The latest data from LSU’s Center for Geoinformatics shows Louisiana is sinking. A closer look at elevation changes in over the last three decades shows Alexandria is down by 49 millimeters, Old River down by 34mm, and Lake Charles down by 16mm. LSU Chief of Geodesy Cliff Mugnier says there are several factors that may be causing the changes.
“One is changes in the groundwater water table as well as the recession of the glaciers from the last ice age,” said Mugnier.
Boothville sunk by 13 mm with Ruston sinking by 9mm. But places like Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Oakdale, Hammond, and Shreveport remained unchanged.
Mugnier says the research measures the changes in elevation to apparent subsidence and it generates data for the National Geodetic Survey.
“They are going to come out with a new system of elevations and latitude and longitude coordinates in 2022,” said Mugnier.
Some areas gained elevation over the last thirty years, including Thibodaux by 7mm, Sicily Island by 8mm, Rayville by 13mm, and Natchitoches by 17mm.
Mugnier says the data will also be important for emergency operations.
“Emergency planners need to know this so that they give people enough advance notice to get out of dodge before a hurricane and before the roads flood,” said Mugnier.
