August 22, 2000

During the last month the brown marsh (salt marsh dieback) has received phenomenal recognition and interest from landowners, fishermen and the coastal restoration community. Governor Foster has charged me with developing a coordinated response. With that in mind, an important planning/strategy meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 14. The purpose is to identify potential causes and consequences and to explore the possibility for state and federal funding to pay for whatever science or remediation is warranted. I am anxious that this applied research be collaborative, focused and that we take advantage of our Louisiana coastal “brain trust.”

A list of some collaborative activities includes:

In addition, the following rapid turn around research efforts are underway to provide the kind of information essential in planning a reasonable course of action:

I) Greg Linscombe (LDWF) and Bob Chabreck (LSU retired) are completing an aerial survey of salt marshes in the Barataria and Terrebonne basins to provide the first quantitative look at the distribution of dieback;

2) Erick Swenson (LSU) is compiling historical and recent salinity and water level data from the affected areas;

Interested parties
August 22, 2000
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3) S.A. Hsu (LSU) and Jay Grymes (Southern Regional Climate Center) are compiling historical and recent climate data;

4) Charlie Demas (USGS) is compiling historical and recent Mississippi flow volume data;

S) Joe Suhayda (LSU) is modeling potential salinity effects of various river diversion scenarios on salt marshes within the Barataria/Terrebonne estuary.

A number of hypotheses to explain the brown salt marsh have been proposed but no smoking gun has been identified as yet. For example, this phenomenon:

• may have occurred in the past (although perhaps never at this scale);
• has the potential to lead to land-loss, because no evidence of recovery has so far been observed;
• was noted by various agency staff as long ago as last summer and has been reported in other coastal states in the past;
• may be the result of multiple factors, including (but not limited to) unusually low sea level, low river flow, elevated temperature and several years of exceptionally severe drought conditions;
• appears to be worsening,

By this notice you are invited to attend the brown marsh meeting at 9;00 AM on September 14 in the Louisiana Room at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on Quail Drive. Call my office for questions if necessary (225 342-3968).