36 W hen it rains in your community, how does the water move? How do leaves and other materials that gather at the drains affect how the water moves? What could you do to help your street drain better? These are basic examples of how a hydrologist thinks. Hydrology is the study of water movement. Hydrologic restoration is a restoration strategy that aims to restore the natural hydrologic patterns of a watershed by redirecting freshwater to areas that have been cut off and/or by preventing saltwater intrusion. Hydrologic restoration enhances water quality, helps prevent flooding, supports the growth and health of native flora and fauna, and promotes the sustainable use of water resources. Water Quality Water quality is directly linked to wetland health. Less contaminants in the water means a healthier ecosystem, and the healthier the marsh ecosystem, the more it can protect us from hurricanes and storm surge. There are many different ways to measure water quality. Some measurements are taken directly through water sampling, while others are measured from aerial imagery captured by drones or satellites. Some of the more common characteristics of water quality are salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, acidity (pH), and turbidity (the amount of sediment suspended in the water). Our coastline was once directly connected to the Mississippi River by natural distributaries and bayous that fed into the marsh. Natural water levels in the marsh would fluctuate just as the river did, mostly seasonally. In some areas, indigenous communites lived with the changing water levels by building mounds. This way, they were high enough during higher water levels to remain dry. However, when Europeans moved into the region, the approach was different. Instead of living in harmony with nature, nature was modified to accommodate the needs and safety of the settlement. Many grew weary of constant flooding, whether of homes or crops, so bayous were cut off from the river to prevent flooding. While staying nice and dry is a great solution for people, starving the marsh of sediment and freshwater has caused a lot of degradation along the coast. This has allowed saltwater to intrude into the marsh, furthering the breakdown. Temperature and dissolved oxygen are important components of water quality. Each organism that lives in the water column has its own optimal range for thriving, but we can make some generalizations. Aquatic organisms tend to be cold-blooded, meaning their internal temperature matches the water temperature. In addition, warm water doesn’t hold dissolved gasses, such as oxygen, as well as cold water. The warmer the water becomes, the more difficult it becomes for many organisms like fish, crustaceans, and plants to survive in. However, bacteria and other microorganisms thrive in warm waters, making additional complications for the aquatic organisms that might suffer from MONROE SHREVEPORT ALEXANDRIA BATON ROUGE LAFAYETTE NEW IBERIA LAKE CHARLES NEW ORLEANS coastal Engineering
