Creating a System-Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP) for Coastal Louisiana Active

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The Science Issue and Relevance: The System-Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP) has been envisioned as a long-term monitoring program to ensure a comprehensive network of coastal data collection activities is in place to support the development, implementation, and adaptive management of the coastal protection and restoration program within coastal Louisiana. Monitoring plans have previously been developed for Barataria Basin and Pontchartrain Region (including Mississippi River Delta) for both the natural and human systems using an iterative process to identify the monitoring variables, objectives, and sampling design. This project aims to build upon these previous efforts by expanding the monitoring designs to the Calcasieu/Sabine, Mermentau, Teche/Vermilion, Atchafalaya, and Terrebonne basins in western coastal Louisiana.

Methodology for Addressing the Issue: We will provide technical guidance to our partners by performing power analyses and choosing appropriate sample sizes for monitoring and methods for identifying monitoring locations. This will inform the development of monitoring plans for the western coast of Louisiana. We will also serve as technical reviewers of the final report and provide feedback on the implementation of the monitoring design.

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Future Steps: The USGS will continue to support existing and newly planned monitoring programs in the state of Louisiana through our expertise in data collection, data management, analyses, and reporting.