The Hungry River: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

THE HUNGRY RIVER Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Brendan Harmon Hayden Hammons • Taylor Jacobson • Nguyet Nguyen • Elizabeth Peterson Tanvi Shah • Xi Stich • Andrew Wright

THE HUNGRY RIVER Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture Louisiana State University Fall 2018

Brendan Harmon Hayden Hammons • Taylor Jacobson • Nguyet Nguyen • Elizabeth Peterson Tanvi Shah • Xi Stich • Andrew Wright

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

STUDIO LA 7031: WATER SYSTEMS STUDIO The studio wants to extend a thank you to Mr. Dawson for allowing us to conduct research on his property along the Amite River; without access to a mining site, this study would not have been possible.

This publication and the semester-long design studio it represents were made possible through grant support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Found-ation, as well as a generous gifts from the Chevron Gulf of Mexico Business Unit and the Charles Lamar Family Foundation. The LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio brings together disciplines that frequently conduct research independently —such as design, science, engineering, and planning—to intensively study and build integrated design applications that respond to critical issues of coastal settlement, restoration, flood protection, and economic development.

The CSS builds university capacity and transdisciplinary teams that work to solve coastal and deltaic problems through an integrated design and systems thinking approach. Research helps inform decision-makers, public policy, and efforts to plan for the future, such as the State of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan.

SUPPORT LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio National Academy of Sciences Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Chevron Corporation, Gulf of Mexico Business Unit Charles Lamar Family Foundation

TEAM The design team led by Assistant Professor Brendan Harmon included the following students: Hayden Hammons Taylor Jacobson Nguyet Nguyen Betsy Peterson Tanvi Shah Xi Stich Andrew Wright CSS LEADERSHIP Interim Managing Director Traci Birch, PhD, AICP Assistant Director Mary Bergeron Executive Committee Chairman and Interim Executive Director Robert Twilley, PhD Executive Committee Members: Sam Bentley, PhD Mark Boyer Craig Colten, PhD Marwan Ghandour Margaret Reams, PhD Clint Willson, PhD and PE Graphic Designer Lindsey T. Henriques

CREDITS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

TABLE OF CONTENTS

p. 1-9

CONTEXT

p. 11-27

AGGREGATE INDUSTRY RESEARCH

p. 29-39

SITE SELECTION + VISIT

p. 41-101

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

vii

CONTEXT

Fig. 1. The Amite River Basin, in context.

GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY The Amite River is a primary tributary of Lake Pontchartrain, located it in the central Gulf Coast region of North America [Fig. 1]. The Amite is roughly 120 km long and drains approximately 5,180 square kilometers spanning from southern Mississippi to Lake Maurepas in Southeast Louisiana. Its headwaters collect in Mississippi as the East and West Amite River Forks, which combine roughly 0.5 km south of the Mississippi border to form the river’s main trunk.1 Roughly 75 percent of the basin lies in Louisiana, while the remaining 25 percent is in Mississippi.2 The Amite River basin consists of a series of Pleistocene-era terraces, which gently slope southward toward the river’s mouth at Lake Pontchartrain [Fig. 2]. These terraces can be divided into three distinct sections: the Upland Complex (part of the larger Gulf Coast Citronelle Formation), the Middle Prairie complex, and a Ryan D. Hood, David M. Patric, and Maureen K. Corcoran, Fluvial Instability and Channel Degradataion of Amite River and its Tributaries, Southwest Mississippi and Southeast Louisiana (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2007), 4.

2. Bob Jacobsen, August 2016 Flood Preliminary Report: Amite River Basin (2017), 1.

1.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

lowland alluvial prairie.3 These three sections of the river roughly correspond to areas of sediment detachment, sediment transport, and sediment deposition as identified by Autin in 1989.4 Soils in the river’s northern reaches consist of sand and gravel interspersed with silt and clay, with a gradual transition to alluvial silt and clay deposits in the river’s lower reaches. Total vertical elevation change within the basin from north to south is approximately 150 meters.5 The transition from the more steeply sloped upland to the gently sloping lowlands contributes to the severity of backwater and headwater flooding, a risk that is exacerbated by development in the middle- and lower-reaches of the watershed.6

Fig. 2. The ‘Mining Region’ studied. Boundary determined by subwatershed

3. Hood et al, 6-8.

4. Whitney J. Autin, Geomorphic and Stratiagraphic Evolution of the Middle Amite River Valley, Southeastern Louisiana (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University, 1989). Ph.D Dissertation. Referenced in Hood et al, 9.

5. Hood et al, 6-8.

6. Jacobsen, 19-21.

CONTEXT

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ECOLOGY The ecological characteristics of the Amite River basin are heavily influenced by human development and activity. This dynamic is most clearly seen in the Baton Rouge metropolitan region, through which the Amite passes. However, in less heavily developed areas to the north and south of Baton Rouge, human activities such as agriculture, logging, mining, and channelization have also greatly influenced the river. Undisturbed areas exist as patches in a larger watershedscale mosaic of urban areas, suburban development, towns, farms, pasture, industrial activity, and pine plantations.

Wooded areas consist of mixed hardwood and pine forests, with a transition to bottomland hardwood and coastal forests in the river’s southernmost reaches.

Typical upland species include pines, oaks, hickories, beech, and ash. Further south, populations of cypress, tupelo, and magnolia are more prevalent. The river’s edge is dominated by water-loving species such as sycamore, willow, and river birch. Historically, upland regions of the Amite River basin included large areas of fire-dependent Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Savannah. However, much of the historic longleaf pine habitat has been lost to logging and development.

Endangered fauna indigenous to the Amite River basin include the red-cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) and the Inflated Heelsplitter freshwater mussel (Potamilus inflatus), both of which are threatened by habitat loss due to resource extraction. Red-cockaded woodpeckers nest in cavities which they excavate in old-growth longleaf pine trees.7 The loss of longleaf pine forests to logging has reduced numbers of the red-cockaded woodpecker to less than 3% of its historic population.8 In the case of the Inflated Heelsplitter, river channel degradation and sedimentation from sand and gravel mining has led to the mussels’ near extirpation from the Amite River.9 7.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery,” last modified December 19, 2016, https://www.fws.gov/rcwrecovery/rcw.html.

8. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Recovery plan for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis): second revision (Atlanta: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2003), ix., 9. Hood et al, 13.

Fig. 3a. Relief.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 3b. Elevation.

Fig. 3c. Slope.

HISTORY The history of the Amite River watershed has been directly influenced by the perpetual practices of natural resource extraction. The abundance of endemic resources such as timber, sand, and gravel have been central to the sociocultural, political, and economic of the Amite River Basin. However, over-extraction of natural resources has levied a significant ecological toll on the watershed. Over the past two centuries, increasing settlement and urbanization within the river’s floodplain have further exacerbated this toll.

