On Thursday, August 22, a group of new LSU students set out on an adventure to the Louisiana coast.
The reason? Bayou Adventure, a field trip designed by CC&E for LSU’s Welcome Week. The trip was specifically designed to introduce freshmen to some of the challenges and wonders of coastal Louisiana.
“The Bayou Adventure field trip provides students with a unique opportunity to learn all about Louisiana’s coastal treasures,” said Clint Willson, dean of CC&E. “The sites we visited today demonstrate not only the importance of these areas to the state and nation, but also the important work being done to preserve and conserve them.”
Willson led the trip along with Brian Snyder, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and director of the Coastal Environmental Sciences Program.
After a quick breakfast and orientation at LSU, the students first headed to the Port of New Orleans, where they learned from port officials about the port’s role in the local and national economy, as well as the importance of the Mississippi River to the economy.
After leaving port, the Bayou Adventurers traveled about fifteen miles upriver to the Davis Pond Diversion. This freshwater diversion is an important example of how Mississippi River water can be used to offset coastal land loss, as the water carries vital sediment to Barataria Bay, preventing saltwater intrusion and rebuilding wetlands. Two Army Corps of Engineers officials discussed the project and students were able to witness land building firsthand when they took an airboat excursion into the diversion.
The third stop on the route was the Bonnet Carre Spillway, a world-famous flood control structure that diverts floodwater from the Mississippi River into Lake Ponchartarain. Students learned about the significance of the structure from officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Want to know more about the trip? Visit our Facebook or Instagram page
