September 9, 2015 Grab a paper from the shelf and use your notes and the map below to complete.

SECTION 5: People and the Environment

1. CAUSE: Great Flood of 1927 Effects: 1. drove millions of people from their homes 2. led to the protective system that keeps the river within manmade banks until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico.

2. Who is responsible for controlling the river? Army Corps of Engineers

WHENWHYWHATHOW 1935 To protect New Orleans from flooding Concrete structure nearly 8,000 ft long an electric crane opens or closes its 350 bays. 4. Bonnet Carre Spillway

WHENWHY 1963 to prevent the Mississippi from changing course and heading to the Gulf of Mexico through the Atchafalaya 5. Old River Control Structure

6. What is happening as a result of the structures built to protect the people and property? La’s wetlands are being affected disastrously

7. Louisiana has 30 % of the U.S. Coastline but experiences 90 % of the country’s land loss.

8. Naturally, the marsh depends on rivers and water runoff to add freshwater and silt. 9. What is subsidence? The slow sinking of the coast

CAUSEEFFECT Flood Control Structures Land is shifting and sinking Removal of groundwater and oil and gas drought Oil is needed Salt water enters freshwater the amount of silt that reaches the marsh has been reduced. Underground faults Speeded up the subsidence problem Brown marsh – vegetation dies Canals are dug to get to oil (soil and vegetation removed) Kills vegetation

12. List 4 impacts of this land loss when it comes to “resources”. - roads to ports going underwater - pipelines may be getting damaged w/o wetlands - fish not being able to spawn - oil spills 11. What role does technology play in land loss? (pg 67) has also made it impossible to ignore the disappearing land

13. What important piece of land have coastal changes affected greatly? What is the importance of this land? Barrier islands; they help protect the wetlands from waves

14. How is the Army Corps looking for ways to help with this matter? Manmade, controlled crevasses Dredging will help direct the river water *Terraces may be built to protect the marsh *Vegetation is being planted in the marsh and on the barrier islands. 15. Name 2 “mistakes” made by people that are affecting our environment. - water hyacinth – spread in turn depriving fish of oxygen - nutria – eat vegetation intended to protect the freshwater marsh