Where Is The Red River Located?

Approx. 1000 yrs ago, a river delta was formed where the city of New Orleans is now located. ...?

• Approximately 1000 yrs ago, a river delta was formed where the city of New Orleans is now located. This delta consists of deposited silt formerly held in colloidal dispersion in the Mississippi River. Explain why this silt from the Mississippi River was deposited at the point where the river empties into the salt-laden Gulf of Mexico.

• Answer:

  "Build-up of the Gulf of Mexico shoreline due to the outflow of the Mississippi River has been occurring in a periodic fashion since the late Jurassic period. This same process is responsible for build up of the larger Mississippi embayment; however, the delta region is the most recent and ecologically distinct portion. The latest cycle of delta movement can be traced to the pleistocene epoch, when a large amount of ocean water was tied up in glaciers. The sea level was 300-400 feet (~100m) below present level, and causing the mouth of the Mississippi to be located further out into the Gulf of Mexico. 10,000 years ago, the glaciers began to melt, and the sea level began to rise. 5,000 - 6,000 years ago, the sea level stabilized, and formation of recognizable modern deltas began."