Bayou Adventure: Incoming Freshmen get a tour of Louisiana's coast

On Thursday, August 22, a group of incoming LSU students set off on an adventure to Louisiana’s coast.

The reason? Bayou Adventure, a trip created by CC&E for LSU’s Welcome Week. The trip was designed specifically to educate incoming freshman about some of the challenges and marvels of the Louisiana coastline.

“The Bayou Adventure trip offers students a unique opportunity to learn all about Louisiana’s coastal riches,” said Clint Willson, dean of CC&E. “The sites we visited today showcase not only the significance of these areas to the state and nation, but the important work that is being done to sustain and preserve them.”

Willson led the trip, along with Department of Environmental Sciences Associate Professor Brian Snyder, who is the director of the Coastal Environmental Science program.

After a brief breakfast and orientation at LSU, the student embarked first for the Port of New Orleans, where they heard from port officials about the role the port plays in the local and national economy, and also the significance of the Mississippi River to the economy.

After leaving port, the Bayou Adventurers journeyed about fifteen miles upstream to the Davis Pond Diversion. This freshwater diversion is an important example of how Mississippi River water can be used address coastal land loss, as the waters carry vital sediments into Barataria Bay, pushing back saltwater intrusion and rebuilding wetlands. Two officials from the Army Corps of Engineers discussed the project and students got to witness the land-building first-hand as they took an airboat excursion out into the diversion.

The third stop on the route was the Bonnet Carre Spillway, a world-famous flood control structure that allows floodwaters from the Mississippi River into Lake Ponchartarain. Students heard about the structure’s significance from officials with US Army Corps of Engineers.

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