As long as humans have inhabited the Amite River Basin, they have made use of its abundant natural resources. Archaeological evidence suggests that during the pre-Columbian era, native peoples placed a high value on the area’s natural resources, extracting and trading gravel and timber for weapon- and tool-making throughout the Gulf South. Prior to the arrival of European explorers, the Amite River Basin was primarily occupied by Houmas people, whose territory was bound by the Mississippi River to the west and Bayou Manchac to the south.

The Houmas traded with the Natchez and Tensas to the north, the Bayogoula and Quinpissas to the east, and the Chitimachas to the south. Their communal prosperity depended upon gravel extracted from rich alluvial deposits along the Amite River.10 During America’s colonial and early-national period, Anglo-American and European exploration and settlement fueled more extensive resource extraction in the Amite River Basin. Prior to and following the Louisiana Purchase, the Florida parishes were “characterized by intermittent civil instability and cultural diversity.” Before 1803, settlement patterns were sparsely dispersed across this landscape, except for the more urban centers of Baton Rouge and St. Francisville.

By the end of the American Revolution, the Florida parishes were under Spanish control, and the composition of the population became much more diverse.

During this time, Spanish officials worked “to lure Canary Islanders, German Catholics, and displaced Acadians into the Florida parishes.” Subsequently, land speculation and acquisition was a lucrative enterprise, and the landscape was constantly changing in response to these practices. In response to the increasingly dynamic population, this period saw the birth of Louisiana’s timber industry, which prized the vast expanses of longleaf pine and cypress swamps along the Amite River. European colonists harvested timber to construct Louisiana’s growing urban centers, produce pitch and tar for naval vessels, and export overseas. Loggers harvested virgin stands of timber, marking the beginning of large-scale, anthropogenic, ecological disturbance within the Amite watershed.11 10.

11.

For more information regarding the history of the relationship between the Houmas and natural resource extraction, see F. Todd Smith, Louisiana and the Gulf South Frontier, 1500-1821 (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2014).

Smith, Louisiana, 105-06. For more information regarding the history of settlement during the late colonial and early national periods, see Robert V. Haynes, “Manifest Destiny,” in The Mississippi Territory and the Southwest Frontier, 1795-1817, (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2010), 241-259.

CONTEXT

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Industrialization ushered in the significant alteration of these landscapes through the systematic and mechanized removal of large tracts of timber. Furthermore, the exploitation of these local resources by outside investors directly threatened the cultural stability and prosperity of those who inhabited the watershed.

Beginning in approximately 1880, industrialization and technological advances fueled booms in the timber and railroad industries. Noticeable accelerations in settlement patterns occurred during this frenzied time, with entire towns resettling and developing in the region as demand for lumber surged. However, as Mark Fannin writes, “the systematic clearing of large areas of forest meant that few settlements were permanent, as workers were frequently uprooted in the unrelenting pursuit of timber.” These transient attitudes produced a scenario in which there was little possibility for permanent settlement patterns.

Furthermore, over-extraction in other parts of the country led outside investors to flock to the Amite River watershed to satisfy the country’s growing demand for timber. Fannin continues, “the soil and its gift, the common thread linking the interests of all who lived in and around the forests, were being plundered, and absorbed into empires largely divorced from their local populace.”

Perhaps the most severe consequence was that the lumber boom further separated the bounty of the landscape from those who lived within it, as the traditional patterns of seasonal logging were drastically increased. As the extraction of timber became more commercial, the yearlong practices “prevented workers and their families from exerting any degree of economic independence or selfsufficiency.” During this period, the hunger for timber promoted destructive extraction practices, catalyzing a chain reaction of negative ecological disturbance and cultivating a local culture of short-sighted exploitation of the natural environment.12 The post-war boom of the mid-20th-century marked a new chapter in the history of resource extraction in the Amite River Basin. From 1930 to 1970, the combined population of East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes more than tripled, from 86,414 to 321,678.13 With this population growth came demand for sand and gravel to construct buildings and infrastructure. During this period, mining became a major industry along the Amite River, whose rich deposits of alluvial sand and gravel supplied the material that made this building boom possible.

12.

For further information about the timber and railroad boom in Livingston Parish, see James E. Minton ed., The Free State: A History and Place-Names Study of Livingston Parish (Livingston Parish: Livingston Parish American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, 1976.) For more information about the ecological and cultural implications of the lumber boom, see Mark Fannin, “In Defense of Nature: Labor, Lumber and the Struggle for the Soul of the South,” Irish Journal of American Studies 10, (2001): 75-94.

13. Bureau of the Census, U.S Department of Commerce, Population of the States and Counties of the United States, 1790-1990 (Washington: 1996), 70.

CONTEXT

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Fig. 4. Illustrative timeline highlighting relationship between population growth, sand and gravel mining, flood cont ol measures, and political tension.

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The intensification and increasing frequency of flooding in the Amite River Basin has catalyzed political will for flood mitigation and control eff rts.

However, disagreement amongst stakeholders has prohibited any significant change in policy. Historic newspapers illustrate this tension, showing a tenuous relationship between local residents and state and federal agencies, urban centers and rural communities, and upper and lower portions of the watershed. For example, following a severe flooding event in 1977, political division intensifi d as the debate over a proposed flood control structure entered the public sphere.

Aside from flood control and mitigation, the proposed Darlington Reservoir was to serve as a recreational and scenic area and a semi-aquatic jetport. Although officials at the parish and state levels advocated for the construction of the structure, longtime residents along the Amite River organized opposition to the intervention that would ultimately aff ct their lives the most. Writing to the Baton Rouge Advocate in October 1978, Frances MacDonell stated, “the mental picture this presents is so ludicrous [that] one does not know whether to become

THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

hysterical with weeping or laughing at the folly of man, particularly man as a political animal.”14 Writing about the lower Amite, Ina Rae Carpenter argues that the growing urbanization and mismanagement of stormwater in Baton Rouge had greatly impacted the quality of the river. “But Baton Rouge still wasn’t satisfi d...what we needed was a big canal...yea (sic)...a huge canal that the Corps of Engineers would dig and maintain...sending all that rain water straight to us country folks...POSH!”15 Although these stories only offer a quick snapshot at the cultural and political dynamics that have revolved around the increased flooding within the watershed, these tenuous relationships have constantly remained up to the present day, when the incredible flooding in 2016 accelerated these same debates [Fig. 4].

14.

15.

Frances Porteous MacDonell, “When Readers Speak,” Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), Oct. 20, 1977.

Ina Rae Carpenter, “Reader Comments on Flood Letter,” Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), Jan. 10, 1978.

CONTEXT

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INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Fig. 5a. ‘Mineshed’ Fig. 5b. ‘Encroaching on the Amite’; Impervious Surface Growth in the Region.

