Coastal Louisiana Land Area Changes After 2005 Hurricanes

Coastal Louisiana experienced an estimated 217-square-mile land loss after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The dataset comprises three map-based analyses comparing land area from 2004 to 2005 and providing a historical perspective from 1956. It was created by the USGS and published in December 2005 to serve as a baseline for monitoring wetland recovery.

Use Cases

• Quantify net land area change from 2004 to 2005 using the estimated 217-square-mile decrease figure.
• Analyze land changes within specific marsh communities using the community-level maps.
• Compare the 2004-2005 hurricane impact against the long-term trend from 1956 to 2004 using the historical perspective map.
• Establish a regional baseline for post-hurricane wetland recovery monitoring as stated in the report's purpose.

Strengths

• Provides a quantified estimate of land loss: 217 square miles (562.03 square kilometers).
• Offers multi-temporal analysis with comparisons for 2004-2005 and a longer 1956-2004 perspective.

Limitations

• Data is preliminary, as the report states permanent loss estimation requires several more growing seasons.
• The core data format is three static map posters, limiting direct computational analysis.
• Sample size and underlying row/column data are unknown.

Provenance

Source

USGS (United States Geological Survey) via NASA Earthdata and CEOS_EXTRA.

Collection Method

Geospatial analysis of land area changes from satellite or aerial imagery.

Time Range

Primary focus on 2004-2005, with historical context from 1956-2004.

Freshness

Data is from 2005 and is not updated; it serves as a historical snapshot.

Geography

Coastal Louisiana, USA.