River water also helped to reduce marsh salinity and provide nutrients, and its loss has resulted in the breakup and dispersal of large amounts of nutrient-starved marshlands. Canal dredging has had one of the most dramatic effects on wetland growth and regeneration. In addition to directly destroying marshes in the path of the canal, the plants are unable to recolonize, and thus the marsh is unable to regenerate itself. Once canals are dredged, most grow larger as the sustainable areas of marsh subsequently decrease. Created in the 1960 s to facilitate the passage of ships to the Gulf of Mexico, the canal destroyed over 23,000 acres of wetland .
Eutrophication is another major problem facing Louisiana s wetlands.
Caused by chemical and industrial pollutants, human waste and agricultural runoff, eutrophication literally means overnourishing. The excess chemicals present cause the wetland plants to die, breaking the marsh apart. In addition to these more indirect effects, human effect the wetlands by draining and filling them, destroying them for commercial use, and dumping pollutants directly into them. Fortunately, many have realized the plight of the wetlands and have mobilized against further destruction. Many preventative measures and replacement strategies have been conceived and implemented.