References

Aslan, A., Autin, W. J., & Blum, M. D. (2005). Causes of river avulsion: Insights from the late holocene avulsion history of the mississippi river, U.S.A. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 75(4), 650-664.
This article brings our attention to the very first cause of the loss of wetlands -- the flat flood planes on the Mississippi coast. The flat flood planes allowed the Atchafalaya River to capture the Mississippi long ago in history. However, humans have decided to tame the Mississippi and have it fixed in its course. The flood planes would have allowed the Mississippi to flush most of its current down the Atchafalaya. The flat flood planes and the splitting of the rivers are two of the most important aspects we should consider when attempting to resolve the Mississippi flood problems when hurricanes hit.

Burdeau, C. (2006, 3 April 2006). Geologic gaults cause structures in new orleans to sink, study says. [Electronic version]. The Washington Post, pp. A06-A06.
Burdeau reports that the Michoud Fault, which underlies upper New Orleans, is a risk to sink the whole of New Orleans. This article is based on the study of Dokka, and the fault has a downward movement which is causing the majority of subsidence in upper New Orleans. When controlling and monitoring subsidence in New Orleans, our team needs to take into consideration the fault. The primary thing to do would be to control the fault. We will want to predict the activities of the fault, how the activities will influence the soil compaction in the future. We hope to find a pattern between the frequency and strength of the seismic activities, and subsidence rates.

Cahoon, D. R., Lynch, J. C., Hensel, P., Boumans, R., Perez, B. C., & Segura, B., et al. (2002). High-precision measurements of wetland sediment elevation: I. recent improvements to the sedimentation-erosion table. [Electronic version]. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 72(1; 5), 730-733. Retrieved September 15, 2006,
This document describes the new and improved method of measuring small changes in elevation of loose sediments in shallow water and mudflat habitats. This new method, named the surface elevation table, a 95% confidence limit per pin measurement, reducing half of the error with high precision. An understanding of such mechanisms of measurement allows researchers to make further observations about monitoring and modifying the investigated land. The method hereby described also provides some insight to the kind of measurements and data that researchers should be taking in the New Orleans area. Researchers can also look to this method for reference when inventing a new method to measure wetland loss; modifications can be made based on some of the descriptions in this document.

Campanella, R. (2006). A proposed reconstruction methodology for new orleans. [Electronic version]. Journal of Architectural Education, 60(1), 12-13.
The author clearly outlines important aspects in rebuilding New Orleans, some of which our team did not think about yet. He lays out clearly the costs, social considerations, and reasons why some of the areas should, or should not, be rebuilt. Although our goal is not limited to just rebuilding New Orleans, we need to consider the cost and benefits of rebuilding the different regions of the delta. We also need to refer to his outline of considerations when planning future monitoring. Overall, we need this article as a reference of planning and outlining our plans.

Closson, D. (2005). Structural control of sinkholes and subsidence hazards along the jordanian dead sea coast. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY -BERLIN-, 47(2), 290-301. from Recent References Related to Natural Sciences database.
The Jordanian dead sea coast experience a similar situation in terms of subsidence as New Orleans and the majority of the Mississippi Delta. Such subsidence has also cost the Middle Eastern population millions of dollars. This document compiles observations based not only on research, but also on aerial photographs and satellite monitoring of the area in the past four decades. Since this monitoring method has somewhat successfully helped to place the population of Jordan out of dangerous subsiding areas, this document can provide good hints on how we might monitor the subsidence in the Mississippi River delta.

Dixon, T. H., Amelung, F., Ferretti, A., Novali, F., Rocca, F., & Dokka, R., et al. (2006). Space geodesy: Subsidence and flooding in new orleans. Nature, 441(7093), 587-588. from Meteorological & Geoastrophysical Abstracts database.
These new maps of New Orleans show the level of subsidence in the area for the three years before Hurricane Katrina. The maps show especially heavy subsidence in those three years which directly contributed to the damage New Orleans experienced during Katrina. A look at these data suggests that the failed levees are not all that is to blame. From these data, we will research more on the reason of the increased subsidence. We will also search for methods to slow down, if not completely reverse, this course of severe subsidence.

Ellwood, B. B., Balsam, W. L., & Roberts, H. H. (2006). Gulf of mexico sediment sources and sediment transport trends from magnetic susceptibility measurements of surface samples. Marine Geology, 230(3-4), 237-248. from GeoRef database.
This study uses various magnetic properties of soils to determine the types of soils present in the sediment of the Gulf of Mexico. The results show two things: 1. the soil types can tell us which rivers are the major contributors of sediment to the current Gulf coast; 2. soil ingredient and qualities affect the rate of soil compaction, subsidence, and rate of erosion. These data allow more specific research on how to monitor and prevent the loss of these specific soil types.

