U.S. Geological Survey Programs in

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey ª

Louisiana has abundant natural The USGS, in cooperation with Loui- resources that include the lower Missis- siana State University (LSU), is docu- Index of Subjects sippi , which is the largest river sys- menting the geologic framework of the Pontchartrain Basin tem in the United States. The State’s lake, shoreline contours, and contami- Coastal Restoration and Monitoring unique geography and associated ongoing nated sediments; developing a computer Mercury in Fish geologic processes are environmentally circulation model; and providing interim , Forest, and Animal Ecology significant; however, these factors can results to the public and the planners Surface-Water Resources in St.Tammany contribute to coastal , wetland loss, involved in efforts to restore and protect Parish Topographic Mapping saltwater encroachment into surface and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Sharing Geospatial Data ground waters, land subsidence, and Saltwater Encroachment Near Baton Rouge flooding. In 1984, the U.S. Army Corps of Digital Raster Graphic Program Engineers (USACE) was authorized to Collection of Hydrologic Data Solutions to these varied and challeng- construct a diversion canal from the Mis- Center for Coastal Geology sissippi River to allow water to flow into Statewide Real-time Monitoring ing earth science problems can be aided Earth Science Information Center by the scientific approach of the U.S. Geo- Lake Pontchartrain. In response to the logical Survey (USGS), which has pro- concerns of some citizen groups about vided unbiased, technically sound earth the effects this would have on Lake Pont- Coastal Restoration and science information for more than 100 chartrain, a multiagency reanalysis com- Wetlands Monitoring years. This Fact Sheet is designed to mittee, which comprises Federal, State, inform citizens about current USGS pro- and private representatives, was formed. The coastal marshes and tidal wetlands grams in Louisiana that address relevant The USGS helped the committee in the of Louisiana's coast and the barrier islands earth science needs and issues and provide design of an experimental release of Mis- that protect them form one of the world's scientific understanding and information sissippi River water into the lake through most productive ecosystems. Louisiana has on which decisions can be made to mini- the Bonnet Carré Spillway and provided 25 percent of the vegetated wetlands and mize and mitigate the effects of natural technical expertise on determining the 40 percent of the tidal wetlands in the 48 hazards and human activities on critical potential effects of this release. Dye stud- contiguous States. However, the Gulf natural resources. ies were conducted and physical condi- Coast of Louisiana is eroding faster than tions of the lake were monitored to any other coastal area of the world. Every determine potential mixing patterns. The year, Louisiana loses as much as 40 square Lake Pontchartrain Basin USGS also collected water-quality and miles of land—an area nearly the size of other hydrologic information to evaluate Washington, D.C. Some of this land loss Scientific studies recently begun by the the effects of the diversion on the aquatic can be traced to human activity, but much USGS indicate that several key natural health. of it can be traced to the forces of nature, processes and human-induced environ- mental factors are directly affecting the 90¡ health of Lake Pontchartrain (fig. 1), which LOUISIANA is one of America’s largest . The Study LAKE area LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN USGS, at the request of the U.S. Congress, MAUREPAS began an evaluation of the environmental issues that face the region and developed a EXPLANATION Major issues multiyear strategic plan to collect the sci- Shoreline erosion and entific information needed to address them. wetland loss The specific environmental issues Sediment and water LAKE addressed by the study include contamina- Mississippi 30 BORGNE ¡ R iv tion of sediment and water by chemicals Bonnet SpillwayCarre' e New r Orleans Shell from urban and agricultural sources, lake- 010MILES Freshwater diversion shore erosion and loss of grass beds, intru- 010KILOMETERS Agriculture runoff sion of saltwater from canals and navigable Sewage/municipal runoff waterways into aquifers, and effects of past Figure 1. Environmental issues that face Saltwater intrusion long-term commercial shell dredging. Lake Pontchartrain. Earth Science in the Public Service

