Tag: storm surges
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The Many Benefits of Wetlands Conservation
Photo © KEN ARCHER By J. Dale James, Ph.D., and Ellen R. Herbert, Ph.D. Wetlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth, rivaling tropical rainforests in their biological productivity. Historically, wetland systems sustained civilizations by providing people with food and freshwater and protecting communities from flooding and storm surges. Prior to European settlement of…
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Explore the Largest Coastal Restoration Project Completed In Louisiana’s History
Map: a depiction of Isles Dernieres Barrier Island in 1853 and the chain of islands that now make up Isles Dernieres in 1988 after they detached from the mainland (Credit: CPRA). To restore Louisiana’s coast, we need a suite of large-scale restoration projects across the coast working together to deliver maximum benefits and reduce land…
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Water World: Sea Level Rise, Coastal Floods and Storm Surges
Photo: The salt marshes of Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Mississippi are very vulnerable to sea level rise. Using an integrated “system of systems” approach represents a paradigm shift in modeling and understanding the dynamics of the coastal land margin. Credit: Matthew V. Bilskie, Louisiana State University The coastal land margin of the…
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Coastal wetlands can significantly reduce property damage due to hurricanes
Coastal wetlands are an effective first line of defense and act by slowing down storm surges and reducing flooding. Kelly Fike/USFWS, CC BY A 12-year “hurricane drought” during which no major hurricanes formed in the Atlantic ended dramatically in 2017. The devastating impacts of Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria across the United States and the…
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Storm Surge Overview
Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. In the past, large death tolls have resulted from the rise of the ocean associated with many of the major hurricanes that have made landfall. Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime example of the damage and devastation that…
