NEWS RELEASE
www.dnr.louisiana.gov
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Contact: Anna Dearmon, 225.223.3835
Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory Assessment System Now Available Online
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is pleased to announce that the Atchafalaya Basin Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System (ABNRIAS) is now available online at http://abp.cr.usgs.gov/
“The Department of Natural Resources is proud to have led the collaborative effort of state and federal agencies to develop a system that is useful not only to scientists who collect valuable information for the improvement of the area, but also to the people of Louisiana and its visitors who take advantage of the Sportsman’s Paradise of the Basin, enjoying world class fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking and other outdoor activities.” said DNR Secretary Scott Angelle
This system that was approved in the FY2010 Annual Basin Plan and funded by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), will serve not only as the primary tool for decision making in the Basin for the Atchafalaya Basin Technical Advisory Group, but also as an important information portal for the many stakeholders of the Atchafalaya Basin. This system has been developed as a cooperative effort between the DNR, CPRA, United States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), and Louisiana State University School of Renewable Natural Resources.
“This system is vital to our restoration and conservation efforts in the Atchafalaya Basin and allows us to plan projects that will improve water quality and are cost effective” said Louis Buatt, Assistant Secretary of DNR’s Office of Coastal Management.
The latest information available on the Atchafalaya Basin may be accessed through the ABNRIAS including Elevation Data (LIDAR), Satellite Imagery, Historical Survey Maps, Project Information, Presentations, and many other items that are of interest The ABNRIAS was developed with input from a number of stakeholders in the Basin whose suggestions were incorporated into the development of the system. Continued feedback from users will provide a means to continue to improve this system as a user friendly natural resource management system that is beneficial to scientists as well as every day users of the basin.
“The Atchafalaya Basin Program Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment System is a huge step forward in providing visibility into water conditions within the Floodway and the processes that drive the health of the Great Swamp,” according to Charles Caillouet of the Friends of the Atchafalaya.
The ABNRIAS is a web based system that serves as a clearinghouse of information that is collected or developed regarding the Atchafalaya Basin. It includes custom tools that will assist users in both navigating the basin, managing resources, identifying public lands and boat launches and review or develop projects for the Annual Basin Plan. The system is also a repository of data that is collected in the Basin so that everyone will be able to view and use this information.
“Those of us who hunt and fish in the Basin will now be able to see and use the information that is collected by the scientific organizations, and compare to what we see. That will help us to take an active role in the project planning process,” said Carroll Delahoussaye, St. Martin Parish Councilman.
“This system is a powerful tool to assist with the management of resources in the Atchafalaya Basin,” added Vic Blanchard, President of the Louisiana Landowners Association.
###