Spillwater flush damaging marine life

GULFPORT, Miss. – The freshwater intrusion from the Bonnet Carre spillway north of New Orleans is damaging aquatic life in the Mississippi Sound, according to veterinarians at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS). Thirteen dolphins and 23 sea turtles found washed up on the Mississippi Coast in the last two weeks. Mississippi State University vets are examining the carcasses, says IMMS director Moby Solangi. Twenty-two of the dead turtles are endangered Kemp’s ridleys. Carcasses are being found in all three Mississippi coastal counties. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources also confirms the fresh water is damaging oyster reefs in the western Mississippi Sound. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the spillway in February – the 13th time in its history - to protect New Orleans and other communities from Mississippi River flooding. Up to 210,000 cubic feet per second of fresh water poured through the spillway gates for 43 days. The spillway is located at Norco, La., in St. Charles Parish. Joe Jewell, DMR’s director of marine fisheries, says the fresh water impact didn’t end with closing of the gates April 9, and it’s not over. “It takes two to three weeks, sometimes more, for all that freshwater to flush out,” he said. “We are seeing some significant mortality — upwards of 50 percent — with the smaller oysters. The larger oysters appear to do a lot better.” (Source: Sun Herald 04/19/19)