Fund
• Charles Sutcliffe – National Wildlife Federation
Organizer: Renee Collini – The Water Institute
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 291
#53 Feathers and Feedback: What Birds Reveal About Coastal Restoration
This session examines the relationships between coastal restoration activities and bird populations in southeastern Louisiana. Findings highlight how restoration strategies—such as freshwater diversions, habitat creation, and sediment placement—can affect bird diversity, species composition, abundance, and movement patterns. Findings also highlight how a variety of avian data can be used to advance restoration planning, implementation, adaptive management and monitoring. Together, these insights emphasize the need for adaptive, species-informed management to ensure restoration efforts effectively support coastal bird populations and ecosystem resilience.
Moderator: Jessica Henkel – The Water Institute
Presenters:
• Erik Johnson – National Audubon Society
• Leah Moran – LSU
• Alicia Sendrowski – The Water Institute
• Derek Salazar – Stantec
• Delaina LeBlanc – BTNEP
• Robert Dobbs – LDWF
• Paul Leberg – ULL
Organizer: Jessica Henkel – The Water Institute; Delaina LeBlanc – BTNEP
Marshbird Responses to Freshwater Diversions in Southeastern Louisiana
Erik Johnson – National Audubon Society
To reduce salinity in the upper Breton and Barataria Basins, freshwater diversions at Caernarvon and Davis Pond siphon Mississippi River water into coastal wetlands. We evaluated marshbird community structure and species density at these diversions, using freshwater wetlands at Jean Lafitte National Park as a control site. Standardized 13-minute audio-visual point counts were repeated two or three times during each breeding season and non-breeding season across 24 points at diversion sites and 24 points at control sites between November 2020 and June 2023. We assessed vegetation cover within 50 meters of each point once a season; PCA clustered points into three main plant community types: 1) Panicum + Sagittarius, 2) Eleocharis + Schoenoplectus, 3) Zizaniopsis + Alternanthera. We also classified land:water within 200-m of each point from NAIP November 2021 imagery. Across 776 surveys, we detected 21,511 birds and analyzed the data using diversity indices and a hierarchical distance model information theoretic framework to assess marshbird species densities between treatments (diversion versus control) using plant community type and land:water ratios as covariates. Diversions had higher diversity than control sites, and only diversions supported colonial waterbird rookeries. Marshbird species that nest or forage on or near the ground were less abundant at diversions, whereas those that prefer open water or taller vegetation were more abundant. As larger-scale diversions are being implemented to increase wetland resilience and sustainability, operations and sediment management should incorporate strategies to maximize the suitability of newly created wetlands for a variety of marshbird species.
The Processes and Patterns behind Secretive Marshbird Abundance and Movement within Southeastern Louisiana
Leah Moran – LSU
Secretive marshbirds are an enigmatic group of waterbirds found within fresh to saline marshes of Louisiana and are affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes within their environment. The lack of information regarding marshbird distributions complicates planning, management, and restoration of marshbirds, highlighted during the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in 2010. To address this information gap, we conducted three years of callback survey of five key breeding marshbird species and monitored 48 GPS tagged rails and gallinules within five coastal basins in the deltaic plain of Louisiana. A total of 288 points were surveyed from March to June of 2021-2023 with a total of 3,162 surveys completed. Preliminary results from generalized linear mixed models indicate that gallinule species and least bittern abundances are significantly correlated (p>0.5) with higher NDWI values and variable water levels, while king rail abundance was significantly correlated with low NDWI values. Salt marsh species such as clapper rails were most affected by variable water levels and abundance increased with higher NDVI values. Abundance was positively correlated with area of edge except for King rails. Our location data from tagged birds suggested a pattern of more displacement and larger home ranges when water levels were either too low or two high, or a lack of variability in water patterns. This study has linked how coastal processes and patterns affect how secretive marshbirds move on the landscape as well where birds may be on the coast for future restoration and conservation.
Bird detection and habitat classification using machine learning: Implications for avian monitoring and habitat restoration
Alicia Sendrowski – The Water Institute
Avian monitoring efforts, such as extensive ground surveys, aerial imagery collection, and manual bird counting, provide critical insights into bird dynamics and guidance on avian habitat restoration. These processes are traditionally very labor intensive and time-consuming. Artificial intelligence (AI) and specifically machine learning (ML) present an exciting opportunity to extend the utility of these efforts by aiding in bird detection, habitat classification, and uncovering relationships between birds and their habitats. This talk presents progress using ML to automatically detect birds in aerial survey imagery of the Louisiana Coast. Using Breton and the Chandeleur Islands as a case study, we discuss the capabilities of various ML tools to automatically identify different species of birds and their nests. We also use ML to explore avian habitat classifications from broad land cover classes to vegetation speciation using imagery of varying spatial resolution, from 0.1m to 30m pixel images. These outputs, bird species by location and associated habitats, allow us to explore avian habitat relationships across broad spatial and temporal scales to create predictive maps of bird nesting sites. The outcomes of this work will also inform future avian surveys and habitat restoration.
