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1. Home
2. About
3. NOS Fiscal Year 2021: Year in Review
4. Hurricane Ida

**Hurricane Ida** NOS Fiscal Year 2021 Year in Review *Hurricane Ida made landfall as Category 4 hurricane in Lafourche Parish near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 150 mph (241 kph) and a minimum air pressure of 930 millibars. Landfall occurred at 11:55 a.m. on August 29, 2021. The storm caused catastrophic damage from wind and storm surge, particularly in lower Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. The damage spread well inland, across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi as the storm remained at hurricane strength into southwest Mississippi near McComb.*  Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS)  CO-OPS Provides Crucial Water Level Information During Ida  Screenshot of the Coastal Inundation Dashboard.*The Coastal Inundation Dashboard shows elevated water levels at locations along the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Ida makes landfall.*
  During Hurricane Ida, the water level station  at Pilots Station East, Louisiana, recorded water levels  1.2 meters (3.9 feet) above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW),   the second-highest water level recorded there behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  As Ida swept north, the water level station at Newbold, Pennsylvania, detected record high water levels at 1.47 meters (4.8 feet) above MHHW, exceeding levels during Hurricane  Sandy by almost 0.3  meters (1 foot). Many other water level stations from  Louisiana to Florida observed peak water levels 0.6-1.2 meters (2-3.9 feet) above MHHW. The First Street Wharf current meter in New Orleans captured storm surge that briefly caused the  Mississippi River to flow in reverse.  National Geodetic Survey (NGS)  NGS Collects Emergency Response Imagery After Ida From August 30 to  September 2, 2021, NGS collected aerial  images in the  aftermath  of Hurricane Ida. The crew flew over  3,090 square kilometers (1,193 square miles) during 17.1 hours  and collected 8,443  images. NOAA collected imagery in specific areas as assigned  by  the Federal Emergency  Management Agency in coordination with the impacted states and other  federal agencies.  NOAA's aerial imagery aids safe navigation and captures damage to coastal areas  caused by a storm.  Aerial imagery is a crucial tool used to determine the extent of the damage  inflicted  by flooding, and to  compare baseline coastal areas to assess the damage to major ports and  waterways,  coastlines, critical  infrastructure, and coastal communities. This imagery provides a cost-effective  way to better understand the  damage sustained to both property and the environment.  Aerial image of Hurricane Ida damage over Grand Isle, Louisiana.*Aerial image of Hurricane Ida damage over Grand Isle, Louisiana.*  Office of Coast Survey (OCS)  OCS Mobilizes Emergency Response to Hurricane Ida OCS staged teams and moved assets to survey  entrance channels and ports in Louisiana n the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.  Regional navigation managers fielded survey requests and coordinated with port  directors and the Army Corps of Engineers. Navigation response  teams mobilized and surveyed areas in Port Fourchon, and the ports  of Morgan City and Houma-Terrebonne, Louisiana. OCS’s Hydrographic Services Division executed  a contract to survey the deepwater approaches to these ports. Port Fourchon  currently services over 90% of the Gulf of Mexico’s deepwater oil production  and plays a strategic role in furnishing the U.S. with approximately 18% of its  entire oil supply. The port was hit hard by the hurricane; these surveys helped safely reopen the port as quickly as possible.****  Picture of individuals from Navigation Response Team-Stennis.*Navigation Response Team-Stennis responds to Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. From left to right: Lt. Cmdr. John Kidd, Josh Hiteshew, Maurice Mitchell, Josh Bergeron, Alex Ligon, and Ensign Collin McMillian.*  Graphic, titled 'Hurricane Ida Response,' that shows four numbers representing the number of miles surveyed and obstructions found by NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey.*Following Hurricane Ida in Southeast Louisiana, OCS helped speed up the reopening of vital ports by assisting with channel surveys and multibeam surveys of the ports.*  Picture taken from a Navigation Response Team boat showing a ship that broke away from its moorings.*Navigation Response Team-Stennis surveys a section of the Houma Navigation Canal in Louisiana a day after Hurricane Ida made landfall. This image shows last of a long line of ships that broke away from their moorings and drifted down the waterway during the hurricane. The stern of the ship is protruding into the channel.*  Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R)  OR&R Provides Support for Pollution, Marine Debris, Damage Assessment In the wake of Hurricane Ida, OR&R  coordinated NOAA’s support for federal and state agencies in the areas of  pollution, marine debris, and damage assessment. OR&R’s spatial data  experts used the Environmental  Response Management Application (ERMA) as a common operating picture to  analyze satellite imagery to locate displaced vessels and potential hazardous  substance releases. ERMA displayed data from two larger spills, as well as over  2,500 pollution threats. The application saw a  nearly 80% increase in use in the wake of  Hurricane Ida, with over 200 data layers uploaded, and it was still in use as of this writing to guide  cleanup, restoration, and marine debris removal efforts in Louisiana. OR&R provided support to the  Hurricane Ida Debris Task Force to help address the estimated 10.7 million cubic meters (14 million cubic  yards) of marine debris caused by Ida. NOAA also provided guidance documents on  best practices for marine debris response and removal to local parish and  municipal governments. OR&R also provided incident  coordination across the National Ocean Service. In advance of the storm, the  NOAA Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center opened its doors for operational  support to NGS and OCS.  View of vessels damaged by Hurricane Ida.*View of vessels damaged by Hurricane Ida.*
 Office **Highlights** Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) National Geodetic Survey (NGS) Office of Coast Survey (OCS) Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R)
  NOS **Accomplishments** NOS by the Numbers 2021  Browse by Hurricane: General Hurricane Accomplishments Hurricane Ida  Browse by Office: Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services Coral Reef Conservation Program U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science National Geodetic Survey NOS Management and Budget NOS Information Management Office for Coastal Management Office of Coast Survey Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Office of Response and Restoration   **Search** Our facts    Get **Social** Social
  **Last updated:** 07/22/22 **Author:** NOAA How to cite this article Contact Us


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