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MINING AND MINING OPERATIONS

A NATIONAL PRODUCT, A LOCAL INDUSTRY

Sand and gravel play a vital role in our everyday lives, and are used in applications such as concrete, buildings, highways, glass making, soil amendments and more.

Nationwide, the sand and gravel industry generated $27 billion in sales in 2017, producing 890 million tons of construction sand and gravel.16 Sand, gravel, and crushed stone are referred to as “natural aggregates” and, together, they “make up the largest component of nonfuel mineral materials consumed in the United States.”17 Although in demand nationwide, aggregate is typically used within 50 miles of extraction, making it a highly local industry. Aggregate does not travel far because the shipping costs quickly exceed profit margins of the material. This consideration diffe entiates sand and gravel from other high-value quarried materials, such as marble and granite, which may be shipped overseas. The 2017 Aggregates Industry Scorecard published by the Phoenix Center reports that transportation costs of sand and gravel are $0.22 per mile and cites two diffe ent studies that confirm “the delivered price of a metric ton of sand and gravel doubles at about 23 miles” from the extraction site.18 With such high transport costs, “90% of aggregates are consumed within 50 miles of the place of extraction and imports and exports are near non-existent, amounting to only about 1% of production and consumption”.19

RISING DEMAND Extraction of these materials is closely tied to the “construction and maintenance of residential, commercial, and government buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure including roads, highways, bridges, and railroads”.20 Demand for aggregates will rise as the nation’s infrastructure deteriorates and requires replacement. Many of the roughly 4 million miles of roads and more than 45,000 miles of interstates and highways in the United States are reaching the end of their lifespans.21 In 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) reported that only 36.4% of Federal-Aid Highways were in good condition, with 19.7% in poor condition. This report also found 66,749 bridges to be structurally deficient nationwide.22 As the nation’s roads, highways, and bridges are rebuilt, contractors will use local sand and gravel for the base of new roads and for concrete and asphalt causing rippling impacts on the local ecological systems.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

George Ford and Lawrence Spiwak, “Industry Scorecard: Aggregates,” Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies, March 2017, 16.

Daniel Sullivan, “Materials in Use in U.S. Interstate Highways,” United States Geological Survey, 2016. 1.

Ford, “Industry Scorecard: Aggregates,” 6-7.

Ibid.

Ibid, 1.

Sullivan, “Materials In Use,” 1.

Anthony Foxx, “2015 Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance,” U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015, 154, 160.

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USES FOR SAND AND GRAVEL The USGS estimates in their 2018 Mineral Commodity Summaries that 44% of construction sand and gravel was used as concrete aggregate, 25% for road base and coverings and road stabilization, 13% as asphaltic concrete aggregate and other bituminous mixtures, 12% as construction fill, 1% each for concrete products, such as blocks, bricks, and pipes; plaster and gunite sands; and snow and ice control; and the remaining 3% for filtration, golf courses, railroad ballast, roofing granules, and other miscellaneous uses.23 Sand and gravel are some of the most accessible natural materials and can be crushed, shaped and refined for a variety of uses; these attributes make it hard to find cost eff ctive, and similarly flexible substitutes. Alternatives to sand and gravel exist but are not available for all applications, such as making glass, and are not widely used. Alternative materials include recycled cement, concrete and asphalt, shells, caliche (calcium salts), blast furnace slag, steel slag, ash, coal refuse tailings, waste glass and shredded rubber tires.24 The USGS 2017 report on the aggregate industry reveals that these substitutes are not yet competing with sand and gravel. The primary substitute for sand and gravel is another mined aggregate: crushed stone.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE With few material alternatives for aggregate and an increase in demand, sand and gravel mining will be here for decades to come and negative impacts to the watershed from poor mining management practices will continue to rise. Current mining practices in the Amite River Basin eliminate habitat, reduce biodiversity, exacerbate flooding, and do little to restore disturbed sites.

Landcover mappings reveal increased canopy loss and impervious landcover with population growth. Data from the most recent National Land Cover Dataset show that, from 2001 to 2011, the Amite River Basin lost 2,400 acres of floodplain forest. During that same period, development grew by 113 acres and barren land increased by 224 acres. This loss of canopy cover and riverine wetlands is directly tied to the urbanization happening in the region and the mining happening along the Amite River, which both necessitate clear-cutting plots of land and disrupting ecosystems.25 U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral commodity summaries 2018 (Washington: U.S. Geological Suervey, 2018), 140. https://doi.org/10.3133/70194932.

24. William Langer and V.M. Glanzman, “Natural Aggregate: Building America’s Future,” Public Issues in Earth Science, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1110 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1 3).

25. U.S. Geological Survey, National Land Cover Dataset, 2001-2011.

23.

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Fig. 6. Landcover.

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SAND AND GRAVEL MINING OPERATIONS Sand and gravel mining protocol differs from company to company and regulations differ from state to state. In Louisiana, mine operators must first acquire permits and approvals from regulatory agencies, such as the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). After obtaining permission, the operators develop a plan that indicates locations for roads, debris, wash plants, equipment storage and more.

The first step in the plan, site preparation, is adapted to the unique conditions of each site but follows a general process. Mine operators first clear-cut trees and other vegetation on-site to access the resources beneath. This process exposes the top-soil, the first layer of soil that is vital to the regrowth of new vegetation.

Ideally, this nutrient-rich soil is moved to a secure location on-site for later use. The site is then graded, with buffers, levees, or flood walls constructed near low areas to minimize environmental degradation caused by runoff from construction pollutants and sediment. Once the site is ready, excavation to access the sand and gravel occurs. These mining pits, which can be acres across and dozens of feet deep, expose groundwater, which mine operators then use to wash the extracted aggregates.

Fig. 7. Sketchup Model of Mining Process

PERMITTING a. LDEQ b. Standards c. USACE

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PRE-MINING PHASE a. Site Evaluation b. Site Drainage c. Water Flow d. Site Prep e. Construction of Access

Nationwide, government agencies and watchdog groups have created “Best Management Practices” guides that recommend how to safely extract sand and gravel without greatly disturbing the surrounding or downstream environment. Louisiana statute RS 30:905.1 (“Abandoned mine reclamation; fund participation”), under the directive of the national Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq), establishes the importance of reclamation (i.e. fi lling or vegetation) of pits once mining operations have ceased, but governmental agencies often lack resources to enforce these regulations. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) currently only has one officer enforcing state and federal mining regulations for the entire state.26 T h e lack of enforcement, coupled with the expense of reclaiming abandoned mines, causes many mining sites to remain unreclaimed. These disturbed sites pose a threat to the riverine ecosystem. There is little to no buffer between the river and the impacts associated with abandoned mines, such as discharges from inactive operations and runoff from inactive road networks and spoil piles (1984, Report to Congress).

