What is the Louisiana Coastal Zone?
Characteristics of the Coastal Region
Link between Land Use, WaterQuality, and
the Coastal Region
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
CNPCP Source Categories
Wetland Functions and Values
Conclusion
What Is
The
Louisiana
Coastal
Zone?
What Is
The
Louisiana
Coastal
Zone?
Characteristics
Of the
Coastal Region
Annual Rainfall 60”+
Low & Flat – 0.75” to 2’ MSL
Laced With Shallow, Slow-Moving,
Meandering Waterways
Wetland
Habitats Swamps
Bottomland Hardwood and Cypress-Tupelo
Wetland
Habitats Marsh
Fresh to Saline Marshes
Estuarine Nursery Grounds
Fresh to Saline Marshes
Wetland
Habitats -
Beaches –
Barrier Islands
Non Wetland
Habitats
Developed Areas
Upland
Forest Urban Areas
Agricultural Land
Commercial Industries
What is the Link between
Land Use and Water Quality ?
Agricultural
Nonpoint Source
Forest
Nonpoint Source
Urban
Nonpoint Source
Point Sources
Septic Systems
Results of Nonpoint Source Pollution
 Degradation of our waterways
 Fish kills due to low dissolved oxygen in the
water
 Oyster harvesting closures from fecal coliform
contamination
 Closures, or limited use, of our streams,
bayous, and rivers for fishing and/or
recreation
 Public health impacts such as human illness
 Diminished quality of wildlife habitat.
Why Is the Coastal Management
Division Involved in the Master
Farmer Program?
COASTAL ZONE ACT
REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS
OF 1990 (CZARA)
 Passed by Congress in response to growing
concern about water quality in the nation’s estuaries
 Designed to address the impact of nonpoint source
pollution on coastal waters
 Linked specific land use activities and coastal water quality
 Required restoration and protection of coastal waters in
conjunction with all coastal resource users.
DNR
OCRM
Others
CMD
IA
Others
CRD
The emphasis of the CNPCP is on implementing a
technology based program of best management
measures and practices for activities in the coastal
area and on adjacent lands from which polluted
runoff finds its way into the coastal waters.
The CNPCP has many of the same partners as does
the Master Farmer Program.
CNPCP - Federal Partners


Natural Resources
Conservation Service
(NRCS)
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)

Department of
Transportation (DOT)

Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
CNPCP - State Partners



Department Of Natural
Resources (DNR)
Department of
Environmental Quality
(DEQ)
Department of
Agriculture and Forestry
(DAF)
CNPCP -Nongovernmental
Partners
 Industry (Louisiana
Farm Bureau)
 Educational institutions
(LSU Ag Center)
 Agricultural producers
(individual farmers)
COASTAL NONPOINT POLLUTION
CONTROL PROGRAM:
SOURCE CATEGORIES
Agriculture
Forestry
Hydromodification
Marinas and Recreational
Boating
Urban Runoff
Wetlands, Riparian Areas,
and Vegetated Treatment
Systems
Management Measures for
Agriculture
Nutrient Management
Pesticide Management
Erosion Control
Nutrient Management
Sediment Control
Irrigation Water Mgmt
Management Measures for
Forestry
Road Construction/
Timber
Site
Prep Harvest
Reconstruction
Streamside
Management Zones
Forest
Regeneration
Management Measures for
Hydromodification
Streambanks
& Shorelines
Channelization and Channel Modification
Dams
Management Measures for
Marinas
Urban Management Measures
Roads, Highways, and Bridges Measures
Pollution Prevention
Management
Measures
Urban
Runoff Measures
Construction
Measures
Management Measures for
Wetlands
Vegetated Treatment
Systems
Protection of Wetlands and
Riparian Areas
Restoration of Wetlands and
Riparian Areas
WHY ARE COASTAL
WETLANDS IMPORTANT?
Wetlands Functions and Values


