Storms Reveal High Cost of Marsh Loss
Hurricanes Prove the Urgency
of Rebuilding Wetlands
In 2005, hurricanes Katrina and Rita dealt catastrophic blows to coastal Louisiana communities, proving the necessity of better hurricane protection.
Exposing the vulnerability of the fragile coastal environment, the storms also highlighted the wetlands’ economic importance: When damage caused by Katrina and Rita shut down 90 percent of crude oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, gasoline prices soared nationwide.
“A fifth of the U.S. crude oil supply passes through Louisiana’s wetlands, which shield pipelines, platforms and other infrastructure from hurricanes,” says Rex Caffey, director of the Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center’s Center for Natural Resource Economics and Policy.
Some 25 percent of U.S. fisheries production comes from Louisiana’s wetlands, but after the 2005 hurricane season, says Rex Caffey of the LSU AgCenter, “It’s possible that many fishing companies, particularly small operations, will never recover. We really don’t know what Louisiana’s fishing industry is going to look like after Katrina and Rita.”Hamady Diop
“It’s impossible to say what might have happened if we had already rebuilt Louisiana’s wetlands by the time Katrina hit, but the net loss of 1.2 million acres of coastal wetlands over the last century has definitely increased the vulnerability and exposure of the state’s coastal infrastructure, and thus its economy.”
Restoration Essential to Coast’s Survival
While the impact of Katrina and Rita on the petroleum industry was felt almost immediately, the storms’ effects on other industries such as fishing and agriculture might not be known for years.
The hurricanes’ high winds and flood waters wiped out crops and damaged timber in south Louisiana; saltwater intrusion may have rendered some land unsuitable for farming. Both storms caused extensive damage to the state’s commercial and recreational fishing industries, destroying boats, marinas, equipment and processing facilities and ravaging the marshes and barrier islands that provide habitat for oysters, shrimp, fish and other aquatic species.
Cows crowd the porch of a Louisiana house, seeking to escape the rising water. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita flooded pastures across southern Louisiana, killing thousands of cattle and causing nearly $46 million in livestock and property losses to Louisiana’s cattle and dairy industries.
“Our state’s future depends on creating a system that treats coastal restoration and hurricane protection structures as equals,” says Scott Angelle, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. “It can’t be one or the other — we need both.”
As scientists and policy makers seek ways to protect coastal communities and industries from future hurricanes, they look to the marshes and barrier islands that form the coast’s first line of hurricane defense.
“We’ve known for many years that vegetated wetlands reduce the tides, waves and storm surges that reach our levee system,” says Colonel Richard P. Wagenaar of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Chairman of the Breaux Act Task Force. “Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left no doubt that coastal wetland restoration must be a central component of any hurricane protection plan.”
| Hurricanes Deal Heavy Blow to Louisiana Economy | |
| INDUSTRY | ESTIMATED LOSS of REVENUE |
|---|---|
| Forestry | $839,933,224.00 |
| Agronomic Crops | $357,854,629.00 |
| Fruits/Nuts/Vegetables/Honey | $41,951,686.00 |
| Livestock and Forage | $75,580,644.00 |
| Aquaculture | $58,330,115.00 |
| Fisheries | $176,280,625.00 |
| Wildlife/Recreational | $40,803,977.00 |
| Total Estimated Revenue Loss | $1,590,734,900.00 |