» Coastal wetlands flooding in southeast Louisiana, pre- and post-Katrina.
» Chandeleur Barrier Island Chain decimated by Hurricane Katrina.
» Proposed delta-building locations of Third Delta Conveyance Channel.
» Hurrican Lili's projected path, 10-02-02
» Third Delta Conveyance Channel General Pathway
» Washing Away: Historic and Projected Erosion Along Louisiana's Coast
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The Problem:
- LA contains approximately 40% of the nation's wetlands and experiences 80% of the nation's coastal wetland loss.
- LA is losing 25 to 35 square miles of wetlands per year and the highest rates are occurring in the Barataria and Terrebonne basins at 10 and 11 square miles per year.
- At current land loss rates, nearly 640,000 more acres, an area nearly the size of Rhode Island, will be under water by 2050.
Economic Impacts to LA and the Nation:
- LA's wetland loss could cost the nation $36.6 billion from lost public use value over the next 50 years.
- 18% of U.S. Oil Production; 24% of US natural gas production originates, is transported through, or is processed in LA coastal wetlands.
- One fourth of our nation's energy supply depends on the support facilities in South Louisiana.
- LA's oil and natural gas industries have a value exceeding $16 billion a year.
- Over 20,000 miles of pipelines are located in federal offshore lands and thousands more inland.
- Wetlands protect pipelines from waves and insure that the lines stay buried in place.
- When pipelines are exposed to more waves and storms, it becomes more likely that they will pose a threat to passing water traffic.
- With 500 million tons of waterborne cargo passing through Louisiana's system of deep-draft ports and navigational channels, Louisiana ranks first in the nation in total shipping tonnage.
- If present land loss rates continue, more than 155 miles of waterways and several of the ports will be exposed to open water within 50 years.
- LA's commercial fisheries are the most bountiful of the lower 48 states, providing 25 - 35% of the nation's total catch. LA is first in the annual harvest of oysters, shrimp, crabs crawfish, red snapper, wild catfish, sea trout and mullet.
- By 2050, the annual loss of commercial fisheries will be nearly $550 million. For recreational fisheries, the total loss will be close to $200 million a year.
- Wetlands and barrier islands provide a protection barrier from strong winds and hurricanes: every 2.7 miles of wetlands absorbs one foot of storm surge.
- Data from past hurricanes indicates that the loss of every one-mile strip of wetlands along the coast, results in an estimated $5,752,816 average annual increase in property damage.
- Between 60 and 70% of LA's population lives within 50 miles of the coast.
- Infrastructure along coastal LA is estimated at $150 billion.
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