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Analysis of Change in Marsh Types of Coastal Louisiana, 1978–2001

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Analysis of Change in Marsh Types of Coastal Louisiana, 1978–2001 Analysis of Change in Marsh Types of Coastal Louisiana, 1978–2001 Open-File Report 2010–1282 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Analysis of Change in Marsh Types of Coastal Louisiana, 1978–2001 By Robert G. Linscombe and Stephen B. Hartley Prepared in cooperation with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Open-File Report 2010–1282 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2011 This and other USGS information products are available at http://store.usgs.gov/ U.S. Geological Survey Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 To learn about the USGS and its information products visit http://www.usgs.gov/ 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Linscombe, R.G., and Hartley, S.B., 2011, Analysis of Change in Marsh Types of Coastal Louisiana, 1978–2001: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010-1282, 52 p. iii Acknowledgments The authors wish to thank those who have assisted with this document. From the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries (LDWF), Marine Fisheries Division, we thank Jan Bowman, Keith Ibos, Clarence Luquet, Randy Pausina, Vince Guillory, Steve Hein, Paul Cook, and Michael Harbison for assistance in locating, selecting, and compiling salinity data across the coast. Also from the LDWF, we thank Leisa Nunez, George Melancon, and Tom Hess for help with salinity data taken on Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. We thank Ronnie Paille, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, for access to his unpublished salinity data taken on Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. We also thank Drs. Charles Sasser, Louisiana State University, and Jenneke Visser, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, for their reviews of the draft document. We also acknowledge the assistance of Natalie Trahan, Graphic Arts Specialist, IAP World Services (for the U.S. Geological Survey, Lafayette Publishing Service Center), in the layout and design of this publication. Finally, the authors would also like to acknowledge Connie Herndon, Technical Writer/Editor for the U.S. Geological Survey (Lafayette Publishing Service Center), for her assistance with the expression of our content. Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Methods...........................................................................................................................................................2 Review of Past Efforts to Document Vegetation Types in Coastal Louisiana .............................2 Collection and Analysis of PDSI, Rainfall, and Salinity Data .........................................................6 Analysis of Changes in Marsh Types within the Chenier Plain .............................................................7 Overview of the Chenier Plain ............................................................................................................7 Calcasieu/Sabine Basin .......................................................................................................................7 Literature Review .........................................................................................................................7 Comparison of Data for the 1978–88 Study Period ...............................................................12 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................12 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................12 Salinity ................................................................................................................................13 Comparison of Data for the 1988–97 Study Period ..............................................................14 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................14 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................15 Salinity ................................................................................................................................15 Comparison of Data for the 1996–2001 Study Period ...........................................................15 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................15 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................15 Salinity ................................................................................................................................16 Mermentau Basin ...............................................................................................................................16 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................16 Comparison of Data for the 1978–88 Study Period ...............................................................16 iv Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................16 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................17 Salinity ................................................................................................................................17 Comparison of Data for the 1988–97 Study Period ...............................................................20 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................20 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................20 Salinity ................................................................................................................................20 Comparison of Data for the 1997–2001 Study Period ...........................................................20 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................20 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................20 Salinity ................................................................................................................................20 Teche/Vermilion Basin .......................................................................................................................20 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................20 Comparison of Data for the 1978–88 Study Period ...............................................................21 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................21 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................21 Salinity ................................................................................................................................24 Comparison of Data for the 1988–97 Study Period ...............................................................25 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................25 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................25 Salinity ................................................................................................................................25 Comparison of Data for the 1997–2001 Study Period ...........................................................25 Overview of Marsh Changes ..........................................................................................25 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................25 Salinity ................................................................................................................................25 Analysis of Changes in Marsh Types within the Deltaic Plain .............................................................26 Overview of the Deltaic Plain ...........................................................................................................26 Atchafalaya Basin...............................................................................................................................26 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................26 Review of Data for the 1978, 1988, 1997, and 2001
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