Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Site elevation surveys in natural and restored marshes near the West Pointe a la Hache siphon, Louisiana, 2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0306031)

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This dataset contains data from RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) elevation surveys conducted in July 2018, July 2019, and July 2021 on three transects at each of the LSU NOAA RESTORE food web sample sites (LHA, LHB, LHC, WPH1, PS7) at distances of 1, 10, 25, 50, 100 meters inland. Data are in spreadsheet format.

Dataset Citation

Cite as: Swenson, Erick (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Site elevation surveys in natural and restored marshes near the West Pointe a la Hache siphon, Louisiana, 2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0306031). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/xnvv-ka71. Accessed [date].

Dataset Identifiers

ISO 19115-2 Metadata

gov.noaa.nodc:0306031

Full Text · XML

Download Data	HTTPS (download) Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download. FTP (download) These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).
Distribution Formats	Excel
Ordering Instructions	Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information +1-301-713-3277 ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov

Time Period	2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates	West: -89.8543 East: -89.8099 South: 29.4759 North: 29.5605
Spatial Coverage Map

General Documentation

NCEI Dataset Landing Page
Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.
Descriptive Information
Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.

Associated Resources

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. 2023. RESTORE Sponsored Research Project: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/71399
- https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/71399
  INPORT Webpage
LUMCON Project Page
- https://restorefoodweb.lumcon.edu/
  LUMCON Project Page
RESTORE Project, Linking community and food-web approaches to restoration: An ecological assessment of created and natural marshes influenced by river diversions
- https://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/projects/marshes
  RESTORE Project Page
External source of salinity data in the same geographic region of this current study area (stations near the sampling sites in this dataset are: 0263, 3617, 0260, 0258, 3680, 0282, 0209, 4529, 0226, 0224
- https://lacoast.gov/crms_viewer/Map/CRMSViewer
  CRMS Map Viewer
Rabalais, Nancy N.; Morrison, Wendy; Smith, Leslie; Woods, Gina (2024). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Taxonomic data for marsh infauna associated with natural and restored marshes along a salinity gradient generated from a freshwater diversion at West Pointe a la Hache into eastern Barataria Bay, Louisiana, 2018-05-21 to 2021-05-25 (NCEI Accession 0296020). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/zb46-m126.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/zb46-m126
  Related dataset
Rabalais, Nancy N.; Morrison, Wendy; Smith, Leslie M.; Woods, Gina (2024). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Total organic carbon and sediment grain size at natural and restored marshes along a salinity gradient generated from a freshwater diversion at West Pointe a la Hache into eastern Barataria Bay, Louisiana, 2018-05-21 to 2021-05-25 (NCEI Accession 0296021). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/fk7x-v112.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/fk7x-v112
  Related dataset
Polito, Michael J.; O'Nuanain, Aine; Bennelli, Allison; Winston, Joseph; Lamb, Katelyn J.; López-Duarte, Paola C.; Roberts, Brian J. (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Organic matter decomposition in restored vs. natural Louisiana marshes near the West Pointe A La Hache siphon, 2018-05-21 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0302679). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/8h8n-e570.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/8h8n-e570
  Related dataset
Polito, Michael J.; Lamb, Katelyn J.; López-Duarte, Paola C.; Olin, Jill A.; Martin, Charles W.; Hooper-Bùi, Linda M.; Roberts, Brian J. (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values of organisms from created and natural marsh of Lake Hermitage, West Point a la Hache, and Bay Batiste, Louisiana, May 2018 (NCEI Accession 0302883). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/43d6-6r23.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/43d6-6r23
  Related dataset
Olin, Jill (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Bulk sulfur stable isotopes of on- and off-marsh fish species in restored vs. natural Louisiana marshes near the West Pointe A La Hache siphon, May 2018 (NCEI Accession 0302625). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/w8nw-nv55.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/w8nw-nv55
  Related dataset
Swenson, Erick (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Continuous hydrologic data from sondes deployed by Louisiana State University (LSU) in natural and restored marshes in the Lake Hermitage, Louisiana area from 2018-03-12 to 2021-12-31 (NCEI Accession 0304323). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/sptc-ka77.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/sptc-ka77
  Related dataset
Polito, Michael J.; Loesser, Katherine B.; Stahl, Angela R.; Bennadji, Hayat; López-Duarte, Paola C.; Olin, Jill A.; Martin, Charles W.; Rabalais, Nancy; Roberts, Brian J. (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur stable isotope values of organisms from created and natural marsh of Lake Hermitage, West Point a la Hache, and Bay Batiste, Louisiana, May 2019 (NCEI Accession 0304324). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/4ft9-xa88.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/4ft9-xa88
  Related dataset
Martin, Charles (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Trawl data for fishes and macroinvertebrates collected in created and natural marsh of Lake Hermitage, West Point a la Hache and Bay Batiste, Louisiana, 2018-05-17 to 2019-05-17 (NCEI Accession 0304665). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/xeb2-0a66.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/xeb2-0a66
  Related dataset
Lopez-Duarte, Paola (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: On-marsh nekton community in restored vs. natural Louisiana marshes near the West Pointe A La Hache siphon, 2018-05-17 to 2019-05-20 (NCEI Accession 0304326). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/yr32-3851.
- https://doi.org/10.25921/yr32-3851
  Related dataset

