Dredged Material for Backbarrier Salt Marshes

by W. H. Patrick, Jr., Louisiana State Univ, Cent for, Wetland Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
I. A. Mendelssohn, Louisiana State Univ, Cent for, Wetland Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
C. W. Lindau, Louisiana State Univ, Cent for, Wetland Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
R. P. Gambrell, Louisiana State Univ, Cent for, Wetland Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Dredging and Dredged Material Disposal

Abstract:

Gulf Coast barrier islands, especially those fronting the Mississippi River Delta, are eroding at a rapid rate. Natural subsidence caused by consolidation of Recent deltaic deposits and the diversion of riverborne sediment to deep water by levees are largely responsible for the rapid deterioration of the Mississippi River Delta barrier islands. Some of these barrier islands are migrating landward at a rate as high as 50 meters per year and are undergoing serious beach erosion. The usual practice of renovating a barrier island is to pump sand onto the beach side of the barrier island. Another practice is to provide rip rap to the beachfront to attenuate wave energy. A treatment that is likely to be much more effective, however, would be to rebuild or extend the salt marsh on the bay side of the island.

Subject Headings: Islands | Barrier islands | Dredged materials | Coastal management | Erosion | Salts | Rivers and streams | Mississippi River

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