26.

David Lee Campbell, “Conversation with agent Chris Davis, Scenic Rivers Act enforcer for LDWF,” Sierra Club Delta Chapter Blog, August 3, 2018, https://www.sierraclub.org/louisiana/ blog/2018/08/conversation-agent-chris-davis-scenic-rivers-act-enforcer-for-ldwf.

MINING PHASE

a. Dredging Activities b. Aggregate Wash Plant c. Aggregate Processing Plant Area d. Maintenance Areas e. Petroleum Product Storage f. Reg requirements g. BMP h. Oil Discharge Response

POST-MINING PHASE a. Site Evaluation b. Debris and Waste Removal c. Property Grading

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GRANGEVILLE PIT CAPTURE

Fig. 8. Google Imagery highlighted to show a pit capture occuring over twenty years

HYDROLOGY Rivers are incredibly complex systems, but become even more so when human activity disrupts or alters hydrologic processes. Centuries-long resource extraction from the Amite River and its floodplain have significantly influenced how the river reacts to changes in water volume and velocity, especially during high-water events. This section will help explain how improper practices in floodplain sand and gravel mining have altered the Amite’s morphology, aff cted its response during high-water events, and caused rippling impacts throughout the watershed.

MORPHOLOGY Morphology refers to changes over time in the physical nature of a river channel, including length, width, depth, and sinuosity. A 2007 report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) concluded that since the 1950s, the Amite River has been shortening and straightening, causing the river’s flow rate to increase.27 The Corps indicates that stream length, “upstream and downstream of the mined reach, between 1953 and 1998… decreased, respectively, by as much as 5 and 29 percent” Increase in water velocity increases the water’s erosive capacity, leading to deepening of the channel bed and streambank degradation.28 The Corps also found that the channel width downstream of the intensively mined reach has “increased by 40 to 60 percent” since the 1970s, especially at Denham Springs, and attributed this change to sedimentation from mining activity.29 27. Hood et al, ii.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid, 107.

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Fig. 9. USGS Topo Maps edited to reveal growth in mining activity along the Amite River and impacts to morphology INDUSTRY RESEARCH

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HIGH-WATER RESPONSE During high-water events, large amounts of water enter the river system in a short period of time. The river responds in two ways: expanding upwards, then outwards. A natural, undisturbed floodplain would accommodate such movement; however, resource extraction and other development have encroached upon and altered this terrain. Sand and gravel mining, in particular, requires clearing of floodplain forests, reducing the floodplain’s natural ability to temporarily store and slow water. The loss of these benefits is significant, as it increases the severity of flooding. During flood events, unfilled, abandoned pits in the floodplain can change the course of the river and can cause considerable erosion upstream and downstream of the mine.

The time series in Figure 8 shows a pit capture at an abandoned mining pit near Grangeville. A pit capture occurs when the river channel’s course shifts because it flows into and then through a pit, typically during a high-water event where the buffer zone is too narrow (i.e. less than 100 feet) or poorly vegetated [Fig. 10].

The river overflows its banks and rushes into the much deeper pit, filling it with both water and sediment. As the pit fills, the water slows and drops its suspended sediment load. However, the now lighter surface water picks up velocity, causing a phenomenon called ‘hungry water’. This water, having greater energy, eats away at the banks, causing sediment to fall into the channel and to travel downstream.30

IMPACTS OF THE RIVER’S RESPONSE The sedimentation resulting from the hungry water eff ct causes major problems downstream. As mentioned above, the Amite’s channel width drastically increases downstream of the mined reach, decreasing stream velocity. Again, as the water slows, sediment drops, builds up behind fallen logs and other debris, and forces the river to expand upwards and outwards to accommodate the volume of water surging downstream. This sedimentation poses a severe threat to both wildlife and humans.

Turbidity – or water clarity – is a proxy for erosion that can reveal how much water quality has deteriorated. Turbidity at Grangeville has exceeded state water quality standards 54% of the time since the late 1960s [Fig. 11].31 This statistic is important because of Grangeville’s location. In the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act, the state designates the upper reach of the Amite, from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line to Grangeville, as a scenic stream.32 In this section, maximum acceptable turbidity standards are much lower than in the rest of the river–25 nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs), as opposed to 50 NTUs in the non-scenic portion.33 30.

Explanation of pit capture aided by video from Little River Research & Design, titled “Inchannel gravel mining and bar pit capture with audio narrative” and narrated by Steve Gough, fluvial geomorphologist, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDqpbwR_lLY&t=185s.

31. Determined from analysis of raw data collected by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), available in the Ambiet Water Quality Dataset, http://www1.deq.louisiana.gov/ portal/tabid/2739/Default.aspx.

32. RS 56:1856, “Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act,” Sess. of 1988 (LA. 1988), http://www.wlf.louisiana. gov/sites/default/files pdf/document/36295-scenic-rivers-act/scenicriversact2009.pdf.

33. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Sediment-Related Criteria for Surface Water Quality,” 2015, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015 10/documents/sediment-appendix3.pdf.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 10. Sketch diagram of the cause and effects of pit captu es

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Fig. 11. Turbidity along the Amite River (Neph elometric Turbidity Units [NTUs])

Fig. 12. Peak streamflow along the Amite iver (cu ft / s)

Fig. 13. Historic crest heights along the Amite River (ft)

Increased levels of suspended sediment particles from abandoned mining sites disturbs habitat for humans and animals alike. Changing levels of sediment disturb sensitive riverine habitats, like that of the Inflated Heelsplitter mussel, a critically endangered species. Sedimentation also increases the extent of flooding, causing the river to overflow into what was once its natural floodplain; an area that is now heavily developed for human use. This puts people’s lives and property in danger during a major flood, leading to a more difficult and lengthy recovery process.

POLITICS Political jurisdictions often do not coincide with watershed boundaries, a fact that is never more evident than in times of high water. The Amite River is subject to multiple overlapping local, state, and federal jurisdictions, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Louisiana State Legislature, and the Amite River Basin Commission.

At the national level, the Army Corps implements infrastructural and non-infrastructural measures in eff rts to mitigate flooding. While the Corps studies and discusses the feasibility of potential protective measures with federal, state, and local agencies, its suggested courses of action are not always well-received by residents or funded. The aforementioned Darlington Reservoir project illustrates this tension. That project was ultimately derailed by fie ce opposition from nearby residents–many of whom would have been displaced by the reservoir–who called the project’s budget into question and doubted its efficacy as a flood protection measure.34 Another Corps project, the Comite Diversion Canal, has benefitted from a more favorable political environment. When completed, it will direct water from the Comite River to the Mississippi River, reducing downstream flooding in the Amite River during high water events. The project received full federal funding in the wake of the floods of 2016 and is scheduled for completion in 2021.35 The State of Louisiana also exercises oversight of the Amite River watershed.

