A delta is a flat plain that often lies at the mouth of a river.
It is created when a river slows as it enters a lake or an ocean, leaving behind deposits of silt, clay, sand, and gravel, which taken together are called alluvium.
The Mississippi Delta is called a bird-foot delta because several channels branch off the main channel, giving the appearance of a bird’s foot when viewed from above.
The Mississippi Delta grows by about 200 million tons (182 million metric tn) of sediment each year.
Today it covers about 13,000 square miles (33,800 sq km), or about a fourth of Louisiana’s total land area.
If you like crayfish, Louisiana is the place to be. The state produces more crayfish than any other place in the world.
Most are raised in crayfish farms using a method called aquaculture.
