2024 CSDMS meeting-048
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The Great Flood of 1927: Comparative Analysis of Historical and Current Sediment Trends
Ahmed Khalifa,
Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana, United States. akhalifa1@tulane.edu
Ehab Meselhe, Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana, United States.
Kelin Hu, Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana, United States.
John Day, Louisiana State University New Orleans Louisiana, United States.
Mead Allison, Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana, United States.
The Mississippi River is a major source of water and sediment to the Gulf of Mexico. Several restoration strategies for the eastern Louisiana coast are linked to the Mississippi River. Anthropogenic factors, e.g., locks, dams, levees, cutoffs, bank-protection, resulted in substantial change in the sediment load of the Mississippi River. In this study, we compiled historical water and sediment data from ~ 1851 through 1929 and constructed approximate historical sediment rating curves. These historical rating curves are compared to the current records at Tarbert Landing, Baton Rouge, and Belle Chasse. Further, we utilized a 2D morphodynamic model to simulate and quantify the deposition footprint of the historical Caernarvon crevasse event that occurred during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 at Breton Sound Basin, LA, USA. This comparative analysis highlighted the change in sediment supply over the past century. We also investigated the implications of this change on the land-building potential from engineered diversions. This analysis also underlined the importance of measuring in-situ fine sediment flocculation parameters due to its present uncertainty and impact on inducing deposition of clay.