In 1988, the Louisiana State Legislature designated the 27.5-mile stretch of the Amite from the Louisiana-Mississippi borderline to LA Hwy 37 as a scenic stream under the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act, a local extension of the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. These acts uphold the preservation of “aesthetic, scenic, recreational, fish, wildlife, ecological, archaeological, geological, botanical, and other natural and physical features and resources found along these streams”.36 Any proposed development near scenic streams must receive local, state, and federal approvals before any construction can begin. In the scenic portion of the Amite, however, there are approximately ten mining sites, three of which have 34.

Steve Hardy and David J. Mitchell, “Planned, forgotten: Unfinished p ojects could’ve spared thousands from Louisiana flood,” The Advocate, August 20, 2016, https://www.theadvocate.com/ baton_rouge/news/article_fc9f928c-6592-11e6-bad5-d3944fe82f0e.html#14.

35. Steve Hardy, “Engineers hope to open Comite River canal in 2021; work isn’t just digging a 12-mile ditch,” The Advocate, November 7, 2018, https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/environment/article_2134e88c-e21d-11e8-bae3-7f0b424bf764.html.

36. RS 56:1856, “Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act,” Sess. of 1988 (La. 1988), http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/ sites/default/files pdf/document/36295-scenic-rivers-act/scenicriversact2009.pdf.

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induced pit capture. Furthermore, the Scenic River Act only protects a small portion of the Amite, leaving the remaining 89.5 miles of river vulnerable to mining and development.

Local governments participate in the management of the Amite River through the Amite River Basin Commission (ARBC), a multi-parish authority established in 1981 by the Louisiana State Legislature.37 The ARBC seeks to “accomplish flood control measures; facilitate cooperation between federal, state and local governing bodies to foster floodplain management; maintain 37.

26

Gulf Engineers and Consultants, Amite River Basin Floodplain Management Plan (Baton Rouge: Amite River Basin Commission, 2015), 1-2, http://www.amitebasin.org/ARBFMNov%202015.pdf.

THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

and operate structures built under the auspices of the Commission; and coordinate river management within the basin.”38 In 2015, the ARBC adopted a Floodplain Management Plan that calls for the completion of the Comite River Diversion Canal, comprehensive watershed planning, and improvements in flood preparedness and risk reduction.39 38. “River Basin Commission,” Amite River Basin Commission, http://www.amitebasin.org.

39. Gulf Engineers and Consultants, 2015.

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

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SITE SELECTION

SITE SELECTION To select a project site, the studio utilized a dataset of sand and gravel mines provided by the Gulf Restoration Network (GRN). The organization compiled information from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to create this dataset, which contains information about the land owner, mine operator, current status (abandoned or active), and approximate mine age. The studio analyzed this dataset using GRASS GIS, Google Earth and Google Maps satellite imagery, and historic USGS topographic maps.

In selecting an appropriate site, the studio prioritized and filtered mines by: • Abandoned status (per LDEQ or LDNR records) • Mining pit proximity to the river channel (less than 100 feet from river channel) • Accessibility (from river through pit capture or by land with owner permission) • Notable features (evidence of or potential for pit capture, significant changes over time, proximity to residential areas and infrastructure, etc.)

• Ability to contact land owner and/or mine operator • Size (no more than 300 acres for study feasibility and drone battery life) Through this process, the class identifi d six potential sites, two of which were active mining operations, which could serve as backups in case contacting abandoned mine owners proved infeasible.

Future site selection should consider some of the following challenges: • Establishing contact to obtain permission to access a site (determining whom to contact, where to find contact information, and acquiring permission within time constraints of semester schedule) • Having only one opportunity to visit the project site • Accounting for potential technological glitches The studio made contact with two landowners and received permission from one to access a former mining site for survey and data collection. The studio visited the selected site, at the intersection of the LA Highway 10 bridge and the Amite River, east of Clinton, on October, 8, 2018. The class divided into three teams to collect various data and site observations. One team conducted an aerial drone survey, collecting imagery which was later processed to create a 3D model of the site. Another team explored the site on foot and documented plant species, communities, soil conditions, signs of wildlife, and ecological processes. The third team explored the site’s large remnant gravel pits and nascent pit capture in a canoe, collecting geolocated water samples, water temperatures, and soundings.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 14. Studio members discussing with Mr. Dawson (far left) during the site visit.

SITE SELECTION

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TEAM AIR The most recently captured publicly available aerial imagery of the project site dates from the historic flood event of August 2016. Collecting new imagery and survey data was crucial to understanding the current hydrological conditions and the relationship between the site and the Amite River.

The aerial data collection team scanned the project site with centimeter level accuracy using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), more commonly referred to as a drone. The pilot in command (PIC), MLA II candidate Taylor Jacobsen, oversaw all flight operations including, flight clearance, flight procedures, ground control point (GCP) setup, and mission planning.

The site is approximately 44 acres, allowing the entire site to be photographed and surveyed in under an hour. Team Air conducted three flights, capturing over 600 images of the site at a resolution 10x greater than Google Earth, allowing the students to inspect every square inch of the site, including elevations of trees, landforms, and other site features.

In total over 210 million geo-located elevation points were captured from the aerial survey. This data was used to construct a terrain model of the site for grading and drainage calculations.

Along with ground data, Team Air captured low and high elevation aerial images of the site, including a 360 degree video fly around.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 15. Diagram of flight path and data from drone research

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TEAM LAND Studio members Hayden Hammons, Nguyet Nguyen, and Andrew Wright explored the site on foot, collecting plant and soil samples and observing ecological activity. The team found a rich, clearly visible ecological dynamism throughout the site, with a mix of early and late successional plant communities.

The site is a mosaic of heavily disturbed and relatively undisturbed areas. A large remnant spoil pile is located at the center of the site. Because the spoil pile primarily consists of sand with very little organic matter, it supports minimal vegetation, although team members observed scattered patches of Pine (Pinus spp.), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Willow (Salix nigra), River Birch (Betula nigra), and Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) in this area, indicating that the soil is not entirely inhospitable to plant life. Early soil-building processes were observable under these trees due to leaf litter from these pioneer trees.

Closer to the edge of the former gravel pits, a more mature, emergent pine scrub community offe s a glimpse of what the spoil pile may become if left undisturbed. Here, a nearby water source and more developed layer of leaflitter supports more dense populations of larger vegetation. This community is home to an understory of wax myrtle (Morella cerifera), yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), with a canopy of stunted shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and red maple (Acer rubrum).

