Regional Sediment Management Strategies for Coastal Restoration in Louisiana, USA

Based on present rates of accelerating land loss, restoration of coastal wetlands in Louisiana will be compromised if offshore exploration does not locate sufficient compatible sand and suitable sediment for restoration of coastal Louisiana in general and barrier islands in particular. Non-availability of easily accessible compatible sand or mixed sediment (sand plus silt) leaves the populace and ecosystem of coastal Louisiana at risk and adversely impacts the nation's oil and gas industries. It is clear that restoration of wetlands and barrier islands is critically dependent on both quality and quantity of suitable sediment. It is thus imperative that a proper sediment management plan be developed to meet long term needs. Presently, exploration for sand and mixed sediments is guided by project-specific protocols. The cost as well as the success of a project is defined by the sediment selection process. Better planning and management of multiple-user-conflicts requires regional understanding of sediment resources that would result in a more beneficial approach. Regional sediment management, which helps protect, preserve, and properly distribute sand and mixed sedimentary deposits, would best be achieved by inter-agency coordination so that identified sediment resources would not be subsequently traversed by oil and gas pipelines or infrastructure. Integration of sediment management plans are needed because sediment budgets are not independent systems. Instead of looking at project specific needs, it is posited that a programmatic approach be adopted to effectively manage the demand for large sediment volumes needed to restore sustainability in the Louisiana coastal zone.