Collaborative research: NSF R2I2: coastal resilience through effective versatile adaptation and sediment strategies for sea-level rise engagement (crevasse)

The National Science Foundation's Office of Integrative Activities awarded $182,680 to the Water Institute of the Gulf under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) on September 1, 2025, for a collaborative research project titled "Coastal Resilience Through Effective Versatile Adaptation and Sediment Strategies for Sea-Level Rise Engagement (CREVASSE)." The project, which extends through August 31, 2027, will develop tools, techniques, and decision-support frameworks to enable systematic management of crevasses—engineered cuts in Mississippi River levees that redirect sediment-laden water into adjacent wetlands for ecosystem restoration. The primary deliverables include technical methodologies and management protocols for crevasse operations that balance coastal wetland rebuilding with river navigation and water supply protection, along with hydrological and sediment transport analysis to optimize system-wide effectiveness.

In addition to technical products, the project will establish workforce development capabilities and community engagement mechanisms by convening state and federal resource management agencies, environmental nonprofits, universities, and technical colleges. The grant supports research activities designed to create a formal management framework currently absent in U.S. river management practices, enabling long-term adaptive management of the crevasse network as an integrated system rather than ad hoc interventions. This collaborative research initiative addresses critical coastal resilience challenges in the Mississippi River Delta region while advancing fundamental geosciences understanding of sediment dynamics and ecosystem restoration.

Abstract

MUD from the mississippi river built the vast wetlands of louisiana. Nearly 2000 SQ. Miles of these wetlands have become open water since the 1930S, wiping out coastal communities and leaving others vulnerable to natural hazards. Crevasses ? Cuts in the river levee where water and MUD flow into the surrounding wetlands are a proven, economical tool for rebuilding these wetlands. River managers have historically adopted a policy of closing crevasses because these cuts can impact the use of the river as a navigation channel and enhance salinity intrusion when the river is low, threatening drinking water supplies. However, crevasses are expected to become more common in the coming decades, especially in areas where channel bank protection is less intensive. The united states is currently lacking a formal framework to incorporate crevassing as part of river management efforts. This project brings together state and federal resource management agencies, private organizations, environmental advocacy nonprofits, and local universities and technical colleges. The project will create the tools and techniques needed to support effective management decisions and to develop a workforce that is both connected to community needs and capable of contributing to long-term planning and adaptive management of the crevasse system. On the lower mississippi river, crevasse management is key to sustaining valuable wetlands while enabling the river to meet the needs of communities and commerce. Crevasses are an indispensable component of any resilient future for the mississippi river delta, but the crevasse network is most effective when managed as a system rather than individual ad hoc efforts. Systematic management requires a firmer understanding of water and sediment pathways through crevasses, their interactions with the main river channel, and their interactions with each other. Critically, IT also requires a conceptual framework that is grounded in both geomorphology and management practice to explain how anthropogenic activities have influenced crevasse performance in the past and how those activities are most effective. This project will develop tools and techniques that can be used to target water and sediment delivery throughout the crevasse network and balance the function of the river for the many stakeholders that rely on IT. Furthermore, the project creates a workforce development program to produce practitioners in the local community that can design and monitor crevasses and understand how to balance the relevant environmental and economic interests. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.