TECHNICAL NOTE AND QUESTION

We're going to have to repeat this one. The camera shut down prematurely.

I attribute the failure to the use of duct tape on the camera trigger-- any thoughts on this are appreciated. From looking at the photo sequence, the camera gave out after a wind gust. Still, some interesting shots were taken.

And, in the future, i will be using the Common Ground kayaks, so repeating this day will be easier the second time.

shannon snaps our flight

constructed wetland cell, constructed by dragline, and drained out the northwest barrier

RESTORATION MONITORING

I was interested in getting shots of this project for the green slice project, as well as part of my duties for Gulf Restoration Network, monitoring restoration projects and sites.

the friday before, we set out control points, and there was a strong (not overpowering, but strong) bacterial odor coming from the water treatment plant. This will happen on colder days, if the sludge is not being actively recirculated. i don't think this plant, to the east of our triangle, has an active re-circulation component.

All the more reason to monitor this project. most wetlands assimilation projects start with an actual wetland; here we are using the biosolids to build land for wetland plants first. Hmm. The area did not stink on saturday, so perhaps the smell is associated with the plant, and not the restoration. Given the failure of the Hammond assimilation site, though, we have reason to suspect that the claim of 100% success touted in the CIAP report may fall short.

Here's the state's documentation of the permits for this project: link 404 letter 401 certification

Quoth U-Dubs 2008:

"The Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle (BBWT) is a 427-acre, triangular-shaped body of open water located on the northern boundary of New Orleans‘ Lower Ninth Ward.

Fifty years ago, this area was a wooded swamp, part of a network of swamps and marshes that spanned the 30,000 acres between New Orleans and Lake Borgne. In the past, this wetland offered the Lower Ninth Ward community protection from storms, a place to hunt and fish, and natural beauty.

Since then, floodwall improvements and subsidence have placed the wetland out of sight, severing its connection to the Lower Ninth community and concealing its degradation to open water.

In recent years, residents, community leaders, public agencies and others have taken interest in restoring the BBWT to a freshwater swamp."

UW 2007

UW 2008

THE SALINITY RESTORATION IS APACE SINCE 2009

The rocking of the MRGO at Bayou La Loutre in 2009 has already altered the salinity regime of the BBWT, from salt to fresh.

on the day of the mapping, Tulane students recorded a salinity of 0.6 ppt.

THE FILL RESTORATION IS IN A TRIAL STAGE (area "B")

There is current funding for a CIAP proposal to do a bit of restoration using tertiary and 4th-iary treated biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant on the parish line and fill the subsided area so that plants would have chance to take root.

the BBWT is unit A1-1 Swamp restoration project under the newly signed Chief's Report for the MRGO restoration.

Here's a link to a more imaginative restoration for the Central Wetland Unit, drawn by the LSU sustainability Studio, before the Army Corps' plan for restoring the damages of the MRGO was selected. (are outside of our triangle, although affected by the same issues)

State Public GIS of fill projects (in green), showing LIDAR baselayer

we tried

new fill, orange? hmm

oblique showing water treatment, landfill, and port of St Bernard in the background