Ground Zero for Sea Level Rise

At the edge of Lafourche Parish, on the Gulf of Mexico, lies Port Fourchon, America’s busiest inter-modal energy port. And this port, at the end of the day, supports 18% of the nation’s daily energy needs. So it’s vital to America’s energy security to maintain this coastal highway. It’s also ground zero for sea level rise in the world.

Up to 1,200 trucks a day travel in and out of Port Fourchon by way of the LA-1 highway, carrying supplies and materials for rigs and platforms in the Gulf. Keeping the highway above water is a challenge for engineers. Henri Boulet of the LA-1 Coalition and Tim Osborn of NOAA’s Office of Coastal Survey explain how engineers use climate data, specifically sea level rise projections, to anticipate impacts and to keep the oil industry in business in Port Fourchon.