Student Guided Notes
Name: _______________________________
Chapter 1: Rising from the Gulf: The Geology of Louisiana
I. A Geologic History All Its Own
 _______________: the study of how the earth was formed.
 ____________ “all land”: North and South America were connected
o 250 million years ago, the world’s landmass was one giant continent
o At end of __________________, it began breaking apart, and the continents drifted away from one another
o __________________ formed between continents
o Gulf of Mexico formed
A. Gulf Coastal Plain
1. During the ________________, much of the world’s water was trapped in glaciers.
2. Ocean levels were about 400 feet lower than today
3. The glazers froze and melted several times.
4. As the glaciers melted, the __________________________ flooded the Louisiana coastline
5. Mississippi River deposited __________________ into the Gulf of Mexico, filling in part of it
6. _______: suspended particles of dirt and sand carried by rivers
7. Coastal plains developed
8. __________: relatively low flat region built up by river sediment
9. ___________________: the edge of landmass where the Gulf’s floor drops off into very deep water
10. The _____________________________ is formed of layers of river sediment.
11. Louisiana is the only state that lies entirely on the Gulf Coastal Plain.
II. The Awesome Power of Rivers
 Rivers’ sediment _____________ the land
 Rivers’ movement ____________ the land
A. Floodplains
1. Serves as a __________________ to hold excess water when the river floods.
B. Meandering Streams
1. Louisiana rivers that wind across the floodplain in a looping and _______________________ (similar to a
snake)
2. Meanders to avoid obstacles as the water flows downward
C. Point Bars
1. Sediment built up in a turn of a river that forces the _______
_______________________________________________
D. Natural Levees
1. __________________ along the riverbank created by floods
E. Terraces
1. ____________________ created by the eroding of the floodplains surrounding the Mississippi River
2. Examples: Macon Ridge and Highland Road in Baton Rouge
F. Deltas
1. Formed when a __________ flows into an ____________
2. Shaped like a _________________ or a fan
3. _______________: where the river enter the Gulf of Mexico
4. Bars (_______________________________) are formed at the mouth of the river
G. Coastal Marshes
1. __________________________ formed by river sediment deposited along the coast
2. Freshwater, Saltwater, or Brackish (mixture) depending on nearness to the ocean.
H. Barrier Islands
1. Created ______________________________________
2. Examples: The Chandeleur Islands, Timbalier and East Timbalier Islands, Isle Derniere, Grand Isle, and Grand
Terre
I. Cheniers “Place of Oaks”
1. Ridges of high ground in the coastal marsh that run parallel to the coastline
2. They do not flood
3. Convenient places for people to live
4. Protect coastal marshes from hurricanes and saltwater
III. Coastal Erosion
 One of Louisiana’s biggest problems
 ___________ square miles of land is lost each year
-1-
Student Guided Notes
A. Going…Going…Gone? –Causes of Coastal erosion
1. As the _____________ and the _____________________, ______________________ is deposited to rebuild
the area.
2. Ocean waves and hurricanes _________________ erosion.
3. ____________________ causes ocean levels to rise and coastal marshes to disappear.
4. ____________________ control rivers and shoot sediment deposits straight into the Gulf’s deep waters
B. Human Interference
1. ____________________ to make reservoirs, and trap sediment that would normally refresh the marshland.
2. The search for _________involves the construction of pipelines and canals that allow ____________________,
which kills marsh grasses holding the soil in place.
3. Marshlands may sink because of vast holes created by drilling for oil and/or salt.
4. Grasses are planted to keep soil intact
5. Sand is pumped onto barrier islands
6. Caernarvon Diversion Project and Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion are built.
IV. The Land Takes Shape
A. Rocks
1. ________________________ compressed made layers of sedimentary rock
2. Examples along Caddo Lake
B. Hills
1. Geologic forces caused the land to ___________________ in some places
C. Salt Domes
1. Ancient sea dried up, leaving a layer of salt ha other minerals on the ocean floor exposed
2. Examples: _______________________
 Jefferson Island
 Avery Island
 Weeks Island
 Cote Blanche
 Belle Isle
V. Louisiana’s Natural Resources
 Mississippi delta is rich with natural resources
A. Sulphur
1. closely associated with salt domes
2. Used to make ____________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. One of Louisiana’s important minerals
B. Oil
1. Oil production has been the _______________________ part of our _______________________ for many years
D. Coal
1. Created when ________________________ is compressed by layers of sediment.
VI. Louisiana Faults
 Weak area where ____________________ can cause the land the break off and slide downward towards the bottom of
the Gulf.
A. Earthquakes
1. Ground movement along faults
2. Frequent in Louisiana, but most are small and unnoticed
-2-
Student Guided Notes
Chapter 1: Map Review
-3-