Southern Miss forms team to study effect of Bonnet Carré Spillway
The University of Southern Mississippi is forming a team from its School of Ocean Science and Engineering to study the effects of the Bonnet Carré Spillway – being diverted into Mississippi Coastal Waters.
The Bonnet Carré Spillway provides a protective flood-control barrier to New Orleans, diverting the excess waters from the Mississippi River on the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Because of the mixing of fresh and saltwater in this situation, concern has grown as researchers have noticed a decline in oyster populations.
According to the Department of Marine Resources, when oysters are exposed to low salinities caused by this mixing the population declines.
MDMR has performed extensive research showing the disappearance of oyster populations during each spillway opening.
Two School of Ocean Science and Engineering professors created a model in 2019, recently expanding it to include both Lakes Maurepas and Pontchatrain and added the spillway as a mixing structure.
The team is hoping to provide government agencies with spillway operations recommendations that can contribute to saving and maintaining coastal oyster beds.
