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 first DRAGON roundtable
meeting was hosted by the USGS National Wetlands Research Center in the fall of
2007. Most recently the DRAGON
Asia Summit was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in June 2009.
