Impacts of Coastal Infrastructure on Shoreline Response to Major Hurricanes in Southwest Louisiana

The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, located along the Chenier Plain in Southwest Louisiana, was location of sequential landfall two major hurricanes 2020 hurricane season. To protect rapidly retreating coastline a system breakwaters constructed, which partially completed by Multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary rapid response deployments wave gauges, piezometers, geotechnical measurements, vegetation sampling, and drone surveys were conducted before after Hurricanes Laura Delta transects Refuge; one protected breakwater natural, unprotected shoreline. Geomorphological changes similar on both Hurricane Laura, while there higher inland sediment deposition natural Floodwaters drained from transect with protection more slowly than shoreline, though topography profiles are similar, indicating potential dampening or complex hydrodynamic interactions between sediment—wetland—breakwater system. In addition, observations fluidized mud deposit Rollover Bayou Refuge presented discussed context maintenance wetland elevation stability starved Plain.