SGER: Storm Surge Deposition in Coastal Wetlands

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will quantify the amount of sediments introduced to the Louisiana wetlands inundated by hurricanes Gustav and Ike during the late summer of 2008. These recently-deposited inorganic sediments will be easy to recognize in the wetland sediments for the next two to four months. The objective is to sample 100 to 150 locations within these coastal wetlands to obtain a statistically-significant estimate of sediment deposition. The goal of the proposed activity is to understand how and why the deposition rate varies across the coastal environment, and to compare these results to the 2005 analysis of sediments accumulating during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. An opportunity exists, as a result of these storms, to examine how vegetative structure affects sediment deposition. Large storm surges may overwhelm the ability of the vegetation to trap sediments, and this sampling effort will directly address this issue. The amount of sediment moved into coastal areas by hurricane storm surges is huge, and the means by which it gets trapped or deposited is of great importance to coastal communities. This research will document how and where the sediments from two major hurricanes has been deposited, and the effects that this has had on shaping the coastline. This project will benefit the process of planning for future hurricane landfalls along the Gulf Coast.