Pink - Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Business Council of New Orleans
Louisiana’s Future
May 2, 2012
60 Million Years Ago
40 Million Years Ago
20 Million Years Ago
Today Source: Earth Systems Research Laboratory
Mississippi River & Tributaries
(MRT)
Gulf of Mexico-Energy
Deepwater Horizon Well Site
Strategic Petroleum Reserves
[Pink]
LNG Terminals
[Green]
Natural Gas Market Center (Hubs)
[Orange]
Oil Import Sites/Seaports
[Purple/Red]
Petroleum Refineries
[Purple Squares]
Natural Gas Processing Facilities
[Green Diamonds]
Active Offshore Oil/Gas Platforms
[Pink]
Natural Gas Gathering/Interstate Pipelines
National Perspective:
Energy
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#1 producer of domestic oil in the U.S.
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#2 producer of natural gas in the U.S.
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Produces or transports one-third of oil & gas
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Top domestic reserves of oil & gas
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Only supertanker energy port in the U.S.
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#2 oil refining capacity
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$5 billion/annually to US Treasury
National Perspective:
Seafood/Wildlife
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#1 producer in fisheries in the Lower 48 States
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#2 producer of oysters
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#1 producer of blue crabs
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#1 producer of crawfish
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#1 producer of shrimp
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#1 habitat for migratory waterfowl and songbirds restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
Ecosystem Services
• Five million waterfowl
• 25 million songbirds
• America’s largest wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl and songbirds
• 70 rare, threatened, or endangered species
• Top source of wild seafood in the continental
United States.
• Wetlands serve as part of the hurricane protection system
The Louisiana Purchase
"It is New Orleans, through which the produce of three-eighths of our territory must pass to market...”
Thomas Jefferson to Robert R. Livingston,
Washington,
April 18, 1802
Tonnage on Domestic
Waterway Network
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast
National Perspective:
Ports-Cargo
•
Top tonnage port in the nation
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Five of the top 15 tonnage ports in the US
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One of the largest cargo port complexes in the world
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19 percent of all domestic waterborne commerce
• Over 30 states depend upon Louisiana’s ports for imports and exports…..
restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast photo LA DOTD
Land Area Change in Coastal LA
1932 - 2010
Land Loss
Land Gain
Historic Land-Water Change from 1932-2010
Couvillion et al (USGS), 2011
Louisiana is Experiencing a Coastal Crisis
Predicted Land Change Over Next 50 Years
Potential to lose up to 1,756 square miles of land over the next 50 years
Louisiana is Experiencing a Coastal Crisis
Projected Land Change 2012-2061
Currently experiencing
-16 square miles/year
Future could reach
-51 square miles/year
Our Communities and Livelihoods at Risk
Predicted Future Flooding from a 100 Year Flood Event
Future Without Action
Potential for expected annual flood damages to reach $7.7 to $23.4
billion by
2061
The Future
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Master Plan 2012
Our Objectives:
1. Reduce economic losses from stormbased flooding
2. Promote a sustainable coastal ecosystem by harnessing natural system processes
3. Provide habitats suitable to support an array of commercial and recreational activities coast-wide
4.
Sustain Louisiana’s unique heritage and culture
5. Provide a viable working coast to support industry.
1
Utilize Modeling in a Systems Context
Stage, Salinity, Water Quality
Stage, Salinity
Land Configuration,
Elevation
Stage
Stage,
Salinity
Sediment
Land
Configuration,
Elevation
2
5
Dominant Vegetation
Island
Configuration
3 4
Dominant
Vegetation Upper
Trophic
Land
Configuration,
Elevation
6
Surg e
Dominant
Vegetation
Surge,
Waves
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2012 Coastal Master Plan
Responding to the Crisis
Louisiana’s Coastal Program:
Past, Present, and Future
A Closer Look: Southeast Coast
Master Plan Outcomes Southeast Coast
• 84 miles of shoreline protection & ridge restoration projects
• 57,888 acres of marsh creation projects
• 18,041 acres or 40 miles of barrier island/headland projects
NEARLY 58,000 ACRES OF MARSH CREATION PROJECTS
Keystone of the 2012 Master Plan:
Reconnecting the River
UPDATE
39
Keystone of the 2012 Master Plan:
Reconnecting the River
The projects in the plan would use up to 50% of the Mississippi
River’s peak flow for sediment diversions, in addition to using water and sediment from the Atchafalaya River.
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Greater New Orleans Area
Greater New Orleans High Level Levee – aimed at providing the area with
500 year level of protection
Lake Pontchartrain Barrier project
Greater New Orleans LaPlace Extension
Maintain West Bank Levees (>100 year level of protection)
New Orleans East Land Bridge Restoration
Central Wetlands Marsh Creation project
Lake Borgne Marsh Creation project
Mississippi River Diversion into Barataria and Breton provide significant protection and benefits to Greater New Orleans
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What the Draft Master Plan Delivers
$18.1 Billion Decrease over
Future Without Action
$5.4 Billion Decrease over
Future Without Action
We Continue to Make Progress
United States Geological Survey
Preliminary Land Loss/Gain 1930-2010
Keys to Future Success
1. New project delivery systems
*Corps of Engineers/Funding
2. Programmatic approach to coast
3. Venue for organized collaboration
*academia, private sector, NGOs, government scientists (Water
Institute)
4. Recognition of urgency
Future: Two Choices
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