which include land subsidence caused, in provided to the Louisiana Department of train. Historically, this area has been highly part, by compaction of the Mississippi Health and Hospitals for review and possi- productive for freshwater and saltwater River Delta sediments and large storms ble health advisory consideration. Four fisheries. However, the capability of the that strike the area about every 5 years. samples indicated mercury levels in fish- surface water in this area to assimilate ever- tissue that were above USEPA (1.0 part per increasing amounts of wastes from point Since 1984, the USGS has worked million) and State (0.5 part per million) (sewage-treatment facilities) and nonpoint closely with various Federal, State, and limits. (residential and agricultural fertilizers) local agencies to document coastal erosion sources has definite limits. and wetland loss. USGS studies have included applied research and monitoring Wetland, Forest, and Animal In response to these concerns, the of basic geologic and hydrologic variables Ecology USGS, in cooperation with St. Tammany to document the causes of and processes Parish, recently investigated the effects of responsible for the widespread devastation. The USGS Biological Resources Divi- population growth on water quality in Results of these studies are an integral part sion (formerly the National Biological Ser- streams within the Parish. This information of the Federal and State Wetlands Task vice) conducts research throughout can be used to make decisions regarding Force, which is spending $40 million per Louisiana on wetland, forest, and animal current and future wastewater management. year in restoring and preserving Louisiana's ecology. valuable coastal resources. The National Wetlands Research Center Topographic Mapping USGS scientists play key roles in the (NWRC) at the University of Southwestern design of monitoring programs for the Louisiana research park in Lafayette uses Among the most popular and versatile Comprehensive Coastal Wetlands Plan- geographic information systems (GIS) and products of the USGS are its 1:24,000- ning, Protection, and Restoration Act. They remote sensing to monitor wetland change scale topographic maps (1 inch on the map serve as technical consultants to other U.S. and to plan restoration. Research includes represents 2,000 feet on the ground). These Department of the Interior agencies, the developing wetland-restoration techniques maps depict basic natural and cultural fea- USACE, the U.S. Environmental Protec- in Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge and tures of the landscape, such as and tion Agency (USEPA), and the Office of the Caddo Lake and studying functions in the streams, highways and railroads, bound- Governor of Louisiana on matters that con- Kisatchie National Forest; developing aries, and geographic names. Contour lines cern geologic, water-quality, and other models to predict habitat changes at the are used to depict the elevation and shape hydrologic issues, as well as the erosion of Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge and of terrain. Louisiana is covered by 877 barrier islands and wetlands loss. other sites; determining the effectiveness of maps at this scale, that are useful for civil management practices on restoration and engineering, land-use planning, natural- The USGS, in cooperation with the maintenance of coastal wetlands; and resource monitoring, and other technical Louisiana Department of Natural studying collaboratively how private indus- applications. These maps have long been Resources, has installed and operates 19 tries’ water-management affects saltwater favorites with the general public for such surface-water monitoring sites at key loca- and freshwater species. NWRC scientists uses as hiking, camping, exploring, and tions along the Louisiana coast. Data col- evaluate planting procedures, research con- fishing expeditions. Revision work in lected at these sites provided Louisiana trolling invasive species, study the effects progress to update the information on with vital information on Hurricane of fire management, and identify natural selected 1:24,000-scale topographic maps Andrew as it tracked along the coast. The community processes along the Gulf for Louisiana is shown in figure 2. data also are used to manage freshwater- coastal prairie. Migratory-bird researchers diversion and coastal-restoration projects study habitat, behavior, productivity, and by the State of Louisiana and the USACE. landscape feature relations.

Two Cooperative Research Units, one at Mercury in Fish LSU and one at Grambling State Univer- sity, in collaboration with other agencies, In 1994, the USGS, in cooperation with research bird migrations and habitat use, the Louisiana Department of Environmen- fishery-resource management and use, and tal Quality, began a study to determine the effects of weather patterns on wildlife. presence and concentration of mercury in selected fish, water, and bottom sediments from streams and lakes throughout the Surface-Water Resources in State. Spanish moss and tree lichens, which St. Tammany Parish are indicators of atmospheric sources of pollution, also were studied. Study sites The northern shore of Lake Pontchar- EXPLANATION were selected jointly by the USGS and the train and especially St. Tammany Parish Revisions in progress State on the basis of historical water, bot- have undergone extensive population tom sediment, and tissue data in both agen- growth in the last decade. Public officials Completed revisions cies' data bases and the recreational and and private citizens are concerned about the Previous maps financial importance of large commercial effects of this growth on the quality of sur- Figure 2. Revision of 1:24,000-scale fisheries. Results of sampling have been face water in the parish and Lake Pontchar- topographic maps for Louisiana.

The USGS and the Louisiana Depart- encroachment (fig. 3). Local officials are Collection of Hydrologic Data ment of Transportation and Development concerned about the impending encroach- (DOTD) have long worked together to ment and are planning strategies that are The USGS, in cooperation with more provide the most current and accurate based on results of USGS studies to pro- than 13 Federal, State, and local agencies, topographic maps possible. Currently, the tect these water supplies. Currently, plans collects streamflow, water-quality, and two agencies have an agreement wherein are underway at the USGS for expansion ground-water data at sites throughout the a new digital revision process is used to of ground-water data-collection activities State. These data are critical for the day- revise existing 1:24,000-scale maps and to to monitor the effects of remedial saltwa- to-day administration and management of produce digitized map data for southwest- ter-diversion strategies. water resources, determination of the ern Louisiana. This new technique allows extent and severity of droughts, character- for timely revision of the topographic map ization and prediction of floods, and moni- and generates digital data that can be used Digital Raster Graphic Program toring of the effects of human activities on in GIS. streamflow, ground water, and water qual- The USGS and the National Park Ser- ity. These data also are essential to inter- vice (NPS) have established an inter- pretive studies, the results of which are Sharing Geospatial Data agency agreement to produce digital raster used by numerous other agencies to make graphics (DRG’s) for barrier islands along decisions about water issues that affect The Competitive Cooperative Agree- the Gulf Coast east of . The millions of people. ments Program (CCAP) was established DRG’s are inexpensive digital products, by the Federal Geographic Data Commit- scanned from USGS topographic maps, tee through the USGS to help form data- that can be used as an accurate base for a Center for Coastal Geology sharing partnerships with the non-Federal geographic information system. A private sector. This program provides funding to company is producing the DRG’s for the In 1988, the USGS Center for Coastal State and local government agencies, aca- USGS and participating agencies under an Geology and Regional Marine Studies was demia, and the private sector to encourage innovative Federal/private partnership. established in cooperation with the Univer- resource-sharing projects through the use DRG’s are prepared for all 1:24,000-, sity of South Florida. The center conducts a of technology, networking, and inter- 1:100,000-, and 1:250,000-scale topo- wide variety of research on coastal and agency coordination. The LSU Center for graphic maps that cover the NPS area of regional marine problems in the States that Energy and Environmental Resources has interest. The DRG’s are available to the border the . These prob- been funded by CCAP to establish a public on CDÐROM. lems, which are of particular interest in National Spatial Data Infrastructure clear- ing-house node for Louisiana. The clear- 91¡ 12' 91¡ 10' 91¡ 8' ing house is a distributed, electronically connected network of geographic and car- Pumping center for public supply Study area tographic data producers, managers, and 30¡ 28' users. The network allows users to find the