An eroded shelf of topsoil was clearly visible at the edge of the western pit, suggesting a recent change in water level. We suspect this change may have been caused by the recent construction of an artificial dam separating the pit into two separate water bodies. In the newly created riparian zone, team members found ruderal herbaceous and woody plant species typical of a recently disturbed site, including Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Goldenrod (Solidago altissimia), Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera), American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), and River Birch (Betula nigra), as well as Woolgrass (Scripus cyperinus).

The westernmost edge of the site is home to a relatively stable matrix of forest and forest edge communities. This forest is punctuated by a managed utility corridor which runs along the southern edge of the site and clearings maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers for river access. At the river’s edge, the team observed a mature stand of River Birch (Betula nigra) along with Elm (Ulmus americana) and American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). The team also observed a stand of the rare native River Cane (Arundinaria gigantea), a bamboo species native to North America. Other understory species included American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), Goldenrod (Solidago altissima), and Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum).

Throughout the site, soils are predominantly sand, with small and varying amounts of silt and clay. These sandy soils limit the development, height, and density of emergent vegetation. Large trees are only found in unmined areas along the south and southwestern edges of the property, or in areas that have have immediate access to a supply of water, either through surface and subsurface drainage or proximity to water bodies.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 16. Plant Pressings

SITE SELECTION

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Fig. 17. Ecological Census

17.2 17.1

17.3

17.4

17.5

17.6

17.1. Buffer reach; view of Amite River from site, looking west 17.2. Sandy soil samples from site 17.3. Hayden Hammonds exploring site 17.4. Andrew Wright on spoil pile 17.5. Tanvi Shah collecting water samples on Amite River adjacent to site 17.6. Dragonfly joined the canoe tri

SITE SELECTION

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TEAM WATER Studio members Betsy Peterson, Tanvi Shah, and Xi Stich explored the site by water, paddling through the mine pits, which have long been filled with water.

The site visit goals were threefold: 1. Conduct soundings to determine mine pit depths 2. Collect water samples and record temperature and geographical coordinates at the time of collection 3. Collect plant samples along the water’s edges Though wind and current complicated the collection process, the team inferred several important insights from this research.

Aerial photographs viewed prior to the site visit showed a breach in the buffe between the Dawson Mine and the Amite River on the site’s western edge, a critical place on site to investigate. The team was able to approach the breach and, because water levels permitted, paddle through the passageway - just wide enough for the canoe - to the Amite. From the river, the team observed severe erosion on either side of the breach, which threatens to undermine the steep banks that rise quickly to 20 feet. Stabilizing the breach were Betula nigra and Salix nigra, Solidago altissima was found at the water’s edge, and clinging to the steep slope were varieties of pine. The river’s bend, as seen from aerial photographs, and the movement of the current felt in the mine pit closest to the river reveal that the Amite is cutting away at the vegetated buffer between the mining site and the river.

The soundings revealed that the mine pits are surprisingly shallow, ranging from six inches to 11.5 feet deep. The mine owner stated that mine pits are usually 20 to 40 feet deep; however, he explained that, over the approximately 40-year life span of this mine, flooding from the river into the pit - especially during the pit capture in 2016 - and sediment in runoff from eroded banks within the site have significantly reduced pit depth. Gullies appearing regularly on the edges of abandoned spoil piles confirm this explanation, with the loose sandy soils eroding down five to seven foot slopes into the water. While the river depths measured directly across from the mine pits ranged between three and 5.5 feet, a milk jug caught in the upper branches of a 40-foot tree confirms how high flood waters can rise in this area.

As expected, visual analysis of the water samples showed that suspended sediment present in the water column decreased as collections moved further inland, away from the churning river, with one exception toward the back of the pond closest to the breach. Water collected here at the base of a rivulet running from the abandoned, sandy soils of the mine into the pond was a deep rust color.

Without water quality tests available, a hypothesis of red algae or traces of mining chemicals or minerals may explain the notable amount of suspended particles and discolored water.

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

Sample ID

Latitude

Longitude

Temperature Depth (ft (F)

Depth (m)

1

30.89145

-90.84748

86.67

4.04

1.23

4

30.89109

-90.84682

79.17

4.29

1.31

7

30.89114

-90.84705

83.17

4.58

1.40

9

30.89136

-90.84515

85.83

2.83

0.86

10

30.89138

-90.84465

82.17

8.20

2.50

12

30.89136

-90.84338

82.7

3.17

0.97

17

30.8907

-90.84235

85.83

11.48

3.50

18

30.89011

-90.84197

87.67

11.48

3.50

19

30.89019

-90.84211

87.17

10.67

3.25

21

30.89184

-90.84771

79.33

4.71

1.44

22

30.8915

-90.84784

76.17

5.42

1.65

23

30.89117

-90.84801

77.5

3.08

0.94

29

30.89076

-90.84618

86.83

0.46

0.14

30

30.89091

-90.8466

81.17

3.00

0.91

Fig. 18a. Map of sample sites Fig. 18b. Data collected

SITE SELECTION

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS After group research and modeling, the studio pursued individual design solutions for the Dawson Site. Design proposals are included in the order as follows:

p. 43-49

THE AMITE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

HAYDEN HAMMONS p. 51-61

WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR SCENIC RIVER?

TAYLOR JACOBSON p. 63-69

HEALTHY MINE AND BODY

NGUYET NGUYEN p. 71-83

LIVING WATER LINE

BETSY PETERSON p. 85-93

CHANGE THE CYCLE: RESOURCE EXTRACTION THROUGH RECLAMATION

TANVI SHAH p. 95-103

CONSIDER THE HEELSPLITTER

ANDREW WRIGHT

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

THE AMITE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

HAYDEN HAMMONS

This design investigates methods and applications of revegetation to improve the ecological stability and functionality of the abandoned sand and gravel mining landscape. The core principles of this design are intended to be easily scalable so that they can be successfully implemented throughout the entire watershed. As the primary organizing programmatic element, the Amite Research Institute (ARI) is an arboretum and botanical research center which focuses on the propagation, restoration, and preservation of Louisiana’s native plant species. Taking cues from the existing conditions on site, the design organizes the site into three distinct areas. The first is the architectural center located in the southwest corner of the site, where highly erodible soils and a lack of stable vegetation provide an opportunity to regrade and develop a large area while minimizing disturbance of highly vulnerable existing plant communities nearby. Secondly, the central focus of ARI’s revegetation program is the implementation of a longleaf pine savannah that replaces the expansive remnant sand tailing landscape. The planting of these trees will enhance the site ecologically as well as offer an educational experience that invites visitors into a rare native landscape. The third component of the design is the pine scrub preserve, intended to highlight and celebrate the powers of nature and demonstrate natural successional change. The following work chronicles the design development process, and highlights the creation of the Amite Research Institute’s spatial definition and sense of identity.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR SCENIC RIVER?

