“The river created the barrier islands, which are old headlands from Deltas. If we’re going to keep this delta, we’ll have to engineer ways to keep those headlands in place. The barrier islands slow storms and provide storm surge protection. Behind the island, seagrass beds grow which are essential for finfish and shellfish. We must find ways to convey freshwater water and deadload sediments to other decaying areas, and open the river seasonally to mimic the historic overflow of the river. It’s expensive, but if we’re going to live here, that’s what we must do.”
Congress may consider $14 billion wetlands restoration package for Louisiana. For more information on restoration proposals and Army Corps Reform, visit the Louisiana Wildlife Federation; www.lawildlifefed.org; the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation; www.saveourlake.org; the Corps Reform Network; http://www.corpsreformnetwork.org.