Finkl, C. W., Khalil, S. M., Andrews, J., Keehn, S., & Benedet, L. (2006, Fluvial sand sources for barrier island restoration in louisiana: Geotechnical investigations in the mississippi river. [Electronic version]. JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH, 22(4) 773-787. Retrieved 15 September 2006,
The author proposes to restore the eroded wetland of the Mississippi River delta by borrowing soil and sand from several other locations near the delta. The document provides us with very detailed location of the possible soil borrowing sites and some useful observations about those locations. The document also includes a close evaluation of the plausibility of this project. This document gives us one of many possible answers to the problem of subsidence in the delta. It also reminds and helps us to look at infrastructures such as oil and gas production, businesses, and the risks that the borrowing sites may receive.

Fischetti, M. (2001). Drowning new orleans. Scientific American, 285(4), 76-85. from Risk Abstracts database.
Although our team focuses on monitoring the geology and subsidence of the Mississippi Delta, and New Orleans in particular, we are reminded of the rising sea level by this document. Although Fischetti is rather opinionated, his writing gives us good insight into the naked severity of the subsidence in New Orleans. The essay also makes observations about subsiding areas worldwide, comparing the consequences of subsidence and soil compaction in the various areas. One of our goal is to also resolve the subsidence problem world wide, so we need to be able to see and compare between other areas in the world with severe subsidence.

Flocks, J. G., Ferina, N. F., Dreher, C., Kindinger, J. L., FitzGerald, D. M., & Kulp, M. A. (2006). High-resolution stratigraphy of a mississippi subdelta-lobe progradation in the barataria bight, north-central gulf of mexico. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 76(3-4), 429-443. from Geobase database.
This report looks at another part of the Mississippi delta -- Barataria Bay, which is also undergoing major soil erosion. The researchers are building a model of the shallow subsurface, which provides a high resolution picture of the land. Since New Orleans is similarly built by fluvial sediments, the Barataria Bay model can give great implications on what to do to New Orleans. The model can also produce very accurate data on the geology of the area. Such model is flexible and its results can be applied to our area of concern, and possibly other subsiding areas in the world.

Kulp, M., Fitzgerald, D., & Penland, S. (2005). Sand-rich lithosomes of the holocene mississippi river delta plain; river deltas; concepts, models, and examples. Special Publication - Society for Sedimentary Geology, 83, 279-293. from GeoRef database.
This article gives a detailed description of the history of the formation of the Mississippi River delta, including the content of the layers of the delta, and how those kinds of soil came to be. It also summarizes a cycle by which the delta is subsided and then restored. This cycle alarms us about the levees around the New Orleans area which is preventing the restoration of the crucial and protective wetlands. It's helpful to know about such a cycle as it can help predict locations and amounts of future subsidence and marshland loss. We may use this information to salvage those about-to-be lost wetlands ahead of time.

Larkin, T. B. (1933). Controlling floods along mississippi. Civil Engineering (New York), 3(10), 560-564.
This article briefly describes the process that the corp of engineers went through when building one of the first levees to contol the flow of the Mississippi River. We can understand the basic structures of the levees, their purpose, and the purpose of their specific locations. We may adjust the position and strength of the levees to allow better river flow and prevent major floods attacking a major city like New Orleans. This may help us determine what levees to destroy or rebuild in order to adjust the current flow of the river. It's also helpful to see more historic documents of the same kind.

Nationaly park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. (2001). Draft heritage study and environmental assessment. Retrieved September 14, 2006 from http://www.cr.nps.gov/delta/volume2/natural.htm#geology
This part of the NPS website focuses on the geological changes of the Mississippi River delta. Although the report does not provide extremely detailed descriptions, it covers many area. It gives us information from the cause of subsidence and wetland loss to the consequences of it on the ecology of the delta. This website also explores the possibility of major and minor storms damaging the delta without its natural protections. The website basically gives us a decent overview of a broad range of problems that we need to deal with when trying to monitor the delta’s geology.

Piper, D. Z., Ludington, S., Duval, J. S., & Taylor, H. E. (2006). Geochemistry of bed and suspended sediment in the mississippi river system: Provenance versus weathering and winnowing.from Recent References Related to Technology database.
This report looks in depth at the ingredients of the sediments in the Mississippi River bed. It focuses most specifically on the chemical processes the different types f soil go through. Chemical processes are a major component in shifting or compacting soil. Since chemical processes may be more easily controlled than natural subsidence, information from this report may be useful in exploring options when we plan solutions. learning about these chemical processes may also help us monitor the soil and make predictions in terms of chemically shifting and compacting soil, if we cannot actively manage the processes.

Reed, D. J., Peterson, M. S., & Lezina, B. J. (2006). Reducing the effectss of dredged material levees on coastal marsh function: Sediment deposition and nekton utilization. Environmental Management, 37(5), 671-685.
Thsi essay focuses primarily on the levees around New Orleans and their negative influences on marshland restoration. We gain a very detailed understanding of the levees, including their functions, properties, locations. The levees do not allow enough gaps to allow flood water to restore wetland, therefore causing diminishing wetland size surrounding New Orleans and increasing the city's vulnerability to storm and hurricane attacks. We will be able to decide what to change about the levees (removal, modification) based on these data and observations. We hope to keep the levees but also to allow wetland restoration in the Delta.