data they need, evaluate the data for their LOUISIANA VER

application, and obtain the data as eco- Index Map nomically as possible. RI BATON

ROUGE Saltwater Encroachment Near Monitoring well Baton Rouge Saltwater front for Saltwater encroachment Because of large withdrawals from the specified year 992 aquifer system in the Baton Rouge area, 30¡ 26' 1 PPI ground-water flow patterns have been 1977 altered over the years. Saltwater now 1965 B encroaches into formerly freshwater areas, A ISSI T O OU which could destroy their usefulness for N R GE FAU public and most industrial supplies. The LT aquifers in the Baton Rouge area supply water for about 360,000 people and large, MISS economically critical industries. Saltwater area

A recent study by the USGS, in coop- eration with the DOTD and the Capital 30¡ 24' Area Ground Water Conservation Com- 012 MILES mission, showed that the quality of ground water at two public supply pumping cen- 0 1 2 KILOMETERS ters will soon be affected by saltwater Figure 3. Saltwater encroachment in the “1,500 foot” aquifer toward pumping centers.

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, include prepared for the Amite River Basin near For More coastal erosion, climate change, wetlands Baton Rouge. The map was a joint effort deterioration, coastal pollution, and hard- among the USGS, the Amite River Basin Information mineral resources. With increased under- Commission, a local television station, and standing of these problems, future coastal other local businesses and was distributed erosion, the fate of wetlands, where pol- through fast-food outlets to the public. Peo- luted sediments accumulate, and the loca- ple living in potentially affected areas can tion of economically valuable hard use these maps and the USGS hydrologic minerals can be more accurately predicted. information provided through the news media to make decisions about evacuation and protection of personal property. Statewide Real-time Flood USGS State representative Monitoring 3535 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. Earth Science Information Suite 120 Louisiana leads the Nation in property Center Baton Rouge, LA 70816 damage caused by floods. To reduce future (504) 389-0281 ext. 3107 losses, the USGS, in cooperation with Fed- The USGS Earth Science Information Centers (ESIC) provide information about Fax: (504) 389-0706 eral, State, and local agencies, operates a Email: [email protected] statewide real-time flood monitoring net- the USGS, its programs, products, and work. Currently, the USGS monitors 101 technological developments to the public. USGS and USACE gaging stations The ESIC at the Louisiana Geological Sur- throughout the State to measure river stage vey (LGS) at LSU in Baton Rouge was Additional earth science and to transmit data directly on a real-time established under a cooperative agreement information can be found by basis by means of radio and satellite relay between the USGS and the LGS. As part of technology (fig. 4). During floods, this the national ESIC network, these offices accessing the USGS Home Page information is passed on to the appropriate provide information on such earth science on the World Wide Web at emergency response agencies and the news topics as cartography, geography, digital http://www.usgs.gov/ media through the Louisiana Office of data, remote sensing, geology, geophysics, Emergency Preparedness. geochemistry, hydrology, geohydrology, aerial photography, and land use. The A flood-tracking map, which was mod- offices also have USGS map products For more information on eled on a hurricane-tracking map, has been available for purchase. all USGS reports and products (including maps, images, and computerized data), call

94¡ 1-800-USA-MAPS 93¡ 92¡ 91¡ 33¡ EXPLANATION

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stations

Shreveport U.S. Geological Survey stations

32¡ The USGS provides maps, 0 50 MILES reports, and information to help 050KILOMETERS others meet their needs to manage, develop, and protect America’s water, 90¡ energy, mineral, biological, and land

31¡ resources. We help find the natural resources needed to build tomorrow, and supply the scientific understand- 89¡ Baton Rouge ing needed to help minimize or miti- gate the effects of natural hazards

New Orleans and environmental damage caused 30¡ by natural and human activities. The results of our efforts touch the daily life of almost every American.

Gulf of Mex ico

U.S. Geological Survey Figure 4. Statewide real-time flood-monitoring network. Fact Sheet FS-018-96