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LPBF announces the release of Hydrocoast maps for the Period of August 25th to August 31st

LPBF's Hydrocoast maps are a consistently established bi-weekly product, and no longer need special announcement. Hydrocoast maps can be found at http://saveourlake.org including all archived maps, and so this will be the last CWPPRA Newsflash of the bi-weekly Hydrocoast maps. Any special future announcements regarding Hydrocoast products will be sent by the CWPPRA Newsflash.

If you wish to receive LPBF Hydrocoast products directly by email in the future, please subscribe directly at http://saveourlake.org/subscribe_hydromap.php



The Hydrocoast program collects a number of environmentally dynamic datasets in an effort to monitor the condition (salinity component) of the basin's estuaries. Wind, rain, tides and freshwater influx from streams and diversions are variables that cause salinity fluctuation, and play a vital role in the health of the basin's estuaries. The Hydrocoast program monitors these variables over a seven day period and produces bi-monthly map products showing the movement of water and salinity across the basin (using field data, MODIS, sattelite imagery, precipitation data, wind data and permanent monitoring stations in the basin such as USGS buoys, Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS), etc.). As a tool, these map products can be used for scientific discussion, restoration planning between state and federal agencies, and by the commercial and recreational fishery community.

This Hydrocoast period is characterized a continued increase in salinity across the basin. Salinity in the eastern end of Lake Pontchartrain increased from 8 ppt to 20 ppt and from 12 ppt to 19 ppt at the mouth of Lake Borgne. Salinity in Chandeleur Sound increased from a range of 23-34 ppt to 27-34 ppt. Discharge from all rivers and passes, except the Caernarvon Diversion, Bayou Lamoque, Fort St. Philip and Baptiste Collette, decreased from the last Hydrocoast Period to this one. Average daily discharge difference between last Hydrocoast and the current was:
  • Pearl River = 3,558 to 2,288 cfs
  • Tangipahoa = 617 to 485 cfs
  • Tickfaw = 264 to 149 cfs
  • Amite = 1,424 to 868 cfs
  • Caernarvon Diversion = 61 to 90 cfs
  • Mardi Gras Pass = 1,706 to 1,480 cfs
  • Violet Siphon = Closed
  • Bohemia Spillway = 0 to 0 cfs
  • Bonnet Carré Spillway = 0 to 0 cfs
  • Bayou Lamoque = 609 to 646 cfs
  • Fort St. Philip = 9,571 to 10,564 cfs
  • Baptiste Collete = 24,744 to 27,088 cfs
  • Grand and Tiger Pass = 26,888 to 23,756 cfs
  • Main Pass = 27,951 to 25,091 cfs
  • West Bay = 23,522 to 21,005 cfs
  • Pass A Loutre = 17,921 to 15,903 cfs
  • Southwest Pass = 115,373 to 102,997 cfs
  • South Pass = 43,572 to 37,200 cfs
The Habitat Map shows soil water salinity contours across the land masses. During this Hydrocoast period there was rainfall across the basin, ranging from 1 to 4 inches. Resultant winds were mostly from the southwest and west. Wind speeds ranged from 0 to 11.1 m/s (2 to 25 miles/hr). During this Hydrocoast period high fecal coliform counts were found at Bogue Falaya, Amite at Highway 16/42, Abita River, Cane Bayou and Bayou Bonfouca. The water quality map also shows the impaired water bodies for Primary Contact (swimming, immersion likely) and Secondary Contact (boating wading, immersion unlikely) in the basin as prepared by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality under the EPA 305(b)/303(d) guidelines. The map also shows an area of hypoxia in the Chandeleur Sound which was detected on June 23, 2014.

During this Hydrocoast period, oyster harvest area 8 (spanning the Bird's Foot Delta) was closed while all other areas east of the Mississippi River remained open. Also shown are the results of an aerial survey for shrimp and oyster boats conducted on August 27 at 7 am. There were 116 shrimp boats scattered throughout the basin. There were 18 oyster boats counted. The biological map also shows the impaired water bodies for fishing and oyster propagation in the basin as prepared by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality under the EPA 305(b)/303(d) guidelines. Impairments due to metal contamination, fecal coliform and remnants from the BP Oil Spill are shown.

To receive Hydrocoast products by email please email Hydrocoast@saveourlake.org with "subscribe" in the subject line. For more information on the Hydrocoast maps and to view archived maps please visit http://saveourlake.org/coastal-hydromap.php











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