Turning the Tide: Floating Nesting Habitats for Birds in a Changing Coastal Environment
Derek Salazar – Stantec
The National Audubon Society, in collaboration with Stantec, is developing a groundbreaking initiative to enhance nesting opportunities for threatened Least Terns and Black Skimmers by exploring the feasibility of floating bird nesting platforms along the Gulf Coast. These iconic sea bird species depend heavily on rapidly disappearing habitats for breeding, making their survival increasingly tenuous.
While the creation of bird nesting islands using dredged materials has proven effective, floating platforms offer an intermediate solution that can be rapidly and cheaply deployed, decommissioned or reused to provide nesting habitat while larger restoration projects can be executed.
This study sought to advance this innovative technique for coastal bird conservation in the Gulf of Mexico. Study objectives included the development of preliminary design recommendations and site-selection criteria for potential floating platform sites along the Gulf Coast, considering factors such as: potential for disturbances to nesting birds, proximity to existing nesting colonies, adjacency to conservation lands, wave climate, constructability, maintenance access, portability, and the presence of sensitive ecological resources. Conference attendees will gain valuable insights to the practical designs, tips to implement, and site-selection criteria. By addressing urgent conservation needs of coastal bird populations, floating nesting platforms provide a proactive approach to support the long-term resilience of these valuable species and the coastal ecosystems they inhabit.
Assessment of Benthic Community Changes along the Restored Caminada Headland
Delaina LeBlanc – BTNEP
As a consequence of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Critical Habitat Designation of the Caminada Headland for Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), potential restoration impacts to shorebird species were assessed, including changes in benthic population and forage availability. Beginning in April of 2013, and excluding 2017, six benthic macroinvertebrate community surveys were conducted each spring to evaluate the potential impacts of restoration. We calculated metrics of species diversity (H’), equitability (J’), dominance, and biomass by weight. Density and diversity, including species richness and Simpson’s evenness, were assessed to determine how benthic communities responded over time to project sediment deposition and whether changes in sediment characteristics contributed to benthic community responses. Benthic organism densities initially decrease after fill, but increased to pre-fill densities with time after sediment deposition ends in both the intertidal and wrackline beach habitats. Measures of community composition show reduced diversity in both evenness and species richness measures within both beach habitats. While there are the same number of species, the species and their total abundance (density) differ. The change in species composition suggests that fill causes a slight change in the benthic community. Density results indicate highly variable benthic communities recolonize newly placed sediments quickly, however species compositions have changed and the potential impacts on forage may need further investigation.
Shorebird Responses to Construction Disturbance on Caminada Headland and Whiskey Island, Louisiana
Paul Leberg – ULL
Bird proximity to discharge sites during island construction was examined to determine if birds responded to this disturbance. Survey data collected by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program on Caminada Headland and the U.S. Geological Survey on Whiskey Island were analyzed to determine if birds avoided areas where the pumping of dredge material was occurring. On Caminada Headland (active restoration 2013-2017), there was little evidence of Wilson’s Plover or Red Knot avoiding pumping areas compared to controls. However, the distance of the Piping Plover closest to the pumping site was farther than the distance to the control. This significant effect did not exist for the average distance of the closest three Piping Plovers to the discharge and control sites. On Whiskey Island (active restoration 2017-2018), only Wilson’s Plover was present in sufficient numbers on enough dates to analyzed. There was little evidence they avoided discharge locations. At both locations, there was no evidence that bird abatement actions or the status of sediment pumping activities influenced distance from discharge sites. Although the closest Piping Plover was further from discharge than random sites, this effect was not seen for the average distance to the closest three plovers. This difference between the distributions of 1 or 3 individuals suggests that most Piping Plovers on the beach did not respond strongly to construction activities. Across study areas and species, the effects of discharge site, pumping activity, and bird abatement on the distribution of individuals appear to be small.
Piping Plover Home Ranges Do Not Appear to be Impacted by Restoration of Barrier Islands and Headlands
Robert Dobbs – LDWF
Restoration of barrier island and headland habitats can alter existing and create new habitats, which may impact wildlife occupying these areas such as the threatened Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). We used observational data from banded Piping Plovers to estimate home ranges and investigate whether changes in habitat use resulted from restoration activities at Whiskey Island and Caminada Headland, Louisiana. We developed home ranges using two techniques — minimum convex polygon (MCP) and kernel density estimates (KDE). We quantified home range areas for each season and compared changes between pre-restoration, active restoration, and post-restoration phases at each site. We had sufficient sample sizes from Whiskey Island to compare home ranges derived by MCP during the pre-restoration phase to the active restoration phase. For Caminada Headland, we were able to compare all phases of restoration using MCP, but only had sufficient data to compare pre-restoration and active restoration phases using KDE. Aside from one significant decrease in core (50% isopleth) home range at Caminada Headland when comparing MCPs between post-restoration (~8 ha) and pre-restoration (~11 ha) phases, we found no other differences in home range size across phases at either of our study sites. Collectively our results indicate no change to Piping Plover home range size, suggesting that barrier island and headland restoration did not have substantial positive or negative impacts. The weak response to restoration activities further suggests that birds use similar or smaller areas of habitat after restoration is complete and may not need to expand their foraging range following restoration.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 292
#54 Carbon Strategies and Methane Insights: Advancing Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in Coastal Louisiana
This session will delve into the critical intersections of carbon dynamics, methane emissions, and renewable energy frameworks, all vital to addressing climate change and achieving Louisiana’s net-zero carbon goals. Presentations will explore innovative approaches to carbon management, from geospatial frameworks that optimize Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration sites to studies of dissolved carbon in river-coastal systems, offering insights into the complex processes driving carbon cycling in the Gulf Coast region. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is examined through groundbreaking research on emissions from unplugged oil and gas wells and wetlands near Lake Pontchartrain, highlighting the variability of methane sources and their implications for greenhouse gas inventories and wetland management. Together, these studies underscore the importance of integrating geologic, environmental, and socioeconomic considerations into climate solutions while addressing the unique challenges posed by Louisiana’s diverse ecosystems and industrial heritage.
