Effects of Hurricane Katrina-Related Levee Failures on Wetland Sediments
Abstract
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, MS, conducted a study to determine the extent to which Katrina floodwaters in the New Orleans area may have had impacts on wildlife habitat and other biological resources in surrounding areas. These experiments were conducted as part of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET), which is investigating environmental impacts originating from the failure of the hurricane protection system to perform as designed around New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. This report presents data regarding the effects of pumped floodwaters on sediment chemistry and benthic invertebrate toxicity near pumping stations that discharged floodwaters into marshes near Chalmette and Violet, Louisiana. Spatial trends were observed for concentrations of chemicals in sediment. Chemical contamination of sediments was visible and appeared to have trends among sample location groups (e.g., outfall locations, wastewater treatment plant, canals, and wetlands); however, these trends were not always consistent with the bioassay results. A comparison of the sediment chemistry data from this study with two other studies reporting concentrations of chemicals in sediments within the city of New Orleans suggested that sediments and associated contaminants present within the levees were not pumped into the marsh in appreciable quantities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA486575
Entities
People
- Alan R Kennedy
- Burton C Suedel
- Jeffery Steevens
- Sandra Brasfield
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center