Comparing the Effects of Erosion and Accretion Along the Coast of Pontchartrain Lake and New Orleans in the United States of America

Silvia V. González Rodríguez (), Vicente Negro Valdecantos, José María del Campo and Vanessa Torrodero Numpaque
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Silvia V. González Rodríguez: Marine, Coastal and Port Environment and Other Sensitive Areas Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering: Hydraulics, Energy and Environment, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Vicente Negro Valdecantos: Marine, Coastal and Port Environment and Other Sensitive Areas Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering: Hydraulics, Energy and Environment, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
José María del Campo: Marine, Coastal and Port Environment and Other Sensitive Areas Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering: Hydraulics, Energy and Environment, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Vanessa Torrodero Numpaque: Construction Department, School of Agronomic, Food and Biosystems Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-28

Abstract: This research examines the transformation of the Lake Pontchartrain coastal landscape, including the New Orleans shoreline. The paper addresses the critical need to understand long-term environmental change through a comprehensive geospatial analysis of historical cartographic representations. The study employs a methodology involving three key steps: (1) georeferencing maps using QGis v. 3.4.8., (2) vectorization using AutoCAD v. 2013, and (3) comparative spatial analysis to quantify coastal morphological changes. The quantitative results reveal significant coastal dynamics, with Lake Pontchartrain experiencing a total erosion balance of −36.42 km 2 , although the New Orleans coastal zone has experienced land reclamation. This loss can be attributed to the synergistic interaction of natural (e.g., subsidence, sea level rise, hurricanes) and anthropogenic (e.g., urban development, infrastructure, ecological fragmentation) processes that have accelerated coastal erosion in the study area. The research provides a critical historical analysis of the evolution of coastal landscapes in response to anthropogenic influences. However, the methodology is constrained when it comes to addressing the socioeconomic impacts. Nevertheless, the study considered the profound environmental and societal consequences of historical governmental and social decisions, thereby underscoring the intricate interplay between natural processes and human intervention in coastal ecosystems. These findings contribute to a more profound comprehension of the processes of coastal landscape transformation, underscoring the dynamic and fragile nature of coastal environments.

Keywords: littoral zone; coastline; shoreline; colonial cartography; aerial photography; lost land; gained land (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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