Re-engineering the Mississippi Delta: A Fresh look at Upriver Diversions

On this episode, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham turn their attention to the dynamic Louisiana coast and the struggle to protect the City of New Orleans from Mississippi River floods. Joining the show is EDF's Dr. Devyani Kar to share new research that shows how upriver river diversions can restore vital wetlands and reduce the impacts of Bonnet Carré Spillway openings, the current flood control measure (operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. Then, we discuss how Louisiana stacks up against other state coastal restoration programs and why Louisiana's program is forging the way forward. We close our discussion with Dr. Kar with another project she is working on to harnessing nature-based solutions to reduce Gulf Coast flood and chemical exposure risk in Galveston Bay, particularly from petrochemical complexes.