LSU Center for River Studies conducts research on the world’s major rivers with a specific focus on the Mississippi River. We train the next generation of engineers, geologists and river experts.
LSU Center for River Studies is located on the Baton Rouge Water Campus near the banks
of the Mississippi River. It houses one of the world's largest movable bed physical
models - the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model.
The river model is 10,000 square feet and based on the topography and bathymetry of
the Mississippi River Delta covering southeast Louisiana. Pumps are used to control
the water and sediment injection. More than 18 acoustic sensors coincide with U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers river gages on the Mississippi River and measure water levels
in the model river. Twenty high-definition projectors illuminate the model and bring
the river and coast to life.
The model is able to replicate the flow, water levels and sediment (sand) transport
of the river, where one year of the Mississippi River is simulated in one hour. Scientists,
engineers and students can see, experience and conduct research using this state-of-the-art
model.
LSU Center for River Studies is made possible through a partnership with the Louisiana
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, or CPRA. The center’s interactive exhibit
space offers opportunities for guests of all ages to learn more about the history
of the Mississippi River, Louisiana’s disappearing wetlands, and ongoing coastal restoration
projects across the coast.
