U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Subsidence and Coastal Geomorphic Change in Central Louisiana

Jack Kindinger

U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL

2014 Underground Injection Control Conference Aquifer Management & Underground Injection New Orleans, LA January 21-23, 2014

Subsidence and Land Loss in Louisiana

>5000 km2

Subsidence and Land Loss in Louisiana From the Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast (CPRA 2012)

Subsidence and Land Loss in Louisiana

Subsidence rates vary in space, potentially over very short

distances (e.g., tens of meters)

Subsidence rates can vary through time, depending on the driving processes

Subsidence rates vary as a function of depth; the nature of this function can vary substantially across space (rates are always highest at the surface!)

Subsidence Rates Are Highly Variable

Subsidence and Land Loss in Louisiana

Growth Fault Systems Deep-basin Salt Migration Sediment Loading and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment

(GIA)

Physical Processes Driving Subsidence

Processes + sea-level rise = land loss (Plus extreme storms)

Deltaic Sediment Compaction Anthropogenic Fluid Withdrawal Surface Water Drainage And Management

Subsidence and Land Loss in Louisiana

Relative Ranges and Rates of Subsidence by Physical Processes

Delta Sediment Compaction

Delta Construction and Collapse Sequence

Delta Sediment Compaction

Delta Geology

Anthropogenic Fluid Withdrawal

Close temporal and spatial correlation between rates of wetland loss, subsidence, and onshore hydrocarbon production

Morton and others, 2006

Anthropogenic Fluid Withdrawal

Morton and others, 2005

National Geodetic Survey

Areas of highest average subsidence rates (> 12 mm/yr; hatched pattern)

Surface Water Drainage And Management

Historic Practices: Dredging the marsh

Surface Water Drainage And Management

The Mississippi River diversion at Caernarvon

Mississippi River Diversions

Geomorphic Change

(Kindinger and others, 2013)

Geomorphic Change

(Kindinger and others, 2013)

Bayou Lafourche Isle Dernieres

Chandeleur Is.

Geomorphic Change http://www.climate.gov/sites/default/files/LandLossinSouthernLouisiana1932_HR.jpg

http://www.climate.gov/sites/default/files/LandLossinSouthernLouisiana2011_HR.jpg

Bayou Lafourche

1932

2011

Geomorphic Change

(Kindinger and others, 2013)

Historical Shoreline Positions Isle Dernieres from 1887 to 2005

1887 to 1934

1934 to 1996

1996 to 2004

1887 to 2005

2004 to 2005

Geomorphic Change

(Kindinger and others, 2013)

Subsidence and New Orleans

Subsidence and New Orleans InSar Velocity Map

Dixon, 2006

Questions?