Coastlines of the Gulf of Mexico Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi
Feb 25, 2016
Coastlines of the Gulf of Mexico
Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi
Shoreline Characteristics
StateLouisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Tidal Shoreline(mi)7721
359
607
Island Morphology
Barrier Island Chain-created after last glacial
epoch (15,000yr ago)-decrease in sea level-increase in fluvial and
marine sedimentation-microtidal (0-2m)-extensive tidal marsh
habitat
Coastal Features and Waterways
Louisiana Rivers-Atchafalaya, Mississippi, PearlAlabama
Rivers-Alabama, Tom Brigbee, Mississippi
Rivers-Pearl
Recent Developments
• Dramatic increases in nutrient loads-eutrophication-decreases in primary productivity
-Wetland habitat in rapid decline-decrease in water quality-losses to commercial fishing
Governmental Response
• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) -assessment of pollutants in major rivers-management plan to improve water qualityEstuarine Reserve Program-modeling of individual systems-protection from development
References
http://marine.usgs.govhttp://mfengine.nos.noaa.govhttp://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/clickmap.htmlhttp://infoplease.lycos.comhttp://www.epa.gov/owow/ estuarieshttp://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/ stateshttp://www.rodnreel.com/tides
Maps-US Atlantic and Gulf Coast (NOAA)
Publications-EPA, The Ecological
Condition of Estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico