New study shows impact of human-made structures on Louisiana’s coastal wetlands

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Dredging and sand berm construction in coastal Louisiana. Photo source: ©© Louisiana GOHSEP

Excerpts;

As Louisiana’s wetlands continue to disappear at an alarming rate, a new study has pinpointed the human-made structures that disrupt the natural water flow and threaten these important ecosystems. The findings have important implications for New Orleans and other coastal cities that rely on coastal wetlands to serve as buffer from destructive extreme weather events.

Scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science found that human-made canals limit the natural tidal inundation process in roughly 45 percent of the state’s coastline, and disruptions from levees accounted for 15 percent…

Read Full Article, Science Daily

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