**U.S. Geological Survey**

**National Wetlands Research Center**

**Lafayette, LA**

**National Resources Conservation Services Assessment**

**Hurricane Katrina Flight: September 1, 2005 and September 7, 2005**

**Background:**

Ron Boustany, NRCS, accompanied USGS, NPS and FWS personnel on this USGS
flight of two aircraft. These observations will likely be superseded by
Ron's more detailed assessment.

Raccoon island Photos 5, 6, 7

Raccoon Island was virtually unaffected, aside from some beach and dune
loss behind breakwater 0, 1, 2, an 3. There was one small overwash on
the unvegetated western end of the island. Numerous brown pelican
nestlings were still in their nests. Note: These observations and
photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

Central Isles Derniers Photos 8, 9, 10

Most of these small islands exhibited some minor overwash and erosion.
Note: These observations and photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

Timbalier Island Photos 11, 12

Progressing from west to east, the western end of Timbalier Island had
the first significant evidence of impact from the hurricane.
Well-defined wrack lines and wide overwashes were apparent. Erosion on
the beach side and east end of the island was also evident. Note: These
observations and photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

East Timbalier Island Photos 13, 14, 15

East Timbalier, though somewhat closer to the storm than Timbalier, was
impacted to a similar degree with erosion and overwashes. Note: These
observations and photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

Port Fourchon Photo 16

The Gulf side of the Port Fourchon vicinity was severely eroded with the
small, internal tidal ponds east of Bayou Lafourche now continuous with
the Gulf. Abundant wrack was washed into the mangrove. Addionally,
significant amounts of oil were observed drifting in the interior
canals, tidal creeks, and ponds. Note: These observations and
photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

Grand Isle Photos 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

The west end of Grand Isle was severely eroded and also received several
acres of wrack and housing debris. The sand berm on the south of the
island is eroded away in many places. The rock barriers placed along the
north side of the island seem to have protected much of that shoreline
from significant erosion. Note: These observations and photographs were
taken on 08/30/2005.

Grand Terre Island. Photos 1,2,3,4

The CWPPRA restoration site on the eastern end of the island seems
largely unaffected, though most of the island's shore was eroded and
some overwash erosion also occurred on the eastern end of the island.

Note: These observations and photographs were taken on 08/30/2005.

Davis Pond CWPPRA Photos 24, 25, 26

The structure appeared intact. There was no overwash of the structure.
However, a significant amount of debris had accumulated on and about the
structure on the river side.

Caernarvon CWPPRA (Photos unavailable for this report)

The structure appeared intact and there was no overwash of the
structure. The search for water management control structures in the
marsh revealed that most were unlocatable. The marsh often appeared as
though scraped of surface vegetation, occasionally for hundreds of
yards. The water is still above the marsh and extremely turbid. There is
considerable debris throughout the marsh, both natural and
anthropogenic.

Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) Photos

The levee along the west side of the MRGO was repeatedly breached and
severely eroded over much of it's length. Overwash debris is scattered
for hundreds of yards inland.

Fritchie Marsh CWPPRA

Large amounts of housing material, numerous small craft and
anthropogenic debris is scattered within Fritchie Marsh. Freshwater
species of plants appear salt-damaged.

Fritchie Marsh Control Area CWPPRA

As with Firitchie Marsh, the control area has abundant household and
other anthropogenic debris scattered about. Freshwater vegetation
appears severely stressed or dead.

Abundant photography was taken of these specific areas of interest to
NRCS (as well as any other area photographed along the flight line
indicated previously) and is available for distribution.

**Personnel:**

Tommy Michot and Chris Wells (USGS), Fred Roetker (FWS), Martha Segura
(NPS), Ron Boustany (NRCS).

**Route of flight:**

Lafayette, Jean Lafitte NP Barataria Unit, Davis Pond CWPPRA, New
Orleans, Chalmette Battlefield, Caernarvon CWPPRA, St Bernard Parish,
Gulf Islands National Seashore (Cat Island, W Ship Island, East Ship
Island, Horn Island, Petit Bois Island) to Mobile. Return flight
Sandhill Crane NWR, Ocean Springs, Gulfport, Biloxi, Long Beach, Pass
Christian, Bay St Louis, Waveland, Pearl River estuary, Fritchie Marsh
CWPPRA, Big Branch NWR thence to Lafayette.

Abundant photography was taken of these NRCS areas and is available for
distribution.

Contacts: USGS National Wetlands Research Center

700 Cajundome Boulevard

Lafayette, LA 70506

Dr. Greg Smith, Director

Office: 337/266-8501

Fax: 337/266-8610

Cell: 337/296-1751

Dr. Tommy Michot

Office: 337/266-8664

Cell: 337/278-1599

Chris Wells

Office: 337/266-8651

Cell: 337/288-0737