The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
(BTNEP)
Barataria-Terrebonne contains some of the most diverse and fertile habitats in the world. However, no other place on Earth is disappearing as quickly as the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine system.
The Barataria and Terrebonne basins span over 4.1 million acres; the system is flanked by the Mississippi River on the east and the Atchafalaya basin on the west. It extends from the towns of Morganza in the north to Grand Isle in the south.
Seven priority issues affecting the Barataria-Terrebonne have been identified. Each of the priority problems impacts the next, making the resolution of each problem that much more pressing and complex.
- Hydrologic Modifications: changes in water flow
- Sediment Reduction: fewer deposits available to the natural system
- Habitat Loss: land loss and habitat change
- Eutrophication: abundance of nutrients in the water
- Pathogen Contamination: bacteria and viruses in the water
- Toxic Substances: the effects of toxic chemicals in water
- Changes in Living Resources: birds, fish and other animals