Graveline Bayou, MS - Analysis of Marsh Elevations and Habitat Restoration Needs

To assess habitat restoration needs Geoscience Consultants was hired to examine marsh substrate elevation differences caused by the existence of a causeway running across the bayou. The reduced flow inland of the causeway may have limited natural accretion thus limiting the ability of the marsh substrate to maintain equilibrium with the optimum growth conditions. To examine the potential changes to the environment, a commonly used model – Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model– was run with recent lidar data. The outputs were used to analyze differences in marsh evolution on both sides of the previous location of the causeway under low levels of sea level rise.

Lidar DEM with affected area in red

SLAMM run for 2020 based on low Sea Level Rise Scenario in the affected area