Moderator: Garvin Pittman – The Water Institute
Presenters:
• Thomas Douthat – LSU
• Anamika Dristi – LSU
• Frank Driscoll – LSU
• Samrat Dutta – Xavier University of Louisiana
Geospatial framework for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCuS) incorporating geologic, socioeconomic and environmental constraints
Thomas Douthat – LSU
The escalation of atmospheric CO2 concentrations due to anthropogenic activities has exacerbated climate change, prompting initiatives such as Louisiana’s commitment to achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050. In response to this challenge, negative emissions technologies, particularly Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCuS), have emerged as viable strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation, demonstrating substantial efficiency and scalability. The successful implementation of CCuS, however, critically relies on the careful selection of CO2 injection sites, necessitating an integrated decision-making tool capable of concurrently addressing a range of geological, socioeconomic, and environmental constraints across extensive areas. This study presents a geospatial framework designed to evaluate potential CO2 injection sites. We have synthesized a comprehensive dataset that incorporates critical variables relevant to Class VI permitting, alongside community impact considerations. Our findings validate a literature-informed methodology and provide an open-source workflow for processing these data and generating suitability scores for injection sites. This framework aims to enhance decision-making capabilities for governmental and industrial stakeholders, facilitating the safe advancement of CCuS initiatives. Future research will expand this model to integrate AI-driven subsurface predictions, thereby strengthening the development of effective CCuS policies that align with community needs and environmental sustainability.
Dissolved carbon in a river-coastal lake continuum, northern Gulf of Mexico
Anamika Dristi – LSU
Carbon is a major component of all organic compounds, playing a vital role in food web, biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem dynamics in estuarine and coastal waters. This ongoing study is being carried out since November 2023 to investigate dissolved carbon discharge from the Amite River to the Lake-Maurepas-Pontchartrain System in southeast Louisiana. Four questions organize this research project: (1) What is the amount of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) entering Lake Maurepas-Pontchartrain from the Amite River? (2) How do the flux rates of CO2 compare between the riverine and estuarine lake waters? (3) If the large area of wetlands near the river mouth has any effect on carbon transport and transformation in the river-estuary continuum? (4) What factors can affect spatiotemporal variation in carbon transport and transformation in this mixing zone? Monthly field measurements and sampling are being conducted in the Amite River at Port Vincent and in Lake Maurepas at Pass Manchac. The measurements include, among others, in-situ records on dissolved CO2, water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, and turbidity. Water samples are analyzed for DIC and DOC concentrations. Findings gained from this study will improve our understanding of carbon dynamics in a freshwater – saltwater mixing zone, helping develop management strategies for refining and implementing the current Louisiana Climate Action Plan on blue carbon. The findings will also provide the needed baseline data before a carbon injection project is conducted.
Methane Emissions from Unplugged Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Louisiana
Frank Driscoll – LSU
Methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells are not comprehensively addressed in the global methane budget. Current emission projections scale from estimates with small sample sizes and limited geographic diversity. We present the first study to report methane emissions from unplugged abandoned wells (n = 132) in Louisiana. Calculated flow rates are compared with the emission factors utilized in the EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory and used to investigate associated factors. Results show a right-tailed distribution driven by a few high emitters. Values range from 0-1,368 g hr-1 with a 57.4 g hr-1 mean, suggesting that current projections for the region are underestimated. Well age, date of last production, and product type could be associated with differences in observed methane flow rates. Increased sample size and geographic diversity will further improve emission estimates and allow for a better understanding of the underlying factors impacting methane emissions from these wells.
Methane Emission From Wetlands near Lake Pontchartrain
Samrat Dutta – Xavier University of Louisiana
Research on carbon exchange, particularly methane, from wetlands surrounding the Lake Pontchartrain area is almost non-existent. In some environments, wetlands may act as a net source of carbon, whereas in other environments they may be net sinks. One area of note with this discrepancy is the effect of wetland type. Because wetland type controls the plant/microbial community, the extent to which wetland type (independent of climatic influence) affects carbon emissions is of particular interest. The Lake Pontchartrain basin presents a unique opportunity to study this problem. These wetlands span from fresh to saltwater ecosystems in a compact geographical area surrounded by highly urbanized New Orleans over a distance of less than 100 km. The study uses portable, user-friendly infrared-based devices to collect methane under different conditions and integrate the findings into the larger framework of carbon cycling from wetlands. In this report, we discuss methane and other gases measured from two man-made marsh creation sites Bayou St. John and Bucktown.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 290
#55 Sediment Resources for Restoration
This session explores innovative strategies for securing sediment resources critical to Louisiana’s coastal restoration. With traditional sand sources dwindling, researchers are investigating alternatives like recycled glass, which mimics natural sand for shoreline stabilization. Long-term modeling reveals how sea-level rise shifts sediment transport, influencing marsh and barrier island stability. In Barataria Bight, the depletion of offshore sand has prompted cost-effective strategies for sustaining barrier islands over the next 50 years. Additionally, large-scale changes in the Mississippi River impact sand delivery to the coast, affecting restoration efforts. Together, these presentations highlight the need for adaptive sediment management to sustain Louisiana’s coastline.
