BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana Illuminator) – The Mississippi River Delta is sinking faster than any other delta in the world, according to a new study from the University of California.
The study aims to better guide coastal restoration and advise leaders, scientists and people living and working in coastal communities facing difficult decisions involving significant funding.
Sediment flow identified as key factor
The University of California Irvine study examined deltas around the globe and found that groundwater depletion is the predominant cause of coastal delta loss. However, the Mississippi River Delta and the Amazon are exceptions, where lack of sediment flow is blamed for the loss.
Historical measurements show sediment sinking is occurring at a rate of three centimeters per year in the Louisiana Delta. With sea levels rising at nearly twice that rate, the combined effect creates significant challenges for coastal areas…