An effort to reconnect Louisiana wetlands to historical levels is taking place at Louisiana State University, where a 10,000-square-foot replica of the Mississippi Delta is now housed. Researchers are working to understand how man-made changes are impacting the Mississippi River and surrounding wetlands. Nexus Media News’ Josh Landis reports as part of our climate change series, “Peril & Promise.”
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>> Sreenivasan: AS WE'VE BEEN
REPORTING IN OUR SERIES, EXPERTS
AND RESEARCHERS ARE EXPLORING A
NUMBER OF WAYS TO ADDRESS RISING
WATERS IN THE STATES ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
L.S.U. PROFESSOR CLINT WILLSON,
IS TACKLING LOUISIANA'S ISSUES
ON THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI ON A
MORE MANAGEABLE SCALE.
WE HAVE MORE FROM NEXUS MEDIA'S
JOSH LANDIS WHO HAD A TOUR OF A
UNIQUE REPLICA.
>> Reporter: ON THIS 10,000
SQUARE FOOT REPLICA OF THE
MISSISSIPPI DELTA, HE SHOWS ME
THE VANISHING BARRIER ISLANDS
WHICH USED TO HELP PROTECT
SOUTHERN LOUISIANA FROM STORMS.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE'S
COASTAL PROTECTION AND
RESTORATION AUTHORITY, THE
FACULTY HERE CREATED THIS MODEL
AS WELL AS THE CENTER FOR RIVER
STUDIES.
IT'S A MULTIDISCIPLINARY EFFORT
TO UNDERSTAND THE EVER-CHANGING
NATURE OF THE DELTA WITH THE
GOAL OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR
ITS INHABITANTS, COMMERCE, AND
WETLANDS.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THE
STATE UNDERSTAND RIVER SEDIMENT
DIVERSIONS AND HOW SAND MOVES
DOWN RIVER.
THE IDEA IS TO RECONNECT THE
RIVER BACK TO THESE WETLAND
AREAS.
THIS COULD BE THOUGHT OF AS
CONTROLLED FLOODING, I DON'T
MEAN WE'RE TRYING TO FLOOD
PEOPLE OR INCREASE THE RISK TO
ANYBODY.
YOU HAVE LARGE GATED STRUCTURES
SITTING HERE THAT REPLACE THE
LEVEE.
YOU OPEN UP THESE GATES WHEN THE
RIVER IS HIGH AND THAT SAND IS
MOVING DOWN TO RECONNECT THE
RIVER TO THE WETLANDS.
LIKE IT HISTORICALLY WAS, BEFORE
WE LEVEED IT.
SAND IS BASICALLY NOW DROPPING
OUT AND IS NOURISHING THESE
AREAS.
THIS VERY CHANNELIZATION OF THE
RIVER, IN SOME CASES OVER-
ENGINEERING OF THE RIVER.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE QUITE
UNDERSTAND THE FOOTPRINT, HOW
COMPLEX OR HOW UNNATURAL IT IS,
I SHOULD SAY.
>> Reporter: YESTERDAY'S
IMPERFECT, UNPREDICTABLE
MISSISSIPPI HAS BECOME TODAY'S
HIGHLY ENGINEERED SUPERHIGHWAY,
CARRYING AMERICA'S FORTUNES
AROUND THE WORLD.
