Marine Debris Mapping in Louisiana

Updated Maps Available of Gulf of Mexico Surveying Efforts

Aug 11, 2008

The 2005 storm season left huge amounts of wreckage behind for waterfront residents living along the Gulf of Mexico that is hazardous to navigation and wildlife.

In recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the commercial fishing vessels, mobile homes, automobiles, and the remains of oil industry facilities that lie scattered and submerged throughout the region need to be identified and removed.

United States Coast Guard (USCG) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) teams joined forces to survey and map the locations of marine debris that could be hazardous to commercial fishermen, recreational boaters, and wildlife. The effort has been dubbed the Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Project. A project website has been put online to provide information on hydrologic survey data, locations of material deposited in waterways, and photographs of the submerged debris.

In announcing the rollout of the debris mapping web site, Project Manager Nir Barnea says, "A user can click on a surveyed offshore area and download maps displaying sonar targets. Likewise, a user may click on the name of a Parish, then click on a specific waterway, and view maps and photos provided by the U.S. Coast Guard. A local user can obtain information on specific waterways, view debris location and photos, and be informed of potential boating hazards. A casual, non-local user gains a snapshot of the environment in Louisiana, the work being conducted, and the impact that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are still having on daily activities."

Debris Mapping Project Description

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left huge amounts of wreckage behind in the 2005 hurricane season. Surveys of submerged marine debris by NOAA begin along the Gulf Coast in the fall of 2006 and focused on South Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana in April of 2008. Initial NOAA Office of Coast Survey work with side-scan sonar found more than 5,000 submerged objects that could be hazardous to navigation. The USCG, in concert with the State of Louisiana, is responsible removing marine debris from inland and coastal waterways, and shares its survey data with NOAA in support of the marine debris mapping web site.

Once an object is identified, additional information may be collected on it using multi-beam sonar technology. Those pieces of marine debris that are potentially hazardous to vessels are labeled as a "Danger to Navigation" (DTON) and posted to the debris mapping project web site.

A host of public agencies are working together to clean up the waterways of Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states. Survey efforts by the USCG, NOAA, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Louisiana Department of Natural Resources are used in the debris mapping project and results are used to prioritize debris removal efforts. Information is being added to the project web site daily and the effort will greatly benefit those living on the waterfront in the wake of the 2005 storms.

The copyright of the article Marine Debris Mapping in Louisiana in Boating & Sailing is owned by Alan Sorum. Permission to republish Marine Debris Mapping in Louisiana in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.