"Working with the Mississippi River for Sustainable Storm Protection" presented at the 2014 ASCE International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure in Long Beach, CA, by Russ Joffrion, PE of CPRA, Principal Engineer David Eley, PE of GeoEngineers and Principal Geotechnical Engineer Blake E. Cotton, PE of GeoEngineers . Abstract: The Louisiana coast is losing land at an alarming rate. This land loss has resulted in greater damage to infrastructure near the coast, as land and marsh that historically buffered this infrastructure disappears. Infrastructure in Louisiana is critical to the United States for shipping along the Mississippi River, and for oil and gas production and import/export. Land loss in Louisiana is the result of years of well-intentioned, but unsustainable, practices. Louisiana is in the initial stages of a 50-year plan (Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast, 2012) to build resilient infrastructure that will work with the natural delta and coastal processes to provide long-term, sustainable coastal protection for the State. Given the projected annualized cost of doing nothing, Louisiana can’t afford not to implement the Plan.

2. Working with the Mississippi River for
Sustainable Storm Protection
Russ J. Joffrion, PE, CPRA
David S. Eley, PE, GeoEngineers, Inc.
Blake E. Cotton, PE, GeoEngineers, Inc.

3. Today’s Discussion
• The problem
• Coastal Master Plan development
• What the plan delivers
• Projects = progress

4. Louisiana’s Geologic History
Predicted Land Change Over Next 50 Years

5. Louisiana is Experiencing a Coastal Crisis
Predicted Land Change Over Next 50 Years
Potential to lose an additional 770 – 1,750
square miles of land over the next 50 years

6. Our Communities and Livelihoods at Risk
Predicted Future Flooding from a 100 Year Flood Event
Future Without Action
Potential for damages to reach
$7.7 to $23.4 billion annually
Increasing threats to lives, jobs, communities
and the economy

7. Why Should You Care?
Predicted Future Flooding from a 100 Year Flood Event
• AFbutourue Wt i4tho0u%t Ac titoon tal coastal marsh in lower 48
states in Louisiana
• Louisiana infrastructure services
– 90% of deep water rigs in Gulf
– 20% of annual waterborne commerce
– 26% (by weight) of continental US commercial
fisheries landings
• Winter habitat for 5 million migratory
waterfowl

8. We Need A New Plan
Evaluation of Hundreds of Existing Projects
Nonstructural
Measures
Nearly 400 Projects Evaluated Across the Coast

9. Framework Development Team
Over 30 Federal, State, NGO, Academic, Community,
and Industry Organizations

10. • Key industries are
impacted by land loss and
large scale protection and
restoration efforts
• Created three focus
groups:
– Navigation
– Fisheries
– Oil and Gas
Focus Groups

11. Using New Tools, Breaking New Ground

12. Five Plan Objectives
Predicted Future Flooding from a 100 Year Flood Event
1. FFluotuored W Pitrhooutte Accttiioonn - Reduce economic losses from
storm-based flooding.
2. Natural Processes - Promote a sustainable ecosystem
by harnessing the processes of the natural system.
3. Coastal Habitats - Provide habitats suitable to support
an array of commercial and recreational activities
coast wide.
4. Cultural Heritage - Sustain Louisiana’s unique heritage
and culture.
5. Working Coast - Support regionally and nationally
important businesses and industries.

13. Decision Drivers
• Flood Risk Reduction and Land
Built/Maintained as Decision Drivers
Risk Reduction
Restoration
Expected Annual Damages Land Area

14. Risk Reduction
Expected Annual
Damages
Land Area
Decision Criteria and Ecosystem Services
Distribution of flood risk across
socioeconomic groups
Flood protection of historic
properties
Flood protection of strategic
assets
Operation and maintenance
costs
Sustainability
Support for navigation
Use of natural processes
Support for cultural heritage
Support for oil & gas
Oyster
Shrimp
Freshwater Availability
Alligator
Waterfowl
Saltwater Fisheries
Freshwater Fisheries
Carbon Sequestration
Nitrogen Removal
Agriculture/Aquaculture
Other Coastal Wildlife
Nature-Based Tourism
Restoration
Grounded in Science…

15. What the Master Plan Delivers

16. What the Master Plan Delivers

17. 2012 Coastal Master Plan

18. A Closer Look: Southeast Coast
FINAL PLAN

19. What the Master Plan Delivers
• The plan improves flood protection for every community in
coastal Louisiana, at a minimum through nonstructural
programs.
• Levees that significantly reduce or eliminate risk from a 100
year storm are provided for communities such as Abbeville,
New Iberia, Morgan City, Houma, Golden Meadow, and Lafitte.
• The plan includes the nation’s
largest investment, over
$20 billion, in sediment mining
and marsh creation projects that
will provide land building benefits
for areas in dire need.

20. What the Master Plan Delivers
• By increasing flood protection and
building or sustaining land, the plan
supports coastal industries, their
infrastructure, and the workforce.
• The ecosystem sustainability provided by
the plan will support robust commercial
and recreational fisheries coast wide,
along with other ecosystem services that
benefit our communities.
• The plan provides tremendous economic
development opportunities for Louisiana
and its citizens.

21. Investing in Marsh Creation & Land Building

22. Keystone of the 2012 Master Plan:
Reconnecting the River

23. Responding to the Crisis
Louisiana’s Coastal Program:
Past and Present
This map shows projects that have been constructed and
projects that are funded for construction

24. We Continue to Make Progress

25. Sustainable Land Bridge Projects
13.3
20.1
24.3
BA-39 (II)
(Built)
BA-41
(Awarded?)
LDSP Project
Lafitte
The Pen
Little Lake
Lake Salvador
BA-27
(Built)
BA-36
(Built)
Turtle Bay
Naomi
Myrtle Grove
BA-39 (III)
EPA
R2-BA-15
NRCS PPL 20
BA-23
(Built)
BA-26
(Built)
BARATARIA LANDBRIDGE
BA-39 (Built)
BA-48
Mid-Barataria Diversion Project

26. Long Distance Sediment Pipeline/Bayou
Dupont Marsh Creation Project

28. Project Location and Infrastructure

29. NOV
Hurricane
Protection
Levee
New Orleans
Railroad
Naomi Siphons
2000 cfs
LA 23
Mississippi
River Levee

30. 30” Cutter Head Dredge

31. New Orleans Railroad Crossing

38. Lake Hermitage Marsh Creation Project

39. Scofield Island and Shell Island
Restoration Projects

40. Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion

41. State of Louisiana
The Honorable Bobby Jindal, Governor
COMMITTED TO OUR COAST
Louisiana’s Comprehensive
Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast
committed to our coast