Investigation of the Effects of Wetland Vegetation on Coastal Flood Reduction Using Hydrodynamic Simulation

Storm surge flood is a major threat to the inhabitants of Southwest Louisiana and to the health of the marshes in the area. Knowledge of potential impacts from a flood allows expedited response and recovery. In order to predict the flooding coverage and damage to the wetlands, hydrodynamic simulation of the flooding event has to be conducted. The target model area is Calcasieu Lake and its surrounding wetlands. The wetlands around Calcasieu Lake are covered by marsh grasses. The presence of these marsh grasses have significant effects on the friction of the flooding water, the size of the total flooded area, the speed, and the distribution of the flooding water. In this study, measured grass information was utilized and incorporated into the hydrodynamic model. A comparison between with and without vegetation models was conducted and the effect of the grasses in the target area was revealed.