The WaterMarks Interview

Q How serious is the problem of shoreline erosion on Grand and White lakes?

A It’s serious enough so that everyone is very concerned. We can lose as much as 15 feet of shoreline in a single year on each lake. In those high-loss years, the southeast side of Grand Lake and the southwest side of White Lake are moving together at a rate of roughly 30 feet per year.

Q So the land bridge between the two lakes is disappearing?

A It’s disappearing at a rapid rate. And once that land bridge is gone, we’ll have one huge lake, which means that shoreline erosion will increase at an even faster rate.

Q Why would the single large lake erode faster than the two smaller lakes?

A If the land bridge separating the lakes disappears, storms and high tides will occur over a far greater stretch of open water. The total volume of water will also be much greater. That means the wave energy will increase significantly and will hit the shoreline with far more force. It’s a little bit like a bowl of water—the bigger the bowl, the bigger the splash.

Q And this puts the wetlands surrounding the lakes in even greater jeopardy.

A It certainly does. It puts the marshes and everything they offer into jeopardy, including cattle grazing; estuaries for our fish, crabs and shrimp; and a refuge for water-fowl, mink, otter, raccoon, muskrat, alligator and deer. There’s a lot at stake for us.

Q Is there a single cause for the rapid rate of land loss around White and Grand lakes?

A Like most environmental problems, it’s easy to see the problem—a lot more difficult to pick out a single cause. We know that much of the loss is a result of natural causes, such as a limited sediment supply, relative sea level rise and the seasonal impacts of cold fronts and tropical storms. But there are also man-made causes, such as the creation and widening of navigation channels, efforts to improve drainage in the upper Mermentau Basin and clearing of land for agriculture.

Q The control structures at Catfish Point on Grand Lake and at Schooner Bayou on White Lake have received some criticism. What purpose do they serve?

A These control structures were designed to manage the release of floodwater and reduce tidal inflow. Although the target water level is two feet mean low gulf, the levels are usually higher. Draining this area is difficult because 75 percent of the time water levels outside the subbasin are higher than they are inside. But the structures have had a positive effect on wetlands because they’ve been a barrier to saltwater intrusion.

Q Is there a downside?

A There is a downside. At times the structures contribute to high water levels because they restrict the passage of floodwater out of the area. These high water levels are detrimental to emergent plants that hold our wetlands together. Once the plants are gone, erosion is sure to follow.

Q Tommy Price, president of the Concerned Citizens of the Mermentau River Basin, has been quoted as saying that “the locks serve no real purpose except to ensure freshwater conditions for rice farming.” What’s your reaction to his statement?

A For the most part, I think the locks are a good thing. They serve as an all-important saltwater barrier, and they help control water levels. Cameron Parish serves a wide variety of interests, including farmers, fisherman, cattlemen, trappers and hunters. It’s our job to balance the water-use needs of all of these groups. I think the locks are tools that enable us to achieve that balance most of the time.

Q What do you think needs to be done on Grand and White lakes?

A A rock revetment levee needs to be placed on the original southwest shore of Grand and White lakes. It needs to be just high enough to break the waves up as they approach the shoreline. As the waves hit the rock, any sediment going through or over the rock will stay in the eroded area, creating a mud flat. Once the flat is well established, it can be planted. In addition to the levee, I think we need to construct terraces in the land bridge area.

Q Do you see any obstacles at the local level to getting this done?

A Any initiative involves change. But I’ve found that once you educate the people affected by it and make them part of the change, things tend to work out.