Roberts, J. E. (1964). Sand compression as a factor in oil field subsidence. Unpublished S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
This thesis describes an experiment carried out specifically on oil-bearing land and its subsidence. Although the experiment deals with Long Beach, California, its results have great implications for New Orleans which has similar land properties. New Orleans and the greater Mississippi river delta is also a oil bearing area. The results suggest that different types of soil leads to different rates to subsidence. Besides the fact that New Orleans is sitting on a fault that quickens the rate of subsidence, its oil-bearing soils, as implied by the thesis, also quickens the rate of subsidence. Oil and natural gas production will play a large role in our monitoring and evaluation of the future of the New Orleans.

Smith, L. M. (1996). Fluvial geomorphic features of teh lower mississippi alluvial valley. Engineering Geology, 45(1-4), 139-165.
The article provides a short discussion of the major geological and geomorphological investigations of the Lower Mississippi River. This information is useful to us because we can know about the different ingredients in the soil and how it influences soil compaction. We need this information to understand why some soil in the delta compact more rapidly than others. The soil's physical make-up and transformation through history helps us plan, for example, for consolidating the delta or restoring it.

Stakhiv, E. Z. (2006). Katrina: What went wrong and how to fix it. IAHS-AISH Publication, (305), 209-210.
Stakhiv assesses the problems and vulnerabilities hat underlied new Orleans pre-Katrinan and post-Katrina. Main topics in this article include relocation, the levees, wetland loss, and government expenses. This broad range of topics gives us insight to what other teams are facing, and some understanding of their issues will facilitate communication between the teams. In addition, Stakhiv briefly describes the higher and lower risk areas in New Orleans.

Tornqvist, T. E., bick, S. J., Van der Borg, K., & de Jong, A. F. M. (2006). How stable is the mississippi delta? [Electronic version]. Geology, 34(8), 697-700. Retrieved 15 September 2006,
This document introduces Holocene compaction and sediment loading of the lithosphere as some of the causes of subsidence in the Mississippi River delta. The document focuses mainly on tectonic activities as a cause of subsidence. It is supported by measurements and comparisons with data taken from the Caribbean. This document brings to our attention the bird foot portion of the Mississippi Delta, which is losing wetland more rapidly than most of Louisiana. Using the information from this document, we can easily take into account the Michoud fault underlying upper New Orleans.

U.S. Department of the Interior, USGS Landsat Project. (2006). U.S. geological survey. Retrieved Septermber 14, 2006 from http://landsat.usgs.gov/gallery/detail/389/
This report focuses very specifically on the bird foot area of the delta and its rate of wetland loss over the past three decades. From the images shown, it is obvious that land is not being restored by the river as it was historically. The report suggests that the artificial control placed on the river causes the lack of restoration. The images provide a high resolution comparison of the mass of wetland surrounding the bird foot. The report also casts some concern over the natural habitat of the disappearing wetland. The graphic support helps us understand not only the severity of the land loss, but also some of the geography of the delta.

Unger, K. (2006, 28 March 2006). Why is new orleans sinking? [Electronic version]. ScienceNOW Daily News,
This report describes the effect of the Michoud Fault, which underlies upper New Orleans, on subsidence, It was found that the fault as caused over 60% of the delta’s subsidence in the past thirty years. This provides detailed insight into yet another important aspect of subsidence that we have to deal with in New Orleans. The report also provides detailed numerical data on subsidence since 1969. Given the size and depth of the fault, we might also predict when and how such tectonic activity will slow or stop its effects on subsidence.

USGS real-time data for louisiana: Streamflow. Retrieved 20 September, 2006 from http://waterdata.usgs.gov/la/nwis/current/?type=flow
This is a table of stream flow values of many rivers, major or minor, of or near the Mississippi River. Stream flow data was also taken by the coast of somewhat major cities down the Mississippi Valley. We can use these values to compare between river flows in different places, and we can also compare sedimentary rates of different streams. Also, we can compare flow rates of the Mississippi in different places along its coast and compare the sedimentation rate. By these comparison, we might find out the relationship between sedimentation rates, river flow, and artificial barriers built in different areas. By postulating a relationship between these variables, we can design a system to heighten sedimentation rates while possibly maintaining the artificial barriers for economic reasons.

Wang, M., & Adrian, D. D. (1998). Wetland loss in coastal louisiana. International Journal of Sediment Research, 13(1), 1-10. from Compendex database.
This article provides a detailed assessment of the causes of subsidence in the Mississippi River delta. In particular, the article focuses more on wetland loss. The article suggests the natural restoration of wedland (by sediment) as the most viable solution to the problem. Our team may evaluate the article's argument and assess its possibility. We also will look for the pros and cons included in his preference for the sediment of wetland.