Last Saturday I went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to watch an IMAX flick I'd wanted to see about the disappearing Louisiana wetlands. That is a topic I became fascinated with a few years back after watching a tv program, then reading numerous magazine articles and a book on the subject.
In a nutshell, the wetlands (marshes, swamps, and barriers islands)- vital for flood control, wildlife habitats, seafood production, and hurricane protection- are vanishing at a rate of 24 square miles per year (1 football field every 38 minutes). Fifty more years of this kind of damage may even endanger the city of New Orleans. This coastal and wetland erosion is largely due to the 1930s construction of levees which have prevented the Mississippi from flooding its' banks. Without the spring floods, nutritious sediment cannot "feed" and thus sustain the wetlands. Further land loss has resulted from ship channels and canals dug to accommodate oil companies' pipelines.
In a nutshell, the wetlands (marshes, swamps, and barriers islands)- vital for flood control, wildlife habitats, seafood production, and hurricane protection- are vanishing at a rate of 24 square miles per year (1 football field every 38 minutes). Fifty more years of this kind of damage may even endanger the city of New Orleans. This coastal and wetland erosion is largely due to the 1930s construction of levees which have prevented the Mississippi from flooding its' banks. Without the spring floods, nutritious sediment cannot "feed" and thus sustain the wetlands. Further land loss has resulted from ship channels and canals dug to accommodate oil companies' pipelines.
Needless to say, I really wanted to see this IMAX. I got up to the counter and bought my ticket. Much to my pleasure, the clerk charged me HALF-PRICE and decided to give me a free ticket to see "Gold and Grass"- a special exhibit about Kazakh artifacts (c. 4 BC) that I had REALLY WANTED TO SEE!! Aren't those kinds of little surprises the best?! :)
CHECK OUT MORE ON THE VANISHING WETLANDS:
Read an article
Land Loss Map
Louisiana Land Loss Animations
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