Moderator:
Presenters:
• Sunshine Van Bael – Tulane University
• Ioannis Georgiou – The Water Institute
• Katherine Foreman – Royal Engineers and Consultants, LLC
• Brendan Yuill – USACE New Orleans District
ReCoast: Recycled glass as a novel substrate for coastal restoration
Sunshine Van Bael – Tulane University
Novel ways of building living shorelines and dune habitat will become increasingly relevant as sea level continues to rise. At the same time, 60,000 tons per year of glass is being deposited in to landfills in Louisiana alone, and the estimate for all the states is 7,600,000 tons. Can crushing glass and returning it to sand, its original form, help with coastal land loss? It is difficult to use a new resource like crushed glass, however, without careful research into the implications for flora and fauna. Therefore, the ReCoast program has been studying how recycled glass that has been crushed, cleaned and tumbled can be used in coastal restoration projects. We present evidence from safety testing of the materials. A detailed analysis of particle angularity and roundness showed that the recycled glass sand exhibits predominantly rounded and sub-rounded particles, closely mirroring the morphology of natural coastal sands. This rounded nature suggests that the recycled glass sand would be less abrasive and more compatible with natural sediments, making it suitable for shoreline stabilization projects. Furthermore, the size distribution of recycled glass sand can be precisely controlled to align with natural sand properties, ensuring optimal integration into restoration environments. We also discuss glass material used in beach dune habitat, as well as two demonstration projects in wetland habitat.
Long-term sea level rise modeling of a basin-tidal inlet system reveals sediment sinks
Ioannis Georgiou – The Water Institute
Much of the world’s population lives close to coastlines and this proximity is becoming increasingly impactful because of sea-level rise (SLR). Barrier islands and backbarrier saltmarshes, which comprise >10% of these coasts, are particularly susceptible. To better understand this risk, we model backbarrier morphologic and hydrodynamic evolution over a 200-year period of SLR, incorporating an erodible bed and a range of grain sizes. Here, we show that reduction in intertidal area creates negative feedback, shifting transport of coarse sediment (silt and sand) through the inlet from net export to net import. Imposing a modest marsh vertical accretion rate decreases the period of silt and sand import to 40 years (years 90 to 130) before being exported again. Clay is continuously exported thereby decreasing inorganic deposition on marshes and threatening their sustainability. Simulated marsh loss increases tidal prism and the volume of sand contained in ebb deltas, depleting coastal sand resources.
Shoring Up Success: Sand Alternatives Explored in the Barataria Basin
Katherine Foreman – Royal Engineers and Consultants, LLC
The potential depletion of offshore sand resources in Louisiana’s Barataria Bight necessitates a strategic reassessment of barrier island restoration approaches. As such, CPRA commissioned a study to explore alternatives to offshore sand for barrier island shoreline restoration and maintenance. This sand resource management task included defining a list of possible alternatives under which Mississippi River sand could feasibly be moved to the barrier shoreline of the Barataria Bight given current dredging technology and market conditions. Additionally, a reconnaissance-level cost estimation was conducted to assess economic feasibility, culminating in a 50-year cost analysis.
The study identified eight barrier islands along Louisiana’s coast, each with unique sediment demands and adopted three primary approaches to meet sand requirements across differential timescales. A historical demand analysis approach modeled maintenance events over 10- or 20- year intervals, while a streamlined approach proposed constant sand mining for direct island transfers. Assuming a mixture of cutter suction dredges and hopper dredges, 14 combined alternatives were assessed. Cost evaluations indicated the optimized direct-to-island as the most economical at $2.9 billion. In contrast, the most cost effective of the stockpile-dependent alternatives were projected at $3.9 billion. The study underscored the feasibility of utilizing alternative borrow sources and the importance of further evaluation of innovative sand sourcing strategies to sustain Louisiana’s barrier islands.
