Viewing man-made canals in the marsh as seen on a foggy morning. Canals can disrupt water circulation in marsh systems.

Cypress marsh at the edge of Lake Ponchartrain as seen from the air.

Bayou Lafourche was the main channel of the Mississippi River a few thousand years ago. As river bed fills, the river changes course seeking a steeper slope to the sea. If allowed to follow its natural cycle, the Mississippi River would be in the process of changing its course into the bed of the Atchafalaya River.

Cypress marsh at the edge of Lake Ponchartrain as seen from the air.

Aerial view of marsh land.

Homes and businesses built along the levee ridge of Bayou Lafourche.

Burning off marsh south of New Orleans to improve next year's growth. Numerous canals are in this area for oil and gas exploration.

Subsiding marsh and man-made canals south of New Orleans. Canals can disrupt water circulation in marsh systems.

Islands north of East Timbalier Island

A view of the wetlands adjacent to Barataria Bay south of New Orleans

Light-colored area is dredge material deposited during maintenance of channels in Mississippi Delta.

Sand bar adjacent to Pass a Loutre. Possible sediment source for restoration projects. Bar features are natural.

Aerial view of Pass a Loutre

Aerial view of interior Mississippi Delta marshes

Aerial view of Mississippi Delta wetlands adjacent to Pass a Loutre

Aerial view of Mississippi Delta wetlands adjacent to Pass a Loutre

Aerial view of Mississippi Delta wetlands adjacent to Pass a Loutre

Eroding marsh peninsula between Bayous Perot and Rigolettes

Eroding marsh peninsula between Bayous Perot and Rigolettes

Aerial view of Mississippi Delta wetlands adjacent to Pass a Loutre

Dixon Bay well site - seen of a blow out and oil spill as seen from the air

Aerial view of freshwater wetlands. Freshwater wetlands support a higher diversity of plants than do salt marshes.

Dixon Bay well site being capped after blowout and oil spill

Oiled Spartina following oil spill

Cleanup of a sandy spit adjacent to Southwest Pass levee following oil spill. This area is used extensively as cattle pasture despite its inaccessibility from land. Cattle are brought in by barge.

Freshwater vegetation on the Chenier Plain not far from Sabine River and Texas border.

Federal and state scientists evaluating potential restoration project on the Chenier Plain not far from Sabine River and Texas border.

Bridge and water control structure in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

The Louisiana Fish and Wildlife station at Marsh Island. This is the headquarters for the Marsh Island Refuge.

Bayou Lamoque water diversion structure. This is the outflow point where water flows into marsh systems from river sources.

Bayou Lamoque water diversion structure.

Greenhill Petroleum facility on East Timbalier Island

Greenhill Petroleum facility on East Timbalier Island

The Greenhill/East Timbalier pipe depositing dredge material in foreground -- Greenhill Petroleum facility on East Timbalier Island in background

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredge -- dredging in a channel to build new land for marsh habitat.

Greenhill Petroleum facility on East Timbalier Island

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredged material -- new land created to left of rock levee.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredged material inside of temporary levee to right -- dredged material dries to create new land.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredged material coming out of pipe inside of levees -- will dry to form new land.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredging operation -- walking on newly created land . When it dries it will become marsh land.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredge flow into natural marsh. Existing marsh will recover if not buried too deeply.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier above ground waste pit associated with petroleum facility.

New land created by dredging operation will be planted with Spartina alterniflora, smooth cordgrass.

New land created by dredging operation behind temporary levee will be planted with Spartina alterniflora, smooth cordgrass, to form a new marsh area.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredging operation -- bucket dredge scooping material from channel which will be sent by pipe to the marsh creation site.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredge deposition -- backhoe is used to move pipe to evenly distribute the dredge material.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier dredge deposition -- backhoe is used to move pipe to evenly distribute the dredge material. Workers walking over new land.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier levee maintenance

The Greenhill/East Timbalier workers bringing plants into dredge area. Spartina alterniflora was planted by hand to create new marsh.

The Greenhill/East Timbalier newly created marsh with just planted Spartina alterniflora. Although plants look brown, they thrived after rainfall.