A Review of 50 Years of Study of Hydrology, Wetland Dynamics, Aquatic Metabolism, Water Quality and Trophic Status, and Nutrient Biogeochemistry in the Barataria Basin, Mississippi Delta—System Functioning, Human Impacts and Restoration Approaches

Here we review an extensive series of studies Barataria Basin, economically and ecologically important coastal basin the Mississippi Delta. Human activity has greatly altered hydrology by decreasing riverine inflows from leveeing river its distributaries, increasing runoff with high nutrient concentrations agricultural fields, channelization wetlands interior that flow paths to often bypass wetlands. This resulted in degraded water quality upper wetland loss lower basin. Trophic state analysis found be eutrophic mesotrophic. Gross aquatic primary production (GAPP) was highest basin, lowest mid intermediate Forested have over past several decades due increased periods flooding, while there been massive emergent levels pervasive alteration hydrology. Restoration will entail reconnection waterways surrounding implementation sediment diversions, marsh creation using dredged sediments barrier island restoration. Findings this are discussed terms functioning deltas globally.