Publication Dates	publication: 2025-07-10 creation: 2025-07-09
Data Presentation Form	Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status	Complete - production of the data has been completed Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency	As needed
Supplemental Information	Methods: Latitude and Longitude were measured by RTK survey instrument. Position and elevation was measured at each plot in July 2018, July 2019 and July 2021 during litter bag recovery (see related organic matter decomposition dataset (https://doi.org/10.25921/8h8n-e570) with real-time network (RTN) surveys using a Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL) with support from the LSU Center for GeoInformatics and Louisiana Spatial Reference Center. Position and elevation data was collected in duplicate from the center of each plot and referenced to datum NAD83 (position) and NAVD88 (geodetic elevation) using the geoid model GEOID2B and projection Louisiana South (a Lambert 2-parallel projection). Vertical precision based on repeated measurements of each plot was 0.0137 m.
Purpose	The litter bag plot elevations (NAVD88) were measured to allow for the calculation of inundation frequency and duration for each of the plots using hourly water level data. Hourly waters levels were obtained from Louisiana’s Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS). These sites record water level relative to NAVD88 to perform these calculations. Hydrologic water level gage data can be found in a separate related dataset (https://doi.org/10.25921/sptc-ka77). Elevations of the marsh water level recorders set out by LSU were also measured during the surveys of the litter bag plots. This allowed placement of these gages on the same datum (NAVD88) as the CRMS stations, allowing for comparisons. Little is known about how river diversions influence the ecological trajectory, food web structure, and function of natural versus created marshes. To address this gap, this project established sites in the West Point a la Hache (WPH) area (Barataria Bay, in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana), near the WPH siphon which periodically shunts Mississippi River water into the local marshes. Sites were also established in nearby marshes that were restored as part of the Lake Hermitage (LH) Marsh Creation Project, representing an ideal model system to examine how seasonal and spatial shifts in salinity due to river diversions influence species composition and food web structure in both natural and different-aged created marshes. Objectives of the overall project included characterizing species compositions and abundances in multiple trophic levels (microbes to upper trophic level predators) and applying bulk (SIA) and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of amino acids (AA) in producer and consumer tissues to describe and compare the structure and complexity of food webs and reveal aspects of fish residency.
Use Limitations	accessLevel: public Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.

