RESTORE Sponsored Research Project: The central role of the Mississippi River and its delta in the oceanography and ecology of the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem

This project investigated the influence of the Mississippi River and its delta on the oceanography, ecology, and economy of the Gulf of Mexico; identified gaps in data collection, model availability and model integration that would allow managers to better sustainably manage and monitor the Gulf´s natural resources; evaluated the role of extreme events and potential climate change impacts on the oceanography, ecology and economy of the Gulf of Mexico; and disseminated the results of this work. The investigators also compiled historical outputs from physical oceanographic models to provide an overview of the Gulf of Mexico and the role of riverine and deltaic forcings. The environmental drivers that the investigators examined include variability in magnitude of Mississippi River discharge, changes in the direction of river plume, variability in coastal currents, extreme weather events (cold fronts and hurricanes), and nutrient and carbon loadings.

While it is well known that the Mississippi River is the largest source of freshwater, nutrients and sediments to the Gulf of Mexico, and that its delta is a major habitat for ecologically and economically important species, many elements of river/delta/ocean interaction are still poorly understood. Investigators will identify where additional data collection and computer modeling can help resource managers better understand the Mississippi River and its impacts to the Gulf.

This project was led by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, the Environmental Defense Fund, Tulane University, and the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab.

This project was funded by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) RESTORE Science Program under award NA15NOS4510229 to the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and award NA15NOS4510231 to the National Wildlife Federation.

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This project investigated the influence of the Mississippi River and its delta on the oceanography, ecology, and economy of the Gulf of Mexico; identified gaps in data collection, model availability and model integration that would allow managers to better sustainably manage and monitor the Gulf´s natural resources; evaluated the role of extreme events and potential climate change impacts on the oceanography, ecology and economy of the Gulf of Mexico; and disseminated the results of this work.