WaterMarks Maps Wetlands Overview FAQ's Willful Winds Caring for. . . Data collected by the sensors at the base of the platform are relayed via satellite to DNR in Baton Rouge. While the end of a project s construction is some-thing to celebrate, it s just the beginning of one of the most important parts of the project monitoring.
Some projects actually build a base for new wetlands with dredged material and plantings.
Once the base is created, other plants and animals will inhabit the new wetland. Other projects create better conditions for wetlands to flourish on their own. Measuring the course of that natural progress is the goal of project monitoring a process made much easier with the advent of new technology. Teamed with the U.S. Geological Survey, DNR is responsible for monitoring water quality and other hydrologic aspects of Breaux Act projects. According to Kirk Rhinehart, program supervisor for DNR s Database Analysis Section, the department currently maintains 11 real-time data collection platforms in the Louisiana coastal zone.