L A R G E S C A L E N U T R I E N T , W E T L A N D V E G E T A T I O N A N D M O R P H O D Y N A M I C

M O D E L I N G O F T H E L O W E R M I S S I S S I P P I D E L T A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G

R E C E I V I N G B A S I N S

Ehab Meselhe1 and Johannes Smits2

1The Water Institute of the Gulf 2Deltares

Lower Breton

Mid-Breton

Lower Barataria

Mid-Barataria

Sediment Diversions

CRMS sites

Source: CRMS

P O T E N T I A L S E D I M E N T D I V E R S I O N S

Likely flow conditions: • ~35-75,000 CFS (~ 1,000-2,100 CMS)

P R O J E C T G O A L S

Gather field observations to improve understanding of the estuarine dynamics and to validate the numerical model

Produce a validated Ecological and Morphodynamic numerical model

Use the model to analyze the final array of restoration activities

M O D E L I N G A P P R O A C H

Hydrodynamics

Morphodynamics Nutrient Dynamics

Integration of Nutrient and Morphodynamic Modules to perform production runs

Vegetation

Delft3D-WAQ

M O D E L I N G A P P R O A C H D I A G R A M

Delft3D-FLOW

Nutr. Light Phytop. Org. Mat. Veg.

Veg. changes Fine sediment deposition Soil strength/surface drag

LAVegMod

EwE / CASM 5

Data Input: Atm, GOM, MR Data Input: Atm, GOM, MR

Chl. a

Water Column

Soil/Sediment Bed

Water depth Temperature Salinity Turbidity

Flow field Hydro. Morph. Susp. Sed.

Processes Processes

(sand, silt and clay)

E S S E N T I A L D E L F T 3 D M O D E L O U T P U T

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Hydrodynamics (2D throughout estuary)

Water Quality Vegetation/Soils Sediment

Water-level Velocity Salinity Water temperature

Nitrogen (PON, DON, NH4, NO3) Phosphorus (POP, DOP, PO4) Silicate (SiO2) water column and soil layers separately

Chlorophyll a Dissolved Oxygen Suspended sediment – fines

Coverage of 7 species – distribution Above and below ground biomass

Suspended sediment – change in bed elevation due to accumulation or erosion % diversion sediment retained (estimated in post processing)

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D ATA C O L L E C T I O N

Bathymetry and Elevation

Continuous

Splay Evolution

Estuarine Open Water

Wetland Soils and Vegetation

Sediment Diversion Initial Conditions

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Bathymetry and Elevation

Continuous Deployment in Barataria and Breton:

• 10 YSIs (at Hydrological Water Quality Stations)

• 2 LISST (at Hydrodynamics/Sediment Transport/Ecological Stations (HSTE))

• 2 Aquadops (at HSTE Stations)

• 2 Meteorological stations (1 in each basin, at HSTE Stations 1,2)

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Continuous

C O N T I N U O U S + T R A N S E C T S I T E S

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Caernarvon Outfall and Big Mar Case Study

Splay Evolution

Data collection in Barataria and Breton basins along a salinity gradient (transect):

15 sites in Barataria Bay estuary

11 sites in Breton Sound estuary

Estuarine Open Water Parameters

During June and August 2014, at each site:

Secchi disk depth

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV, +/-); % cover

Water column profile (salinity, temperature, depth, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a and turbidity with YSI EXO2 water quality sonde and suspended sediment with LISST)

Dissolved inorganic nutrients (NH4, NO2+NO3, PO4, SiO4, TN, TP)

Phytoplankton community composition (major groups, HABs)

Chlorophyll a

Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC)

Total Suspended Sediments (TSS)

Sediment TOC, % water content (4 slices: 1 cm, then every 5 cm)

Sediment Total Nutrients (TN, TP, TC, TFe)

Estuarine Open Water Sampling

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E S T U A R I N E O P E N W A T E R T R A N S E C T

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P H O T O S - B R E T O N A N D B A R ATA R I A

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Data collection in Barataria and Breton basins:

Wetland Parameters

End of growing season 2014 (1 data collection trip per basin).

Followed CRMS protocol.

Soil porewater nutrients (NH4, NO2+NO3, PO4, TN, TP)

Soil porewater salinity

Vegetation aboveground biomass (live, dead), taxa, density, height; tissue TN/TP content; stem diameter; height

Vegetation belowground biomass (live, dead) and tissue TN/TP content

Soil organic matter (LOI) and bulk density

Soil TOC, TN, TP, TFe

Soil shear strength

Wetland Vegetation and Soil Sampling

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W E T L A N D S A M P L I N G

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S A M P L I N G W E T L A N D S V E G E TAT I O N A N D S O I L

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A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S - F U N D I N G

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State of Louisiana Coastal and Protection Restoration Authority

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S - T E A M M E M B E R S

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The Water Institute of the Gulf

Melissa Baustian

Ehab Meselhe

Mead Allison

Hoon Jung

Ashok Khadka

Leland Moss

Cyndhia Ramatchandirane

Dallon Weathers

Ann Hijuelos

Tim Carruthers

Denise Reed

Deltares

Johannes Smits

Valesca Harezlak

Bas Van Maren

Michel Jeuken

UL Lafayette Team Scott Duke-Sylvester Jenneke Visser LSU Team Samuel Bentley Kehui (Kevin) Xu

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@TheH2OInstitute

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