EPA & NOAA Lead Assessment of Hurricane Katrina's Impact on Coastal Waters

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are lead federal agencies coordinating an interagency assessment of the environmental impacts of Hurricane Katrina in coastal waters throughout the affected region. This effort will characterize the magnitude and extent of coastal contamination, ecological effects, and health risks resulting from this unprecedented storm.

In addition to coordinating activities, the Gulf Ecology Division will play a dominant lead in assessing the effects of Katrina on coastal ecosystems. Prior data collected by EPA's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Monitoring and Modeling Program will serve as background information against which post-Katrina conditions will be evaluated. NCA protocols and indicators and fecal contamination will be collected at 60 sampling locations within the coastal waters from Dauphin Island, AL to Lake Pontchartrain, LA. An additional 19 locations will be sampled around the Mississippi River Delta and near-shore plume waters. These 79 stations will be sampled quarterly for an additional 4-5 sampling periods to document the environmental impacts of Katrina and improvements over time.

The data from this effort is expected to produce an assessment report that will be distributed and presented to stakeholders, federal and local resource managers and officials to support environmental and public health decisions and recovery and restoration efforts. Assistance will be provided in interpreting the data and findings from this assessment to evaluate alternative management actions.

EPA & NOAA Lead Assessment of Hurricane Katrina's Impact on Coastal Waters

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