Study Finds Hurricanes May Actually Help Wetlands

A new study makes the provocative claim that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita actually helped stabilize coastal wetlands by depositing tons of silt and sediment—even as the storms devastated dozens of square miles of the low-lying areas.

The new findings contradict long-held theories that rivers are the primary source of the sediment that forms wetlands, according to the research team at Louisiana State University. The study also counters beliefs that the loss of wetlands—especially on the eastern Louisiana coastline—has been caused by flood-prevention levees on the Mississippi River. In findings that could cause a stir among environmentalists, the LSU researchers ultimately conclude that hurricanes play an important role in maintaining the health of wetlands. 

National Geographic News, 9/21/06 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/09/060921-wetlands.html