Louisiana Coastal Facts

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Historical Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana

Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930's (Barras et al. 1994, Barras et al. 2003, Dunbar et al. 1992). Currently Louisiana has 30% of the total coastal marsh- and accounts for 90% of the coastal marsh loss- in the lower 48 states (Dahl 2000, Field et al. 1991, USGS 2003).

Current Rate of Coastal Land Loss

Between 1990 and 2000, wetland loss was approximately 24 square miles per year- that is the equivalent of approximately one football field lost every 38 minutes. The projected loss over the next 50 years, with current restoration efforts taken into account, is estimated to be approximately 500 square miles (Barras et al. 2003). According to land loss estimates, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita transformed 217 square miles of marsh to open water in coastal Louisiana (USGS 2006).

Population Living in the Coastal Parishes

In 2006, over 2 million residents- more than 47% of the state’s population according to U.S. Census estimates- lived in Louisiana’s coastal parishes (U.S. Census Bureau 2007). The coastal zone covers approximately 14,913 square miles, of which 6,737 square miles is water and 8,176 square miles is land (LOSCO 2005).

Louisiana Energy Facts

Among the 50 states, the following are some statistics for Louisiana’s Primary Energy Production for 2006: including Outer Continental Shelf production, Louisiana ranks 1st in crude oil and 2nd in natural gas production; excluding Outer Continental Shelf production, Louisiana ranks 4th in crude oil and 5th in natural gas production (LDNR 2007).

Waterborne Commerce

In 2005, Louisiana's coastal wetlands provided storm protection for ports that carried 457 million tons of waterborne commerce- accounting for 18% of all waterborne commerce in the United States. Five of the top fifteen largest ports in the United States are located in Louisiana (USACE 2007).

Commercial Fishing

In 2006, Louisiana commercial landings exceeded 844 million pounds with a dockside value of $202 million- accounting for approximately 21% of the total catch by weight in the lower 48 States (USDOC 2007).

Recreational Fishing

Annual expenditures related to non-commercial fishing in Louisiana amount to $1.7 billion (LDWF 2006).

Hunting

In 2006, hunting-related expenditures in Louisiana amounted to $975 million (LDWF 2006).

Wildlife-watching

In 2006, expenditures related to wildlife-watching in Louisiana amounted to $517 million (LDWF 2006).

Fur Harvest

The 2007-2008 fur harvest in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands generated approximately $1.75 million (LDWF 2008).

Alligator Harvest

In 2006, the Louisiana alligator harvest was valued at approximately $38 million (LDWF 2006).

Waterfowl

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands provide habitat for approximately 1.8 million migratory waterfowl (LDWF 2008).

Coastal Restoration Projects

632 projects have been constructed

• State-funded projects - 46 projects constructed
• Breaux Act projects - 87 projects constructed (includes 2 constructed and deauthorized projects)
• Parish Coastal Wetlands Restoration Program (Christmas Tree Program) - 45 projects constructed
• Other federally assisted projects - 39 projects constructed
• Vegetation Planting Program - 415 projects

Other Coastal Restoration Efforts

• Breaux Act Projects - 63 additional projects have been approved and are currently in the design phase.
• Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) - Congress authorized CIAP as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This program authorizes funds to be distributed to Outer Continental Shelf oil-producing and gas-producing states to mitigate the impacts of production activities on coastal habitats, natural resources, and infrastructure. Louisiana is projected to receive up to $510 million in CIAP funds over 4 years, beginning in 2007.
• State Surplus - During 2009, the Louisiana State Legislature passed Act 2, which dedicates $290 million in budget surplus monies from fiscal year 2009-10 to coastal protection and restoration.
• Louisiana Coastal Area Comprehensive Coastwide Ecosystem Restoration Study (LCA) The goal of the LCA Study is to gain a federal and state commitment to a large-scale ecosystem restoration program in coastal Louisiana (www.lca.gov).
• America’s Wetland Campaign - The campaign was established in 2002 to increase national and world awareness of issues associated with Louisiana’s coastal wetland loss (www.americaswetland.com).

Note: Although this document is updated regularly, please contact the OCPR for the most current statistics. Last updated 8/18/09.

References

Barras, J.A., P.E. Bourgeois, and L.R. Handley. 1994. Land loss in coastal Louisiana 1956-90. National Biological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center Open File Report 94-01.

Barras, J.A., S. Beville, D. Britsch, S. Hartley, S. Hawes, J. Johnston, P. Kemp, Q. Kinler, A. Martucci, J. Porthouse, D. Reed, K. Roy, S. Sapkota, and J. Suhayda. 2003. Historical and projected coastal Louisiana land changes: 1978-2050: USGS Open File Report 03-334.

Dahl, T.E. 2000. Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States 1986 to 1997. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C.

Dunbar, J.B., L. Britsch, and E. Kemp. 1992. Land loss rates: Louisiana Coastal Plain. Technical Report GL-92-3, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Field, D.W., A. Reyer, P. Genovese, and B. Shearer. 1991. Coastal wetlands of the United States- An accounting of a valuable national resource. Strategic Assessment Branch, Ocean Assessments Division, Office of Oceanography and Marine Assessment, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rockville, MD.

Lindquist, D.C. and S.R. Martin. 2007. Coastal Restoration Annual Project Reviews: December 2007. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge, LA. Internet URL: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/D R S Reports/Annual/2007 Coastal Restoration Annual Project Reviews.pdf.

Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office. 2004. Land and Water Interface fo Louisiana from 2002 Landsat Thematic Mapper Satellite Imagery. Geographic NAD83, LOSCO (2005).

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2005. The Economic Benefits of Fisheries, Wildlife and Boating Resources in the State of Louisiana. Baton Rouge, LA.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2006. 2005-2006 Annual Report. Baton Rouge, LA.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2008. Waterfowl Population Estimates in Louisiana’s Coastal Zone Below U.S. Highway 90 and on Catahoula Lake. Baton Rouge, LA. Internet URL: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/pdfs/hunting/programs/waterfowl/January_2008_Survey.pdf

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Technology Assessment Division. 2007. Selected Louisiana Energy Statistics. Louisiana Energy Topic. Baton Rouge, LA. Internet URL: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/sec/execdiv/techasmt/newsletters/2007/2007-07_topic_2.pdf

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2007. Waterborne Commerce of the United States, Calendar Year 2005. Part 5 - National Summaries. Alexandria, VA: Institute for Water Resources, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Internet URL: http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ndc/wcsc/pdf/wcusnatl05.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau. 2007. Annual Estimates of the Population for Counties: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006. (Coastal parish population total was calculated based on the sum of the populations of the 20 coastal parishes: Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Vermilion.) Internet URL: http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2006-01-22.xls

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. 2007. Fisheries of the United States, 2006. Silver Spring, MD. Internet URL: http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/fus/fus06/index.html

U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, Jimmy Johnston, Personal Communication. 2003. 700 Cajundome Blvd. Lafayette, LA 70506.

U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. 2006. USGS Reports Latest Land Change Estimates for Louisiana Coast. Internet URL:  http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1274/.

For further information on the Breaux Act or Restoration Projects in Louisiana, contact the Breaux Act home page (http://www.lacoast.gov), the OCRM home page (http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm), the Coast 2050 home page (http://www.coast2050.gov), the LCA home page (www.lca.gov), or the following government agencies.