How large-scale changes in the Mississippi River channel impact sand delivery to the coast
Brendan Yuill – USACE New Orleans District
Many river and coastal engineering and restoration projects throughout the Lowermost Mississippi River are dependent on predictable delivery of sandy riverine sediment. We are not great at predicting sandy sediment loads at short, intra-annual hydrograph timescales because of the complexity of the transport mechanics resulting in phenomena like bar sorting and hysteresis. We are better at predicting longer term sediment loads, as the weirder short-term fluctuations average each other out and robust mean trends emerge. However, there are not many long-term sediment datasets to compare predictive tools to, and, in a Catch-22 fashion, the further the datasets go back in time, the less applicable they may be to assessing future sediment dynamics. In this presentation, we utilize a field-validated 1D numerical model of the Mississippi River, stretching between the junction with the Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico outlet, to investigate how long-term, large-scale changes in channel geomorphology influence sand delivery throughout this mighty fluvial system. Significant changes in bed aggradation or erosion at the reach scale surely exert a meaningful signal within the sediment delivery, but the character and management implications of that signal is uncertain. Our objective is to use our model, which is rather unique in its ability to resolve a wide range of sediment transport processes over a large domain, to reduce this uncertainty. Management implications will be discussed.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 289
#56 Navigating Resilience: Ports, Waterways, and Ecosystems in Coastal Adaptation in Southern Louisiana
This session will examine the role of navigation infrastructure and port systems balancing economic imperatives with environmental stewardship. This session will examine the interconnectedness of navigation infrastructure, port operations, and environmental health. Research on extending navigation along the Red River and hydrodynamic modeling for the Louisiana International Terminal illustrates how engineering advancements support safer, more efficient port operations while addressing the challenges of rising sea levels and complex river dynamics. The discussion will consider the potential of blue carbon ecosystems, such as coastal marshes and seagrasses near ports, to mitigate climate change. By integrating ecosystem restoration and sediment management into navigation projects, ports can serve as hubs of sustainability, promoting carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Additionally, insights into the Port of New Orleans demonstrate how ports foster vibrant economies while meeting regulatory and community needs in an evolving coastal landscape.
Moderator: Brady Skaggs – Port of New Orleans
Presenters:
• Emily Federer – Port of New Orleans
• Agnimitro Chakrabarti – Olsson
• Kiara Horton – Freese and Nichols, Inc.
Ports and the Coast: A look at the Port of New Orleans’ needs for a vibrant coast and community to sustain operations, and the role of ports in coastal communities
Emily Federer – Port of New Orleans
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a modern multimodal gateway for global commerce and an in-demand cruise port. Port NOLA delivers seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river, rail, and road; it is the nation’s 10th largest port by general cargo tonnage and the 17th largest container port. By their nature, port deliveries happen at the interface of water and land – for Port NOLA, where international shipping corridors meet the coast of Louisiana. This presentation will explore the port business drivers, environmental responsibilities and initiatives, community relations, and building for the future, where trends toward a changing coast are likely.
Lower Mississippi River Hydrodynamic Modeling to support the Engineering and Design of an in-river Port: The Louisiana International Terminal Expansion
Agnimitro Chakrabarti – Olsson
The Port of New Orleans (PortNOLA) is building a new international terminal, the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) along the east bank of the Mississippi River (MR) near the town of Violet. The LIT at River Mile (RM) of 83.0 is being built downstream of the existing PortNOLA (RM 99.5) and eliminates 16.5 miles of river navigation in each direction, river miles being calculated from the Head of Passes. The principal advantages of this new terminal will be its ability to handle container ships of all sizes, particularly post-Panamax vessels and being downriver, in its ability to reap the benefits of the latest US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) plans to dredge the MR ship channel to a minimum draft of 50 ft, while also eliminating the height restriction imposed by the Crescent City Connection. The LIT will be protected by the USACE federal levee system.
Olsson is conducting the hydrodynamic modeling of the MR to aid in the design of the LIT. Water levels and velocity, under various MR flow conditions are being modeled using a three-dimensional (3D) Delft3D model of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR). This stretch of the LMR is dominated by significant backwater effects and water levels and flows are tidally affected. The model will provide detailed 3D velocity measurements across the entire river and at various depths near the project site to aid in the navigation, berthing and mooring design. The bed shear stresses will be used to determine scour potential of the riverbed. This study can be extended to aid in the design of other similar in-river structures on the Mississippi River.
Planning for Navigation Extension on the Red River Utilizing Section 203 Process
Kiara Horton – Freese and Nichols, Inc.
The J. Bennett Johnston (JBJ) Waterway is an existing shallow draft channel with 5 navigation locks on the Red River from the Old and Red Rivers confluence to Shreveport, Louisiana. The portion of the Red River above Shreveport is presently unsuitable for commercial navigation.
A recent market analysis by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) demonstrated potential positive net National Economic Development (NED) benefits to extend navigation through Southwest Arkansas. Because this potential appears favorable, the Arkansas Natural Resources Division (NRD), as the non-Federal Interest (NFI), and the Arkansas Red River Commission (ARRC), initiated further navigation analyses through a feasibility study.
This feasibility study is being conducted, with USACE assistance, under the authority of the 1986 Water Resources Development Act, Section 203, as amended. This authority permits NFIs to undertake water resources feasibility studies for submission to the Secretary of the Army, with the intent of obtaining Federal project authorization.
This study is evaluating an array of alternatives and will recommend a plan with optimal comprehensive benefits. These alternatives consist of extending navigation to: Garland, Arkansas; Fulton, Arkansas; and, Index, Arkansas. Each plan requires providing waterway vertical lifts through a series of locks and dams. Each alternative includes features consisting of navigation channel geometries with various depths, and river stabilization revetments and dikes.
