[DLS] Andrew Moodie (Texas A&M)

River deltas support vital ecological and economic systems, but the long-term sustainability of these landforms is threatened by ongoing human management and global climate change. To rehabilitate drowning coasts in the Mississippi River delta (Louisiana, USA), engineered river diversions are expected to reconnect rivers with their floodplains, reestablish natural sediment dispersal, and construct new land. However, designing and operating these diversions to create persistent land remains a significant physical challenge. In this presentation, I will demonstrate how reduced-complexity numerical modeling allows us to understand non-linear landscape dynamics and their interaction with complex human dimensions across decadal-to-centennial timescales. Drawing on specific modeling scenarios, I will examine the key physical mechanisms that threaten diversion success and reveal how strategic decisions regarding spatial placement dictate overall land-building efficacy.