Sediment Data for Samples Collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from Coastal Louisiana

This data release serves as an archive of sediment data collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from coastal Louisiana. In 2015 and 2016, sediment grab samples (N=874) were collected coast-wide along shore-perpendicular transects that included back-barrier, emergent (beach and barrier island), shoreface, and nearshore environments. Sample locations were selected to re-occupy as closely as possible locations previously sampled in 2008 (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] Open-File Report 2013-1083). The 2008 and 2015-2016 datasets were collected under the Barrier Island Coastal Monitoring (BICM) program, which is an ongoing collaboration between the State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the University of New Orleans (UNO), and the USGS. In 2017, additional grab samples (N=77) were collected along transects from West Belle Pass to Caminada Pass as part of the CPRA Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project (CPRA project BA-0045).

The 2015, 2016, and 2017 sediment samples were collected by personnel from UNO-PIES and provided to the USGS St. Petersburg and Coastal Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) sediment laboratory. Textural characteristics were analyzed using a Coulter LS 200 particle-size analyzer. Following SPCMSC data management and archiving protocols, the samples were assigned a USGS field activity number (FAN) 2015-301-CNT.