The project would enable extending potential coastal container traffic from the Port of South Louisiana region to new inland routes if this study results in a shallow draft navigation leg that propagates the project to take it all the way to Dallas. Currently there is container-on-barge service up the Mississippi River. This offers another potential connection to coastally-delivered commodities from ocean going vessel to barge.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 288
#57 Policies and Projects, Pulling it together for Statewide Flood Mitigation
The widespread disaster caused by the Great Floods of 2016 revealed how susceptible Louisiana’s landscape is to flooding. In 2018, the state launched the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI), a $1.2B, HUD-funded program, introducing a new watershed-based approach to reducing flood risk in Louisiana, guided by the principles of using scientific tools and data; enabling transparent, objective decision-making; maximizing the natural function of floodplains; and establishing regional, watershed-based management of flood risk. The LWI allocated $995M to flood mitigation projects, with $899M of that allocation awarded to 127 projects throughout the state. In addition, seven regional HUC-8 models have been developed, calibrated, and validated.
Moderator: Derek Chisholm – AECOM
Presenters:
• Genea Lathers – LA Office of Community Development
• Jie Gu – Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development
• Maryam Roostae – AECOM
• Brett McMann – The Water Institute
LWI Overview and Progress to Date
Genea Lathers – LA Office of Community Development
The Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) is a $1.2B, HUD-funded program to fundamentally transform water resources management in the state from a geopolitical to hydrologically-based management system based on the state’s primary watershed regions. Prompted by chronic statewide flooding problems in recent years, the LWI is a comprehensive, multi-year program based on sound science, extensive modeling and the careful selection, design, and implementation of an array of projects. Genea will provide an overview of the program and a summary of the 131 flood mitigation projects underway currently.
Finalizing the LWI Models through Design Storm and Consequence Modeling
Jie Gu – Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development
As one of the nation’s largest and most complex watershed management efforts, the LWI approach and outcome will be of great interest to all water resources professionals. The DOTD is working with technical experts, federal partners, academic institutions and local stakeholders to create models of Louisiana’s watersheds. These models will simulate flood scenarios and analyze potential flood mitigation solutions. Jie has been managing the model dev elopement and QC processes and will speak to the nature of these models, and what they are showing.
Utilizing LWI Models and Breakouts to Assess LWI Round 2 Projects
Maryam Roostae – AECOM
The LWI program’s investment in modeling has been game-changing for managing flooding in the State. How can the models be used by local government, by design firms and others? Maryam has been leading a team to use these models for the evaluation of capital projects throughout the state. She will describe this process, the usability of the HUC 8 models, how break-out models are developed, and more.
Model Use, Storage, and Maintenance
Brett McMann – The Water Institute
The Water Institute has also helped guide the development of the models. Brett and his team have developed a tool for sharing model data and the models, for use by engineers , planners, and scientists throughout the state. Brett will address model availability, check in and out processes, and ongoing model maintenance.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 285
#58 Neptune Pass: Lessons in Adaptation
Neptune Pass is a crevasse of the Mississippi River that unexpectedly expanded during the high river flow of 2019 and is now rapidly building new land as one of the main distributary channels of the river. Since then, Neptune Pass has become a point of convergence highlighting the changes that are happening in the lowermost Mississippi River and posing difficult questions about how to manage the system for sustained ecological health, safe navigation, and commercial fisheries. These presentations will bring together transdisciplinary perspectives on the changes, observed and planned, under way at Neptune Pass. Dr. Kolker will provide an overview of the hydrogeomorphology of the crevasse and resulting delta. Katelyn Keller will present the Army Corps of Engineers plans to control Neptune Pass with a unique strategy that leverages the land building process of delta formation. Finally, Dr. Grant McCall will discuss his ethnographic research on how commercial fishers have adapted to take advantage of better fishing and easier navigation resulting from the emergence of Neptune Pass.
Moderator: Michael Biros – CRCL
Presenters:
• Grant McCall – Center for Human-Environmental Research
• Alexander Kolker – Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
• Katelyn Keller – US Army Corps of Engineers
• Christopher Esposito – The Water Institute
Neptune Pass: What The Hydrology Of The Mississippi River’s Largest New Distributary Tells Us About Louisiana’s Changing Coast
Alexander Kolker – Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
Neptune Pass, the largest distributary of the Mississippi River to form in nearly a century, provides a unique opportunity to study this system. The study of large river dynamics has been hindered by a scientific and technological contrast: the development of advanced tools to study rivers (e.g., remote sensing, real-time river gauges, sonars) corresponds to period when engineering works stabilized the channels of many rivers (19th-21st century). Neptune Pass, which rapidly expanded in 2020, providing a rare opportunity to study Mississippi River distributaries. Within a ~1-year time frame, Neptune Pass transitioned from a small canal by the Mississippi River to a major distributary of that river with a discharge that exceeds 3,000 m3s-1 (105,000 ft3 s-1). It is partially responsible for a significant change in the flow distribution of the Mississippi River. At present, nearly ⅓ of the Mississippi River- and perhaps more- flows eastward through Neptune Pass and other nearby channels. There is also reduced discharge at Southwest Pass which is the river’s main shipping channel. Neptune Pass has also created the one of largest new deltas in North America, with an area (including submerged and subaerial lands) that approaches 20 km2. Neptune Pass and its delta could function like a large restoration project, building needed new land in Louisiana. Neptune Pass could also lead to hazardous conditions in the Mississippi River, creating challenges for a large economic corridor. As such, decisions regarding the future of Neptune Pass should be based on the bast available science.