TAYLOR JACOBSEN

The question of what to use these abandoned mines has been at the forefront of our research and design eff rts. With so much potential with this misshaped and uprooted land, the mind can wonder from left to right with hundreds of possibilities. To focus my eff rts on the matter, I chose to research how to best fortify river banks and better manage erosion control, all while finding a way to strengthen an already strong program in the state parks system.

By utilizing geometric biodegradable structures, I am able to capture and retain a large amount of sediment during and after a large flood event. This control of sediment and natural elements will allow the river ecology a chance to deepen their roots into the soil and therefore growing strength for the next high water event. Once we have gained a better handle on the erosion issues that are altering the very edge of a our river, we can then begin to think on how we can reconnect this once scenic river back to the people.

By converting a few abandoned mines just some 10 nautical miles apart, we will have created the first recreational water way transportation stations in the state.

This will allow kayaks, canoes, tubes, and even small boats the chance to gain easy access to the water’s edge while locating a safe and comfortable camp ground while they rest and recharge.

The journey will begin just a few feet north of the highway 10 bridge at Amite Launch. This 110 acre state park offe s campgrounds, trails filled with art and spatial stories, and most importantly, a safe and friendly boat launch point into the Amite River. From here, a rider on the river can easily cruise down the river at an average 4 knots, getting them safely to the next checkpoint just 10 nautical miles away. This next checkpoint will offer the same amenities, comforts to allow the campers a chance to shower, eat, and comfortably sleep before tomorrow’s next leg.

Launch from the first checkpoint and head south down the river to the next and final checkpoint. This 12 nautical mile leg will take you roughly 5 hours to complete, depending on your stopping time and ability to paddle faster than others. The final checkpoint will offer fewer amenities than the Amite River Launch and the first checkpoint for this is the extraction point for all canoe or kayaks.

By giving better access to the water’s edge, we will give back the water to the people, with the hopes of using this new connection as a platform into great environmental and social issues.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

HEALTHY MINE AND BODY

NGUYET NGUYEN

This concept revisits the history of extraction at this abandoned sand and gravel mine and asks ‘How can we give back as a form of healing?’ Design goals are: 1. Reconnect people with the environment 2. Restore the health of both the environment and the visitor (through reflexology and reforestation) 3. Raise awareness of the eff cts of abandoned sand and gravel mines along the Amite River Reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to diffe ent points on your hands and feet, which are linked to the health of diffe ent parts of your body. There are records of reflexology in Egyptian, Chinese and Native American medicinal practices, with the earliest finding at 2330 BC. It relieves pain, stimulates the central nervous system, helps with relaxation, etc. Studies have even shown positive physical and psychological benefits in patients with breast cancer symptoms. Reflexology is long-term, holistic health care that can be done through practitioner massage, or on your own by walking barefoot on textures that give pressure (e.g. pebbles).

Visitors have the opportunity to experience reflexology outdoors at this unique site. Here, nature tells the story of mining activity through riverbank and gully erosion, turbid water and disrupted wildlife corridors. The site’s character as an abandoned sand and gravel mine is preserved through the design of the trails and as destination spots. Visitors learn about diffe ent scars on the land from mining, and have the opportunity to participate in volunteer reforestation events.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

•

material used within 50 miles of extraction site

• • •

• •

^ in amount and velocity of runoff degraded water quality less infiltration

species + habitat loss decrease in biodiversity

LIVING WATER LINE

BETSY PETERSON

Room for the River aims to disrupt the negative feedback loop of extraction and environmental degradation that currently prioritizes human consumption by redesigning abandoned mining sites with environment, people and the river in mind. By making room for the river - a floodable buffer zone of 100m where existing infrastructure permits - this design harnesses the river’s natural processes to aid in the reclamation of the site. The design creates a series of floodable buffe s that work with the river’s morphology, direct and hold inevitable floodwaters and create spaces to engage the public in the restoration-through-flooding process.

The focus of this restoration project is a highly geometric earthwork design made of nutrient-rich soil, biodegradable coir fabric and wooden stakes that is installed on site to stabilize new plantings and allowed to flood. Over time, roots will establish, the coir fabric will decompose and nature will soften the human-made geometry and transform the site design. Pathways allow people to access the site during a flooded state, when the site truly comes alive; the designed depressions in the landscape will transform into vernal wetlands alive with wildlife and biodiverse plants that thrive in this unique environment. Restoring mining site by mining site down the river in this way, a new ecosystem along the Amite preserved as public land can offer flood protection, habitat, and recreational opportunities.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

71

Sand and gravel mining are inherently part of a regional system. These materials are used in projects within a 50 mile radius of extraction, which is often the flood zones of local waterways.

Along this 50 mile stretch of the Amite River, there are

15,000 A C R E S OF MINES.

The average sand and gravel mine is 153 acres.

Amit e River

MORPHOLOGY DISRUPTED

Th Project Site

N KEY 1950 1980 2018 active mines inactive mines 1 mile

EAST FELICIANA PARISH LINE

Amit e Riv er

ROOM FOR THE RIVER

ST HELENA PARISH LINE

KEY

N

McAdam Bridge

SITE SCALE

Th Project Site

living barriers

Highway 10

like willow revetments and earthen levees create room for the river to shift nd control flooding

100m buffer based on historical meanders active mines inactive mines 1 mile

infrastructure (such as roads and bridges) restricts the room for the river

100 year floo plain based on FEMA flood maps

Grangeville

river morphology

Highway 37 Bridge

a 100m shift rom the 1950s to today

EAST FELICIANA PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH

the composite

of these factors determines how much room you can give the river ST HELENA PARISH LIVINGSTON PARISH

LA

y 16 hwa Hig

Creating a 100m buffer around the Amite River will reintroduce at least

7,500 A C R E S OF PUBLIC PA R K L A N D where roads and bridges are not limiting factors.

