COASTAL EROSION: AN INFOGRAPHIC

 "Coastal Louisiana wetlands are one of the most critically threatened environments in the United States. These wetlands are in peril because Louisiana currently experiences greater coastal wetland loss than all other States in the contiguous United States combined." -U.S.G.S

EROSION IS OCCURING AT A RAPID PACE.

  •  Louisiana loses 75 square kilometers annually 
  • ​​1,000,000 acres of wetland have been lost since 2000
  • ​An area the size of Rhode Island will be eroded off the coast of Louisiana by 2050.

THE CAUSES ARE BOTH NATURAL AND MAN-MADE.

Man-Made:
  • Levees
  • Shipping Channels/Canals
  • Oil and Gas Dredging
  • Invasive Species
​Natural:
  • Sea Level Rise
  • Land Subsidence
  • Hurricanes/Natural Disasters

​WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ACTION, LOUISIANA RESIDENTS WILL LOSE THEIR HOMES.

  •  ​As erosion continues and wetlands are destroyed, houses near the coast face an increased chance of flooding and damage due to reduced protection. ​
  • Every one-mile strip of wetlands along the coast, results in an estimated $5,752,816 average annual increase in property damage
  • Between 60 to 70% of Louisiana’s population, over 2 million people, live within 50 miles of the coast 

THIS IS A LARGE RISK THAT MANY ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING.

Poll Taken from nola.com

  • According to the poll on the left, more than half of the sample size did not view coastal erosion as a serious threat.
  • ​Countless studies have shown the increase of populations near the coast. Movement towards the coast demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the severity of the situation. 

LOUISIANA STATE OFFICIALS HAVE PROPOSED A PLAN, but it might not be enough

  • ​Every five to six years, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority releases a Master Plan, which analyzes what steps will be taken to restore the coast.
  • ​For the upcoming 2023 Master Plan, the CPRA itself has requested from the public an official project guideline.
  • The CPRA's call for outside suggestions demonstrates the severity of the situation, for current implementation of the $50 billion dollar plan will still result in immense land loss.