Analysis of the Use of Scour-Resistant SREDS to Control Discharge and Induce Land-Building at Neptune Pass: a Numerical Model Investigation of Hydrodynamics and Morphologic Change
Katelyn Keller – US Army Corps of Engineers
Neptune Pass is a crevasse through the East Bank of the Lowermost Mississippi River (LMR), across the River from Buras, Louisiana. Following the exceptionally high 2019 spring flood event, Neptune Pass rapidly expanded from an historically small channel to a significant LMR distributary. Currently, the crevasse measures an average of 800 ft in width and diverts 14.5% – 20% of the LMR flow at that location. This increased discharge has resulted in several negative impacts on stability of the LMR navigation channel. These include impacts to navigation safety associated with currents through the Pass, as well as significant induced shoaling in the navigation channel just downstream of the Pass. In addition, river discharge lost through the Pass at low water is associated with increased salinity intrusion in the LMR. Conversely, there are indications that the expansion of Neptune Pass is promoting positive impacts on environmental quality. Recent aerial imagery and observations show that sediment conveyance through Neptune Pass is aiding land building in Quarantine Bay and Bay Denesse, the receiving waters for Neptune Pass.
To address these issues, a solution was proposed whereby the discharge through Neptune Pass is controlled with a rock sill at the upstream end of the Pass, and a series of shear-resistant Sediment Retention Enhancement Devices (SREDs) at the downstream end of the Pass. The solution is designed to mitigate navigation concerns while minimizing impacts on flow and sediment diversion at the Pass. The shear -resistant SREDS are also designed to induce deposition of sediments, thereby accelerating land-building processes.
Subsistence and Small-Scale Commercial Fishing Adaptations to Neptune Pass and Adjacent Mississippi River Crevasse Features in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
Grant McCall – Center for Human-Environmental Research
Mostly within the last three years, so-called “Neptune Pass” has emerged as one of the crucial physiographic features of the Lower Mississippi River delta in Plaquemines Parish. The rapid evolution of Neptune Pass—which grew rapidly to carry a major portion of the total volume of the Mississippi River—occurred through the sudden and profound expansion of one of the many existing crevasses on the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish that have their roots in the institution of the Bohemia Spillway nearly a century ago. In drawing on participant observation ethnographic research done with small-scale commercial fishers between 2021 and 2024, this paper describes fishing adaptations to the appearance of Neptune Pass and utilizations of this waterway in terms of both commercial shrimping activities and the targeting of finfish for subsistence and informal exchange with close social relations. This paper finds that current fishing usages of Neptune Pass have built upon a longer-term pattern of utilization of the highly productive coastal marsh adjacent to the Mississippi River, which has been fed by nutrients and sediment flowing through the various crevasses. Neptune Pass has made navigation by fishers from the Mississippi River to the East Bank coastal marsh much easier and our findings suggest that the emergence of this feature has significantly enhanced fishing returns of all kinds. In this way, Neptune Pass has had significant positive consequences for the wellbeing of certain segments of nearby fishing communities, particularly those of Buras and Empire.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 284
#59 West Shore Lake Pontchartrain/Maurepas Swamp Diversion
The River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp or Maurepas Swamp Project (MSP) is a keystone restoration project with a unique opportunity to synchronize implementation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) lead West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Project (WSLP). Both are major, landscape-level projects supporting CPRA’s primary goals and implementing them in tandem is mutually advantageous. This session intends to delve into the ongoing WSLP and MSP projects being implemented by the USACE, the Pontchartrain Levee District (PLD) and CPRA.
Since the first contract was issued by the USACE in December 2002, significant construction activity has taken place throughout the WSLP footprint. In the first presentation, the USACE will provide a detailed update on the ongoing construction of WSLP. In the second presentation, AECOM will detail the challenges of integrating MSP with WSLP with respect to construction sequencing, maintaining local drainage and infrastructure impacts. The third presentation, Intracoastal Consultants will discuss the ongoing collaboration between St. James Parish, USACE, and the non-federal sponsors, CPRA and PLD to identify an alternative for WSLP that would provide long-term, sustainable flood risk reduction to the east bank of St. James Parish. The final presentation, given by CPRA, will detail the current and planned MSP monitoring efforts and will explain why this freshwater diversion project is so vital for the preservation of this coastal forested habitat.
Moderator: Monica Salins Gorman
Presenters:
• L. Jeff Williams – Army Corps of Engineers
• Leah Read – AECOM
• Sean Walsh – Eustis Engineering
• Kevin O’Gorman – Intracoastal Consultants
• Danielle Richardi – CPRA
Organizer: Andrew Beall – CPRA
West Shore Lake Pontchartrain: Advancing Hurricane Risk Reduction for Southeast Louisiana
L. Jeff Williams
The West Shore Lake Pontchartrain (WSLP) project, located on the east bank of the Mississippi River in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes, is a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at providing 100-year level hurricane risk reduction. Serving over 60,000 residents, the project mitigates vulnerabilities in an area with limited protections and enhances the safety of Interstate 10, a major evacuation route. During Hurricane Isaac, storm surge inundated thousands of homes and submerged I-10, hindering emergency response efforts.