Natural Resource Functions & Values
Recreational and Commercial
Functions

Clean Water Values

Economic Values
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat - Shellfish
Low salinity estuarine habitat is critical
for Louisiana’s commercial crustaceans
Coastal
Marsh
Gulf of
Mexico
0.2 - 5 ppt
salinity
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat – Coastal Waterfowl
 Mississippi Flyway is main artery for
Waterfowl in US.
 100,000 hunters from LA & US
harvested 2.3 million duck & geese in
1996-97 in LA
 La’s coastal wetlands are the
primary wintering grounds for
North American waterfowl.
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat – Coastal Waterfowl
 Many other non-waterfowl game
birds. Hundreds of non-game bird
species inhabit coastal LA
 More than 400 bird species in La, most
in the coastal region
 Examples include wood stork, pelican,
heron, pied-billed grebe, frigate, avocet,
and egret
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat – Coastal Mammals
 58 species of land mammals in La,
many of them in coastal marshes.
 Whales live in adjacent coastal
waters and dolphins regularly feed
in estuaries.
 La has been the historic US leader in
fur production.
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat – Coastal Reptiles
 Louisiana’s alligator management has
been a success story.
 Alligator populations have completely
rebounded from “threatened” status.
 Coastal landowners depend on
alligators for supplemental income.
 La alligator hides traded in world
market for leather goods.
Natural Resource Functions
Wildlife Habitat – T & E Species
 Alligator not the only species
rebounding; coastal LA is home to
a growing number of bald eagles.
 103 plants and 64 animals of special
concern in LA coastal zone.
 Examples include the diamond back
terrapin, black bear, piping plover,
and gulf sturgeon.
Natural Resource Functions
Storm Buffers & Flood Control
Lilli
Andrew
Natural Resource Functions
Erosion Control
Natural Resource Functions
Water Quality Management
Recreational & Commercial Values
Water Recreational Activities
Recreational & Commercial Values
Fishing
 Over 370,000 recreational
fishing licenses annually in the
region
 Estimated expenditures
exceed $460 Million
 Economic Impact to Louisiana
$860 Million +
 Gulf of Mexico game fish
depend on coastal estuaries for
either food or shelter
Recreational & Commercial Values
Hunting
 Over 111,000 hunting
licenses annually in the
region
 Estimated expenditures
exceed $249 Million
 Economic Impact to
Louisiana $440 Million +
Recreational & Commercial Values
Hunting Leases
 Total acres in hunting
leases approach 2 million
 Estimated income from
leases $11 Million +
 Duck, goose, deer,
rabbit, and squirrel
Recreational & Commercial Values
Trapping & Alligator Harvest
 Alligator Gross Farm
Value $5 Million +
 Trapping Gross Farm
Value $286,000
Recreational & Commercial Values
Aquaculture
Crawfish production leads
the coastal aquaculture
industry with a gross value of
$23 Million +
Oysters close second with a
gross value of $20 Million +
Part of the total value of
aquaculture, which has a
gross value of $61 Million +
(Includes crawfish, catfish, alligators,
baitfish, minnows, & soft-shell crab)
Recreational & Commercial Values
Freshwater & Marine Fisheries
Shrimp production leads with
a gross value approaching
$190 Million
Freshwater & marine fisheries
total gross value $303.5 Million
(includes wild crawfish & catfish, crabs,
menhaden,etc.)
More than 125,000 in state
jobs supported by commercial
fishing and aquaculture in
coastal LA
Recreational & Commercial Values
Ecotourism

Eco-tourism increasing by 10-15%
annually
 Bird watching a growing part of
ecotourism
 In Barataria/Terrebonne Basins
Alone est. > $15 Million
Base Dollars ~ $1.25 BILLION
ECONOMIC VALUE - $2.5-3.0 BILLION*
Water Quality Management
When is it a pollutant and when
is it desirable?
Predicted coastal land loss by 2050
1956
2050 ?
Water Quality Management and
Sedimentation
Water Quality Management and
Sedimentation
Caernarvon
Davis Pond
Water Quality Management and
Sedimentation



What we do on the land will affect our coastal
waters and wetlands.
Runoff containing pollutants from upland areas
that is not captured or reduced by BMPs can
wind up in our coastal wetlands and waters.
Runoff containing pesticides, excess nutrients
from fertilizers, excess sediment, herbicides,
bacteria and other pollutants can impact and
degrade our waters and wetlands.


Louisiana’s coastal waters and wetlands have
natural resource functions and values, as well
as recreational and economic values. These
values represent only a portion of a healthy
wetland’s total value.
Our Louisiana wetlands and coastal waters are
an important resource both nationally and
locally and have helped to define Louisiana’s
unique and colorful culture.
Communicating with
Coastal Management Division’s
Interagency Affairs Program
Gregory J. DuCote
Program Manager
Email
gregdu@dnr.state.la.us
Telephone
(225-342-7591 or 800-267-4019)
web page: www.savelawetlands.org