Bayou Sauvage Ridge

Bayou Sauvage Ridge. Geology in the Wetlands. , No rocks, no geology-right? Actually, once you know what to look for, it's easy to see evidence of geology at work in this wetland environment. , The geologic features of the Mississippi River Delta region are of relatively recent origin. As the dynamic Mississippi River overflowed its banks in spring floods, bayous carried water and sediment into adjacent marshes or to the Gulf. , Silt carried by these bayous accumulated in the form of natural levees, or "ridges," along the bayous' banks. These ridges formed important high ground for settlement and transportation as humans populated the delta region. Native villages and the "Old Spanish Trail" (later U.S. 90), the first roadway into New Orleans from the east, were situated on the ridges in this area. , The result of the delta's pattern of flooding and sediment deposits is a landscape that may seem "upside down" compared to other regions. The highest lands in the delta are natural levees next to the rivers and bayous. , As you move away from delta waterways, a very gradual downward slope typically leads through habitats such as cypress-tupelo swamps and prairies into open marsh. This elevation change may be only a matter of inches, but the effects on plants and animals can be dramatic.