Initially funded with $760 million through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the project received an additional $450 million under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (DRSAA). The project’s scope includes the construction of levees, floodwalls, and pump stations. To date, contracts have been awarded for key levee reaches, including WSLP-110, 107, 101a, 108, 104, 102, 105, 106, 103, 114a, and 109, with further awards scheduled through Fall 2025. Significant progress has also been made on access roads, stockpiling of materials, and mitigation efforts.
Coordination is underway with the State of Louisiana’s Maurepas Diversion project, which will enhance the WSLP system’s resilience while compensating for impacts to swamp habitats. A Record of Decision in January 2023 confirmed the Maurepas Diversion’s role in ecosystem restoration, further strengthening the project’s long-term environmental benefits.
Engineering Challenges of the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp Integration with the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Project
Leah Read – AECOM & Sean Walsh – Eustis Engineering
This portion of the presentation will include an overview of the challenges of integrating the WSLP project and the MSP. An update on project status will be provided. A discussion of the challenges of the project includes construction sequencing, staging, and maintaining local drainage during construction, particularly given the ROW constraints in many areas, the anticipated construction of the project by Reach, and the cutting off of East/West drainage network in the area due to the flood protection levee portion of WSLP. In addition, engineering and construction challenges at the major crossings of WSLP at River Road (Hwy 44), CN Railroad, CPKC Railroad, and Airline Hwy (US 61) will be discussed. There will also be a discussion on using on-site excavated material as the borrow source for building the WSLP and diversion guide levees to reduce the amount of imported fill required and reducing overall project construction costs.
WSLP – St. James Connector Levee – Local, State, and Federal Collaboration
Kevin O’Gorman – Intracoastal Consultants
Following the release of the draft Feasibility Report / Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the U.S. Amry Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain (WSLP) project in 2013, St. James Parish Government sought to identify an alternative for WSLP that would provide long-term, sustainable flood risk reduction to the east bank of St. James Parish. A critical element to providing comprehensive flood risk reduction from St. James Parish Government’s standpoint was to connect the proposed ring levee features in Grand Point and Gramercy, referred to as the West Shore Connector Levee (WSCL). The WSCL project started with small amount of funding, generated from bonding St. James Parish’s local GOMESA allocation, which has been used to successfully generate additional funding and opportunities through Capital Outlay, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Pontchartrain Levee District (PLD), the Office of Community Development, which will be used for the construction of an initial levee lift, drainage structures, and other project features.
The WSCL has been a collaborative effort between St. James Parish, USACE, and the non-federal sponsors (NFS), CPRA and PLD. The sharing of data collected and hydraulic modeling efforts advanced the WSCL project in a manner consistent with USACE requirements while maintaining future eligibility for the NFS’s cost share requirements for WSLP.
Environmental Monitoring of the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp Project, Louisiana, USA
Danielle Richardi – CPRA
The River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp diversion project will convey up to 2,000 cfs of freshwater from the Mississippi River into the Maurepas Swamp during targeted times. This project will restore a river-to-swamp connection that will provide freshwater throughput, nutrients, and sediment to a deteriorating bald cypress-water tupelo swamp. A rigorous monitoring program has been developed through collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). The USACE is using the diversion project as mitigation for impacts to swamp habitat related to the construction of the adjacent West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection System. The framework for the monitoring program was developed by a multi-agency and academic team of Louisiana swamp ecosystem experts. Monitoring will focus on four primary objectives: 1) enhance forest integrity, 2) improve water quality, 3) increase sediment accumulation and soil surface elevation, and 4) maintain salinity within a range that supports bald cypress and water tupelo. Pre-construction monitoring began in 2023 and will continue through 2028 (anticipated CPRA construction completion date), at which time 50 years of post-construction monitoring will commence. The monitoring program will provide data for adaptive management of diversion operations to enhance project benefits. This presentation will include an overview of the current and planned monitoring efforts and will explain why this freshwater diversion project is so vital for the preservation of this coastal forested habitat.
Wednesday, May 21 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Room 283
#60 Coastal communications: A robust discussion about the evolution of environmental communications, featuring professionals working on television, film and across disciplines including traditional, digital and social media
These panelists will talk about how technology, techniques and philosophies have changed and how messaging has kept pace – if at all. We’ll talk about creating content from documentary-length films to opeds, newsletters, podcasts and more and touch on how to pitch stories to the press. We’ll explore questions such as: How can you ensure your communications are effective in a time of misinformation and in a crowded space? What does success look like? How do you measure it? What can nonprofits and NGOs do to be more effective? Are there partnership opportunities? Can digital media be consolidated?
Moderator: James Karst – CRCL
Panelists:
• Kevin McCaffrey – e/Prime Media
• Emma Reid – Louisiana Public Broadcasting