Restoring Deltaic Functions on the

Mississippi

Restoring Deltaic Functions on the

Mississippi

Harley S. Winer, Ph.D., P.E.Atkins, Metairie, LA

Harley.winer@atkinsglobal.com

Harley S. Winer, Ph.D., P.E.Atkins, Metairie, LA

Harley.winer@atkinsglobal.com

Outline of PresentationOutline of PresentationOutline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

• Alarming Land Loss RateAlarming Land Loss Rate• Importance of Louisiana Coastal AreaImportance of Louisiana Coastal Area• Multiple CausesMultiple Causes• Principal Cause is Disruption of Delta Principal Cause is Disruption of Delta

ProcessProcess• Explanation of Delta ProcessExplanation of Delta Process• History of Delta Building DisruptionHistory of Delta Building Disruption• Solution is to Restore Delta Building Solution is to Restore Delta Building

Process.Process.

• Alarming Land Loss RateAlarming Land Loss Rate• Importance of Louisiana Coastal AreaImportance of Louisiana Coastal Area• Multiple CausesMultiple Causes• Principal Cause is Disruption of Delta Principal Cause is Disruption of Delta

ProcessProcess• Explanation of Delta ProcessExplanation of Delta Process• History of Delta Building DisruptionHistory of Delta Building Disruption• Solution is to Restore Delta Building Solution is to Restore Delta Building

Process.Process.

27

2000 US Oil Production By State

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

LA TX AK CA OKNM

WY KS ND M

SCO UT

Other

s

State

Mil

lio

n B

arr

els

OCS State

Source: US DOE/EIA

Natural CausesNatural CausesNatural CausesNatural Causes

• Subsidence - Consolidation •Weight of the Delta Deposits

Induced CausesInduced CausesInduced CausesInduced Causes

• Alteration of the Natural River System- Reduction of Sediment Load

• Construction of Canals-Canal Banks Create Impoundments-Salinity Intrusion-Boat Wake Erosion

• Subsurface Fluid Removal

Some HistorySome History

1831 Captain Henry M. Shreve, dug a cut across the

narrow neck of Turnbull's Bend. The river accepted the shortcut and abandoned the old channel, the upper part eventually silted up, leaving the lower section open. This

section came to be called "Old River"

1839, the State of Louisiana began to

dislodge a 30 mile long log jam in the

Atchafalaya and open up the river to navigation.

1839, the State of Louisiana began to

dislodge a 30 mile long log jam in the

Atchafalaya and open up the river to navigation.

The Atchafalaya is a shorter outlet to the Gulf

of Mexico; 142 miles compared to 315.

The removal of the log The removal of the log jam allowed the jam allowed the

Atchafalaya to capture Atchafalaya to capture more and more of the more and more of the

Mississippi's flow.Mississippi's flow.

The removal of the log The removal of the log jam allowed the jam allowed the

Atchafalaya to capture Atchafalaya to capture more and more of the more and more of the

Mississippi's flow.Mississippi's flow.

The Mississippi River Commission engaged

Harold N. Fisk and a team of geographers and

geologists to investigate

Fisk, H. N., 1944, Geological Investigation of the Alluvial Valley of the

Lower Mississippi Valley, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Mississippi River Commission

The Paradigm:We Need To

Prevent the River from Changing

Course

Because of the Because of the Consequences Consequences

for:for:

Because of the Because of the Consequences Consequences

for:for:NavigationNavigationFlood ControlFlood ControlWater SupplyWater Supply

NavigationNavigationFlood ControlFlood ControlWater SupplyWater Supply

The solution was the construction of

the Old River Control Structures

With the Congressional Mandate to maintain the 1950 distribution

of flows -70% down the Mississippi and 30%

down the Atchafalaya

The Unintended Consequence is that very little

new land is being built to

compensate for land loss

A New Paradigm:Allow the River to Change Course; Preserve Flood

Control, Navigation and Water Supply

on the Lower Mississippi River

Red Rive

r

Mississippi River

Atchafalaya River

Lower Mississippi

Instead of diverting water from the

Mississippi; Allow the Mississippi to change course and divert a minimum necessary amount to the lower

Miss.

Allowing the bulk of the flow and more

importantly a predominance of the sediment to go down

the Atchafalaya, where it will build

marsh.

How to reconfigure Old River was

discussed in a paper presented at Coastal Sediments 07 in New

Orleans.

How to distribute flows:

Normal FlowsLow Flows Flood Flows

Normal Flows

Maximum Flow down the Atchafalaya; divert the minimum necessary for fresh water supply

to the Lower Mississippi

Low Flows

Maintain the 70% - 30% distribution

Flood Flows

Utilize the every avenue to pass the

flood

What is needed is a Feasibility Study to address all of the

potential problems associated with this

proposal.

Changing one aspect of a system results in changes throughout the system – just as preventing the shift

of the river did.

Potential Issues:

Channel Change - Relocations

Stage Changes

Reduced Dredging

The present paradigm results in the waste of a valuable resource. It is time for a new paradigm.

ReferencesReferencesReferencesReferences

Winer, H. (2006), “A New Paradigm for Managing the Winer, H. (2006), “A New Paradigm for Managing the Lower Mississippi River,” 30th International Lower Mississippi River,” 30th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, pp. 2000-2011, Conference on Coastal Engineering, pp. 2000-2011, San Diego, CASan Diego, CA

Winer, H. (2007), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River Winer, H. (2007), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings of as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings of Coastal Sediments ’07 Conference, pp. 712-721, ASCECoastal Sediments ’07 Conference, pp. 712-721, ASCE

Winer, H (2011), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River Winer, H (2011), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings, as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings, Symposium to Honor Dr. Nicholas C. Kraus, Journal of Symposium to Honor Dr. Nicholas C. Kraus, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 59, pp. 229-234.Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 59, pp. 229-234.

Winer, H. (2006), “A New Paradigm for Managing the Winer, H. (2006), “A New Paradigm for Managing the Lower Mississippi River,” 30th International Lower Mississippi River,” 30th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, pp. 2000-2011, Conference on Coastal Engineering, pp. 2000-2011, San Diego, CASan Diego, CA

Winer, H. (2007), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River Winer, H. (2007), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings of as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings of Coastal Sediments ’07 Conference, pp. 712-721, ASCECoastal Sediments ’07 Conference, pp. 712-721, ASCE

Winer, H (2011), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River Winer, H (2011), “Re-Engineering the Mississippi River as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings, as a Sediment Delivery System,” Proceedings, Symposium to Honor Dr. Nicholas C. Kraus, Journal of Symposium to Honor Dr. Nicholas C. Kraus, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 59, pp. 229-234.Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 59, pp. 229-234.