50272-101 



REPORT DOCUMENTATION 

 PAGE 



l._ REPORT NO. 



FWS/OBS-82/59 



4. Title and Subtitle 



Proceedings of the Conference on Coastal Erosion and Wetland 

 Modification in Louisiana: Causes, Consequences, and Options 



7. Author(s) 



D. F. Boesch, ed. 



3. Recipient's Accession No. 



5. Report Dale 



September 1982 



8. Performing Organization Rept. No. 



9. Performing Organization Name and Address 



Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium 

 Star Route, Box 531 

 Chauvin, Louisiana 70344 



10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. 



11. Contract(C) or Grant(G) No. 

 (C) 



(G) 



12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Office of Biological Services 



13. Type of Report & Period Covered 



14. 



15. Supplementary Notes 



16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) 



This volume contains 16 papers and panel discussions from a conference held in 

 Baton Rouge, La., 5-6 October 1981. The presentations consider the causes and conse- 

 quences of coastal erosion and wetland modification in Louisiana and the mitigative 

 options available to slow or reverse the rapid rate of coastal land loss. Detailed 

 habitat mapping studies have allowed accurate estimates of coastal habitat change and 

 land loss through 1978. Projections from these rates of change indicate an annual rate 

 of land loss in coastal Louisiana in the early 1980' s of approximately 130 kmVyr 

 (50 m^/yr) . 



The projected effects of wetland modification on the bountiful living resources of 

 coastal Louisiana (fisheries, fur and hide bearers and waterfowl) are major because of 

 the close dependence of these resources on estuarine wetlands. These changes and others 

 related to flood protection, transportation and ownership of mineral resources are 

 projected to have extensive social and economic consequences. 



Options proposed to slow coastal land loss include major and minor diversions of 

 the Mississippi River, barrier island and shoreline restoration and protection, hydro- 

 logical management of wetlands and more restrictive permitting of dredging activities. 



17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors 



Louisiana, wetlands, coastal, erosion, management, causes and effects 



b. Identifiers/Open-Ended Terms 



Wetlands, erosion, management, Louisiana 



c. COSATI Field/Group 



IB. Availability Statement 



Unlimited 



19. Security Class (This Report) 



Unclassified 



20. Security Class (This Page) 



Unclassified 



21. No. of Pages 



viii + 256 



22. Price 



(See ANSI-Z39.18) 



*US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1982-574176 



See Instructions on Reverse 



OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77) 

 (Formerly NTIS-35) 

 Department of Commerce 



