Implications of accelerated sea-level rise on Louisiana coastal environments
By: Karen E. Ramsey, Shea Penland, and Harry H. Roberts
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Abstract
Natural and human-induced processes have combined to produce high rates of relative sea-level rise and coastal land loss in Louisiana. This paper presents historical trends in sea-level rise and the implication of predicted accelerated rise scenarios on Louisiana's coastal environments. Mean eustatic sea-level in the Gulf of Mexico is 0.23 cm/yr. In Louisiana, relative sea-level rise, which combines eustacy and subsidence, averages from 0.50 cm/yr in the chenier plain to 1.0 cm/yr in the delta plain. Subsidence due to the compaction of Holocene sediments is believed to be the major component influencing these high rates of rise. Subsidence contributes up to 80% of the observed relative sea-level rise in coastal Louisiana. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) predicts the rate of sea-level rise to increase over the next century due to global climate change. If these predictions are accurate, a dramatic increase in the coastal land loss conditions in Louisiana can be expected.
Suggested Citation
Ramsey, K.E., Penland, S., Roberts, H.H., 1991, Implications of accelerated sea-level rise on Louisiana coastal environments, in Coastal Sediments '91; Volume 2, Seattle, WA, USA, 25 June 1991 through 27 June 1991, p. 1207-1222.
| Publication type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Conference Paper |
| Title | Implications of accelerated sea-level rise on Louisiana coastal environments |
| ISBN | 0872628086 |
| Year Published | 1991 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Publ by ASCE |
| Publisher location | New York, NY, United States |
| Larger Work Title | Coastal Sediments '91; Volume 2 |
| First page | 1207 |
| Last page | 1222 |
| Conference Title | Proceedings of a Specialty Conference on Quantitative Approaches to Coastal Sediment Processes |
| Conference Location | Seattle, WA, USA |
| Conference Date | 25 June 1991 through 27 June 1991 |