Overview of DRAGON
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) has initiated an effort to improve management outcomes for massive deltaic coastal systems like that of the Mississippi River Delta by comparing the ecological, hydrological, geological, and biogeochemical processes of large deltaic systems across the globe. The Delta Research And Global Observation Network (DRAGON) is developing a science framework for comparing, integrating, and ultimately predicting the effects of key drivers and management practices in these large ecosystems. The DRAGON brings together scientists and managers to model the large river deltas around the world.
Comparing North America's largest major river and delta, the Mississippi, with similar systems requires partnerships with scientists and managers from other continents. Following Hurricane Katrina, coastal resource managers have proposed a radical new approach to managing the Mississippi River levee, floodplain, navigation, and other key components of the delta. In light of this approach, there is an urgent need for better scientific information that connects to engineering and coastal restoration enterprises.
The USGS NWRC is developing a conceptual framework for studying the Lower Mississippi Valley simultaneously with the Chinese Qingdao Institute for Marine Geology's similar effort to study the Huang He River. This Mississippi-Huang He River comparative model will be expanded to include large river deltas in The Netherlands, Russia, Vietnam, and other countries with similar deltaic systems that can contribute to comparative studies. The first DRAGON roundtable meeting was hosted by USGS NWRC in the fall of 2007.