re: Freshwater and Sediment Diversions - Do you agree with these guys?

Natural Processes in Delta Restoration is a good read. Talks about the Mississippi delta primarily

Long read though

Some good posts on here... Glad to see that the yahoos on the "other" site won't be convincing you all of their no diversion plan.

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Glad to see that the yahoos on the "other" site won't be convincing you all of their no diversion plan.

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I haven't been to that site in years. If that's the mood over there, I'm glad.

eta - I had to see for myself. I may use them for a rig location or tide chart from time to time, but that'll be it. Ignorant.

I have heard a lot of negative feedback from people in the area of the Caernarvon diversion. The fact that it doesn't bring any sediment and the freshwater has changed the habitat in the area and not for the good. I used to live across the river from it and had friends that hunt that area. About everyone I have heard comment on it has been negative.

I really don't know the area so I can't comment on it. Just sharing what I heard on it.

As for the Mississippi, it might not carry the sediment it used to but it can still most definitely create some land. I have seen it done south of Venice over the years. Something still has to be done to try to create land faster than it disappears. By the way, the land that is disappearing is on the outside or closer to the gulf. The land closer to the river is not disappering. Land closer to the river has actually increased since my time alive. A lot of this new land was created from building trenasses and letting the sediment get to the marsh.

From what I've seen, new land will is built by sediment until it fills up and stops receiving sediment. Example- land is too high to receive the sediment or is blocked from receiving sediment due to grass/canes. Once that land stops receiving the sediment it will eventually decay. I'm assuming this is just the natural progression of the delta.

You are correct. The issue people don't understand is that as every finger of the river fluctuates, there are always areas of decay and new areas of building. This cycle cannot be overcome with current funding and dredge only programs because we would be back dredging and filling the same areas every 15 years. We also don't have that much material to dig unless we cut Barataria, Breton, and Terrebone to 20 feet deep, which in turn increases wave energy and speeds erosion.

Dredging by itself will never be the answer. I think there is something to be learned from West bay in that once the receiving berms were built a few years ago, they did a lot to knock down velocities and cause sediment to fall out of suspension once we got a good flood year. Future sediment diversions should include some dredged "capture" berms to kick start sub delta formation.

Screw those guys and especially the oyster fisherman. Had it not been for the corps damming off the MS river those areas would never have had enough salt water to support oysters. I would much rather have my fishing grounds turn fresh than deal with all the coastal erosion we have now.

Hey i like em too but the erosion is out of control. I have family property in Chauvin that my great grand parents raised cattle on and now you can ride through it in a bay boat. Out of 120 acres that were hard land now there is maybe 10 acres of salt marsh

No doubt. And across the bayou on the other side of Crochetville road that marsh used to be cypress swamp judging by all the old logs and stumps. I bet it was something to see.

I'm so glad to see that none of you are buying that guy's bullshite.