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CURRENT ACTIVITIES OF THE
COASTAL RESTORATION DIVISION OF THE
LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Gregory D. Steyer
Bill Good
Coastal Restoration Division
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 94396
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9396
ABSTRACT
The Coastal Restoration Division (CRD) performs those functions of
the State of Louisiana relating to the conservation, restoration,
creation, and enhancement of wetlands as provided by state law. Current
restoration projects include freshwater diversions, sediment diversions,
shoreline protection using hard structures, wave-dampening fences,
sediment capture brush-fences, and vegetative techniques.      This report
will briefly describe some of these projects, with emphasis on innovative
techniques under development by the CRD.
INTRODUCTION
Coastal Louisiana has formed as a result of deltaic and associated
littoral processes of the Mississippi River (Kolb & Van Lopik, 1958).
The
current net loss of these wetlands is due largely to recent man-induced
hydrological modifications and resulting consequences of these actions,
including: sediment deprivation, saltwater intrusion, relative sea level
rise, and subsidence (Turner & Cahoon, 1987). These factors contribute
to a wetland loss rate in coastal Louisiana estimated at 100 km2 per year
(Gagliano et al., 1981).     A majority of this wetland loss occurs in
interior marshes, as the vegetated cover is converted to open water
(Liebowitz & Hill, 1987). This conversion occurs as the vegetation dies
back due to stress associated with increased water and salinity levels
(Mendelsohn & McKee, 1987).
In order to curtail this rate of loss, the State of Louisiana has
developed the Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Plan with a
budget   of  $26,275,000  to  perform   the  functions   of  conservation,
restoration, creation, and enhancement of the coastal wetlands.        The
Coastal Restoration Division (CRD) has the responsibility of implementing
this plan. The main objective is to plan, design, implement and monitor
restoration  projects.    These   generally  fall  into  five  categories:
freshwater diversions, sediment diversions, marsh management, shoreline
erosion protection, and vegetative restoration. A discussion of these
types of projects, as well as some innovative techniques under development
by CRD will be included in this report.
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