re: Louisiana Coastal Erosion.

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Diversions may help with the stagnant waters but doesn't have enough sediment flow to really start rebuilding. The only place I know of that land is constantly building is the Wax Lake Delta. Its big enough through Calumet to actually have a constant flow of water.

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The diversions being planned are designed to capture sediment. Davis Pond and Caernarvon weren't designed for that, yet there is still some sediment deposition in the outfall.

A) I think hydrocarbon extraction and canal excavation is a contributing factor, but it's not the main factor in land loss, faulting and deep subsidence is.

B) the state is designing large scale diversions to mimick wax lake's flow and magnitude. It can be done, but the fishing industry will tie it up in court for decades until they are paid off or exhausted of legal avenues. By that time, our problems will have compounded.

C) the fishing industry, between legacy lawsuits, oil and gas activity settlements, natural disasters, oyster ground subleasing for 1000% markups, and oil spill have become so accustomed to receiving 'supplemental income' that sometimes I wonder if the actual harvest is profitable anymore.

D) there is no going back to a 1900s coastline. We must reengineer it to actually build land or maintain what we have. This means calculated retreat and relocation of humans, their assets, and the places they are accustomed to harvesting resources. Louisiana's coastline has fluctuated for tens of thousands of years and the public perceives that it should be a static entity. Humans have lived along this coastline since before the pyramids were built and have constantly shifted and adapted.

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there is no going back to a 1900s coastline. We must reengineer it to actually build land or maintain what we have. This means calculated retreat and relocation of humans, their assets, and the places they are accustomed to harvesting resources. Louisiana's coastline has fluctuated for tens of thousands of years and the public perceives that it should be a static entity. Humans have lived along this coastline since before the pyramids were built and have constantly shifted and adapted.

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This

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Just remove the levee from New Roads to N.O on the west side. Problem solved

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What problem will that solve?

That seems like it will create more problems... like me and thousands of others having to move.

models are always changing.
don't trust one or two studies.
one missing variable or one miscalculation cna throw it all off.
5 years ago most thought the river didn't carry enough sediment to rebuild wetlands.

now, this study mentioned by times p LINK says it carries enough to rebuild for next 600 years if the sediment gets to the other side of the levees

hate when people make sweeping, not up to date statements

One thing I read a couple of years ago is that the parkinglotization if middle America has resulted in less sediment to flow down the Mississippi, and also the river's water flow to be much faster than in decades past. Don't know if it's true or not. But clearly it means shite that happens in states hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of miles from us, affects our geology and ecology in Louisiana.

I also believe that we've kidded ourselves about what our state actually looks like. In our minds' eyes, most of us think Louisiana looks like the Louisiana from the '30's.

I'm certainly no geologist, engineer, ecologist, or professional environmentalist...but I think about this shite all the time. I can't live anywhere else but down here (I tried, and it doesn't work). Yet I often wonder if Louisiana politicians, wealthy land-owners, and other powers that be in this state aren't purposefully allowing our state to sink into the sea for their own self-serving interests.

John Barry filed the law suit against the major oil companies to get the ball rolling on discussion about corporate environmental culpability and responsibility, and he was basically met with demands to drop the suit and calls for his immediate replacement by Jindal on down.

The amount of sediment coming down the river is half that of in the 1930s, heavily due to dams.

One thing for sure, is that no one knows exactly the right answer.

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the Corps of engeneers has diverted all the sediment from shallow marsh and river to very deep water

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this isnt exactly true. the river is actually going through aggredation in southwest pass up to about empire. this means most sediment is being dumped IN the river and only a very small percentage of it makes to to the gulf. the river is filling itself in because it has no slope and is hydraulically inefficient. it is why the corps has to dredge more and more out each year to maintain channel depth. read about the recent natural creation of mardi gras pass. the river is trying to find ways out further north.

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The amount of sediment coming down the river is half that of in the 1930s, heavily due to dams.

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true BUT its still measured in hundreds of millions of tons per year and will be at that level for several hundred more years. i once heard an analogy that is quite appropriate about the sediment load debate: "rejecting the sediment in the river because its less than previous centuries is like rejecting powerball winnings because somebody hit a bigger jackpot last year"

You're right. I'm just saying.