Dataset Citation	Cite as: Swenson, Erick (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Site elevation surveys in natural and restored marshes near the West Pointe a la Hache siphon, Louisiana, 2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0306031). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/xnvv-ka71. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors	Swenson, Erick Louisiana State University (LSU)
Principal Investigators	Michael Polito University of California - Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Collaborators	Michael Polito University of California - Santa Cruz (UCSC) Annette Engel University of Tennessee Linda Hooper-Bùi Louisiana State University (LSU) Olaf Jensen Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Paola López-Duarte Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Jill Olin Michigan Technological University (MTU) Brian Roberts Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) Erick Swenson Louisiana State University (LSU) Nancy N. Rabalais Louisiana State University (LSU)
Contributors	Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) Michigan Technological University (MTU) NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) NOAA RESTORE Science Program Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Louisiana State University (LSU) University of Tennessee University of California - Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Resource Providers	NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)
Points of Contact	NCCOS Data Manager NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) NOAA RESTORE Science Program Erick Swenson Louisiana State University (LSU)
Publishers	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments	Funding Agency: NOAA RESTORE Science Program award NA17NOS4510091 to Louisiana State University NCCOS Partners: The LSU Center for GeoInformatics (https://c4g.lsu.edu/) supplied the RTK survey equipment used for elevation measurements and supplied the processed data (latitude, longitude and elevation) from the surveys. Their Real-Time Network (RTN) utilizes special software that taps into the power of the Louisiana Spatial Reference Center’s Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) infrastructure offering a statewide Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Virtual Reference Station (VRS) service, or simply RTN. Using RTN saves time and makes better use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) equipment with the benefit of being automatically tied into Louisiana’s Vertical Geodetic Control throughout the entire State while receiving Real-Time Network positions within the 3D error space of a golf ball. NCCOS Partners: The Louisiana Spatial Reference Center (LSRC) creates state-of-the-art positional infrastructure for the state of Louisiana and provides technical leadership, training and access to positional data. Through a grant from NOAA, LSRC installed a network of high precision Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers used as reference stations throughout Louisiana. By 2005 the network had grown to 40 stations state-wide.

Theme keywords	NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS Terrain Elevation NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS geological in situ laboratory analyses WMO_CategoryCode oceanography Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > TOPOGRAPHY > TERRAIN ELEVATION NCCOS Research Data Type Field Observation NCCOS Research Topic Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments Provider Keywords Average elevation data Raw elevation data
Data Center keywords	NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Louisiana State University Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium Michigan Technological University NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NOAA RESTORE Science Program Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey University of California - Santa Cruz University of Tennessee NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Instrument keywords	NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS GPS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords GPS RECEIVERS > GPS RECEIVERS Provider Instruments Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL)
Place keywords	NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Coastal Waters of Gulf of America Coastal Waters of Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters of Louisiana Gulf of America Gulf of Mexico Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO NCCOS Research Location Gulf of America (formally the Gulf of Mexico) Provider Place Names Lake Hermitage [HP], Louisiana Port Sulphur [PS] , Louisiana West Pointe a la Hache [WPH], eastern Barataria Bay, Louisiana
Project keywords	Provider Project Names NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration US DOC; NOAA; NOS; NCCOS; RESTORE Science Program (ROR - https://ror.org/0042xzm63)
Keywords	NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0306031
Keywords	Send2NCEI Submission Package ID PRFKEG

Use Constraints	Cite as: Swenson, Erick (2025). NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Site elevation surveys in natural and restored marshes near the West Pointe a la Hache siphon, Louisiana, 2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0306031). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/xnvv-ka71. Accessed [date].
Data License	This dataset has been dedicated to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication. SPDX License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0)
Access Constraints	Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees	In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	2025-07-10T14:46:37Z - NCEI Accession 0306031 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets	NCEI Accession 0306031 v1.1 NCEI Accession 0306031 v1.1 (download) published 2025-07-10T14:46:37Z

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	Parameter or Variable: Raw elevation data (measured); Units: meters; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL); Sampling and Analyzing Method: See Methods section Parameter or Variable: Average elevation data (calculated); Units: meters; Observation Category: laboratory analysis; Sampling Instrument: Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL); Sampling and Analyzing Method: Calculated from the replicate measurements taken at each transect and distance from marsh edge. In those instances where more than 2 measurements were made at a site, all measurements were used in calculating the average.

Lineage information for: dataset

Processing Steps

Parameter or Variable: Raw elevation data (measured); Units: meters; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL); Sampling and Analyzing Method: See Methods section
Parameter or Variable: Average elevation data (calculated); Units: meters; Observation Category: laboratory analysis; Sampling Instrument: Trimble GNSS Receiver (Model R8), Data Collector/Controller (Model TSC2), and Cell Modem (Model TDL); Sampling and Analyzing Method: Calculated from the replicate measurements taken at each transect and distance from marsh edge. In those instances where more than 2 measurements were made at a site, all measurements were used in calculating the average.

Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument	GPS

Last Modified: 2026-06-08T13:20:00Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov

NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Linking Community and Food-web Approaches to Restoration: Site elevation surveys in natural and restored marshes near the West Pointe a la Hache siphon, Louisiana, 2018-07-24 to 2021-07-28 (NCEI Accession 0306031)

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