Treated sewage to restore New Orleans swamps (AFP)

[Eugene]

Treated sewage to restore New Orleans swamps

by Russell McCulley Sun Oct 22, 2:42 PM ET

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AFP) - Louisiana is planning to use
millions of gallons of treated sewage to restore swamps surrounding
New Orleans to help protect the city from disasters like last year's
Hurricane Katrina.

Ecologists say the treated waste will help stimulate the growth of the
region's vanishing cypress swamps, which provide a natural buffer
for deadly Gulf of Mexico hurricanes.

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"It's not a new idea, but it hasn't been done on this scale before."

The 40 million dollar project will divert treated wastewater from New
Orleans and St. Bernard Parish to an area east of New Orleans, where
saltwater intrusion has destroyed what was once an expansive cypress
forest. The project targets restoring 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares)
of eroding wetlands in the area.

The treated sewage will help push out the salt water that was swept
into the swamps and ensure the right balance of nutrients and fresh
water, said John Day, professor of oceanography and coastal sciences
at Louisiana State University.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061022/ts_alt_afp/usenvironmentstormneworleanswetlands_061022184205