Magnolia Bridge

Denham Springs

AMI

IV TE R

ER

HWY 10

CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS / ‘NATURAL’ FLOOD CONTROL

LIVING STABILIZATION

Westergasfabriek Park, Gustafson Porter

Live Willow Revetment, Salix RWS

Coir Planting Technique, Salix RWS

Palmisano Park, D.I.R.T. Studio

Restoration of the River Aire

Looking through site breach at wetland buff r

Wier controls where flooding enters site and serves as an artful design element

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Wetlands

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STRUCTURAL PROTECTION

HWY 10

THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

CONCEPT

DEVELOPMENT E N G AG E

RESTORE

PROTECT

PROJECT GOALS: MORPHOLOGICAL CONTROLS • •

CULTURAL HERITAGE + COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT •

Forestry Adjacent to Dawson Mine

• •

Powers County Store, photo:WAFB 9 News

Educate the local community about mining and restoration via a mobile trailer that travels with site restoration projects down the river Use land art to draw people in to the site and engage them in the restoration process Add recreational + environmental assets to community

SITE RESTORATION • • •

Intersection of linear pine rows with the changeable landform, divided by the willow revetment wall

Provide better protection for property owners in immediate vicinity through stepped buff rs Make room for the river to migrate within a generous buffer zone of public, floodable land where possible within existing infrastructure

Demonstrate the standard for the next step in mining sites’ life cycle Off r practical steps for restoration without extracting nutrients from other landscapes Reduce sediment flow into Amite River + create habitat by stabilizing soils + fostering plant growth

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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STABILIZATION SCHEME Living Stabilization Public Land Floodable Buffer Developable Land Hard Edge, River Boundary Living Willow Wall

1 2

3

4

5

wetland plants + water storage

cover crop

wooden stakes

coir fabric amended soil

LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 LIVING STABILIZATION

constructed wetlands dissipate velocity of water and stabilize sandy soils

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

HARD EDGE SET BACK 100’

fixed edge defines the limit of river morphology

Terraced protections create spaces for wildlife and people to engage. This series of approaches could be used on sites down the Amite River, while the specific design elements can vary per the site needs.

The design for the Dawson Site directs flood waters first to floodable wetlands to dissipate the force of the river (Level 1), through designated wiers on site, and is stored and filtered in bioengineered, vernal wetlands which (level 3). Here, geometric landforms are staked out with coir fabric to stabilize sandy soil. The soil is infilled to create pockets of lower elevation that attract and hold water during high water events. The organic fabric allows plant roots to develop before it biodegrades in 3-5 years. Meanwhile, nature is softening the human- made design through flooding, creating new spaces, habitats and experiences for visitors continually.

LEVEL 4 LIVING STABILIZATION

willow revetments provide the final buffer from flooding

LEVEL 5 DEVELOPABLE LAND

high land is safe from flooding

LEVEL 3 FLOODABLE BUFFER

stabilize soils with coir fabric and stakes allow geometric design to soften over time

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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MASTER PLAN

2 16

1

3

15

4

14

7

5

9

8

11

10

12

13

P

6

P

100m

KEY

#

area activated during flood stage III

1. Wetlands 2. Wier Terrace 3. Morphing Meadow 4. Lookout Deck + Wetland Theater

5. Earthen Levee 6. Canoe + Kayak Launch 7. Forest Edge Bridge 8. Dragline Camera Station

N

13. Compost Station 14. Pine Forest Rows 15. Willow Ha-Ha Wall 16. Wetland Forest

9. Pedestrian Trails 10. Education Center 11. Restaurant 12. Kitchen Garden

FLOODED MASTER PLAN

2 16

1 3

15

4 14

7 5 8

9 10

12

P

6

11 13

P

100m 78

THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

N

FLOOD STAGES I. WETLANDS STORE + FILTER WATER

+ 3.5m (10.5’)

II. LIVING LEVEE ACTIVATED

+ 4m (12’)

III. VERNAL WETLAND ENGAGES

+ 4.5m (13.5’)

IV. WILLOW REVETMENT ACTIVATED

+ 5m (15’)

V. DEEP POND STORES FLOOD WATERS

+ 5.5m (16.5’)

100m DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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FLOODING CHANGES SITE EXPERIENCE The design provides water storage capacity during high water events. If replicated on abandoned sites downs the Amite, this design would provide a string of wetland habitats working to protect locals from disastrous flood events like the flood of 2016.

LSU Engineering students are calculating the storage capacity of this design. Results will be compared with a proposed dam and submitted to USACE for review.

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•

wier activated. water overflows at designated points, overflowing into the next series of flood defenses

•

stepped concrete wall and reinforced earthen barriers hold water in part of the stie

•

constructed wetlands engaged, dissapating inital velocity of flood waters and filtering sediment

THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

L ANDFORMS SHIFT OVER TIME A camera mounted on an abandoned dragline excavator records the shifting earth forms and plants over time for research. The excavator, which was seen on site, serves as a datum among the shifting space and as a reference to the sites’ mining past.

PLANTS

VERNAL POOLS TIME DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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PROJECT PHASING

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

CHANGE THE CYCLE: RESOURCE EXTRACTION THROUGH RECLAMATION

TANVI SHAH

Resource extraction has been and will continue to be an indelible part of the Amite River’s history. While an important industry in the region, floodplain sand and gravel mining has long suffe ed from improper mining practices that have negatively impacted both mine operations’ immediate surroundings and the floodplain downstream.

This project seeks to create a testing, demonstration, and monitoring site that invites mine owners, mine operators, and government agencies to consider multifaceted methods of abandoned mine management and reclamation. This former mine’s unique situation – pit capture, proximity to Highway 10, experimental site for remining frac sand, and involvement of Army Corps and state agencies – offe s an important opportunity for experimentation and research. The primary goal of this project is to change the cycle of resource extraction from being purely exploitative to initiating reclamation and sustainable resource extraction practices that create long-term economic, ecological, recreational, and aesthetic value.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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ASKING TO BE RECLAIMED

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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PHASING IN RECLAMATION

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DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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THE HUNGRY RIVER: Designing a Future for the Amite River’s Former Sand and Gravel Mines

CONSIDER THE HEELSPLITTER

ANDREW WRIGHT

Freshwater mussels are among the most threatened species on the planet, with approximately 70% of North American species considered endangered. This is due to their highly specific habitat requirements and complicated reproductive cycle, which make established populations extremely susceptible to human disturbance. The Inflated Heelsplitter (Potamilus inflatus) is one such mussel endemic to rivers in the central Gulf Coast region, including the Amite. Its habitat has been compromised by human activity, including development, channelization, and sand and gravel mining. This proposal repurposes the project site as a conservation hatchery and aquaculture facility, with the goal of bolstering populations of the Inflated Heelsplitter and its host fish, the Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens). The project site’s location upstream of the most heavily mined reaches of the Amite presents an opportunity to transplant cultured, juveniles mussels into a relatively undisturbed habitat. and, as the population grows and begins to reproduce, it will migrate downstream into the mussel’s historic geographic range. Former mining sites downstream could be repurposed into monitoring stations, creating a network of facilities dedicated to observing and protecting the ecological health of the river. This proposal calls for bioengineering to stabilize eroding shorelines and to create mussel habitat, and includes a large, short- rotation willow coppice to provide raw materials for bioengineering interventions, as well as to build and stabilize degraded soils left over from mining operations. Finally, the design includes a system of trails, paths, and elevated walks that provide significant opportunities for recreation, education, and community engagement. By engaging the public with the plight of the Inflated Heelsplitter and the health of the Amite River, thise project ultimately aims to expand its reach beyond the site boundaries and to catalyze an ethos of ecological stewardship in throughout the Amite River watershed.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

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