60-11 Textural Characterization of the Caminada Headlands, Louisiana

Session: 2YC and 4YCU Geoscience Student Research Poster Showcase

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The Caminada-Moreau Headland of south-central Louisiana has undergone substantial morphological changes within the last century due to both anthropogenic impacts and natural processes. This study characterizes changes in sediment texture of the Caminada-Moreau Headland dune system by using new and historical datasets. The primary objective is to determine how restoration projects and storm events are altering sediment characteristics, using the Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration Projects (BA-45 and BA-0143) as temporal benchmarks. Recently collected sediment samples for the study were acquired using a DGPS to maintain spatial accuracy of previous sampling efforts. The samples were texturally characterized visually and with a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction system. GRADISTAT was then used to determine metrics such as sorting, skewness, kurtosis, and mean grain size, which are compared to historical data to establish spatial and temporal trends in textural variability. Preliminary data suggests a small but noticeable increase in grain size temporally and spatially proximal to sediment renourishment projects of the headland. These detectable changes suggest that the placement of sediment from offshore borrow sites is having a measurable impact on sediment texture of the project area. After high-energy events such as tropical cyclones, the study area shows signs of sediment fining and morphologic deterioration. These results indicate that anthropogenic restoration initiatives can modify sediment characteristics, but storms remain as a dominant geomorphic driver. Understanding the effects that restoration projects have on sediment dynamics is vital to adaptive management strategies, which are a fundamental component of Louisiana’s sediment renourishment projects on sandy barrier headlands. The compilation of historical and modern grain size data allows this study to contribute to a stronger understanding of barrier island evolution and renourishment effectiveness in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-7602

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