Emerging climate threats to the Mississippi River Delta: Moving from restoration to adaptation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-19-2024
Abstract
The Mississippi River Delta (MRD) is a global natural and economic asset and socio-economic hub with an extensive fishery, major petrochemical complexes, and the largest global commodity port. During the twentieth century, >25% of MRD coastal wetlands were lost. Climate forcings threatening the MRD include extreme precipitation, increasing river discharge, tropical cyclones, and sea-level rise exacerbated by subsidence. We outline adaptation strategies to enhance the sustainability of the MRD. These include defining defensive baselines, diverting river water into the deltaic plain, protecting the crucial river corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, strengthening protection for New Orleans, and sustaining the fishing industry. These strategies highlight potential challenges of existing “restoration” plans, which sometimes fail to address ongoing climate challenges. Management plans must be more adaptation focused. We offer suggestions for current restoration initiatives and put our findings into the context of global delta restoration.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
One Earth
First Page
558
Last Page
571
Recommended Citation
Day, J., Xu, Y., Keim, B., Brown, V., Giosan, L., Mann, M., & Stephens, J. (2024). Emerging climate threats to the Mississippi River Delta: Moving from restoration to adaptation. One Earth, 7 (4), 558-571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.03.001