Restoration of the Mississippi Delta: lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed the vulnerability of coastal communities and how human activities that caused deterioration of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain (MDP) exacerbated this vulnerability. The MDP formed by dynamic interactions between river and coast at various temporal and spatial scales, and human activity has reduced these interactions at all scales. Restoration efforts aim to re-establish this dynamic interaction, with emphasis on reconnecting the river to the deltaic plain. Science must guide MDP restoration, which will provide insights into delta restoration elsewhere and generally into coasts facing climate change in times of resource scarcity.
Day
John W
JW
Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. johnday@lsu.edu
Boesch
Donald F
DF
Clairain
Ellis J
EJ
Kemp
G Paul
GP
Laska
Shirley B
SB
Mitsch
William J
WJ
Orth
Kenneth
K
Mashriqui
Hassan
H
Reed
Denise J
DJ
Shabman
Leonard
L
Simenstad
Charles A
CA
Streever
Bill J
BJ
Twilley
Robert R
RR
Watson
Chester C
CC
Wells
John T
JT
Whigham
Dennis F
DF
D004190:Disasters; D017753:Ecosystem; D004738:Engineering; D004777:Environment; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008922:Mississippi; D045483:Rivers; D012987:Soil; D053833:Wetlands
D012987:Soil