 The unique ecosystem of the Louisiana Coast is disappearing at a rate of one football field every 38 minutes. If nothing is done, we could lose 1,000 square miles of wetlands over the next 50 years. This is due to the unintended consequences of levees and dams that were built along the Mississippi River since the 1930's to protect cities from flooding and preserve the ports. These projects starved the wetlands of the fresh water, sediments and nutrients they need to survive. As a result, the wetlands are sinking, the marshes are being exposed to saltwater influx, excessive nitrogen from farming in the central part of the US has created zones of hypoxia offshore and the dams have prevented the Mississippi delta from shifting. The loss of Louisiana's wetlands has very serious ecological and economic implications. The coastline provides different habitats for hundreds of birds, fish and mammals, including several endangered species. The marshlands protect us from hurricanes and storm surges. Most marine species in the Gulf of Mexico spend part of their life cycle in these wetlands and more than 30 percent of the nation's fisheries catch comes from offshore Louisiana. One-fourth of all oil and gas consumed in the U.S. comes across these shores by tanker, barge or pipeline. The erosion of Louisiana's wetlands therefore places our nation's economic and energy security at risk.
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