Restoration of the Mississippi Delta: Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Abstract

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.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Mar 23, 2007
Source ID
10.1126/science.1137030

Entities

People

  • Bill J. Streever
  • Charles A. Simenstad
  • Chester C. Watson
  • Denise J. Reed
  • Dennis F. Whigham
  • Donald F. Boesch
  • Ellis J. Clairain
  • G. Paul Kemp
  • Hassan Mashriqui
  • John T. Wells
  • John W. Day Jr.
  • Kenneth Orth
  • Leonard Shabman
  • Robert R. Twilley
  • Shirley B. Laska
  • William J. Mitsch

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center
  • Louisiana State University
  • University of Maryland
  • University of New Orleans

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Wetland-Land-Environmental Management.