An inventory of wetland impoundments in the coastal zone of Louisiana,USA: Historical trends |
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Authors: | Richard H Day Robert K Holz John W Day Jr |
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Institution: | (1) Division of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 78712 Austin, Texas, USA;(2) Department of Geography, University of Texas at Austin, 78712 Austin, Texas, USA;(3) Coastal Ecology Institute Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana State University, 70803 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA |
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Abstract: | We inventoried wetland impoundments in the Louisiana, USA, coastal zone from the late 1900s to 1985. Historically, impoundment
of wetlands for reclamation resulted in direct wetland loss after levees (dikes) failed and the impounded area was permanently
flooded, reverting not to wetland, but to open-water habitat. A current management approach is to surround wetlands by levees
and water control structures, a practice termed semi-impoundment marsh management. The purpose of this semi-impoundment is
to retard saltwater intrusion and reduce water level fluctuations in an attempt to reduce wetland loss, which is a serious
problem in coastal Louisiana. In order to quantify the total impounded area, we used historic data and high-altitude infrared
photography to map coastal impoundments. Our goal was to produce a documented inventory of wetlands intentionally impounded
by levees in the coastal zone of Louisiana in order to provide a benchmark for further research.
We inventoried 370,658 ha within the coastal zone that had been intentionally impounded before 1985. This area is equal to
about 30% of the total wetland area in the coastal zone. Of that total area, approximately 12% (43,000 ha) is no longer impounded
(i.e., failed impoundments; levees no longer exist or only remnants remain). Of the 328,000 ha still impounded, about 65%
(214,000 ha) is developed (agriculture, aquaculture, urban and industrial development, and contained spoil). The remaining
35% (114,000 ha) of impoundments are in an undeveloped state (wetland or openwater habitat). In December 1985, approximately
50% (78,000 ha) of the undeveloped and failed impoundments were open-water habitat. This inventory will allow researchers
to monitor future change in land-water ratios that occur within impounded wetlands and thus to assess the utility of coastal
wetland management using impoundments. |
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Keywords: | Impoundments Wetlands Louisiana Coastal zone management Wetland loss Remote sensing |
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