Shore armor removal for nearshore restoration
Presentation Abstract
Shore armor, such as bulkheads, rock revetments, and seawalls can negatively impact ecological function and impair nearshore processes in coastal systems. Recent mapping conducted by CGS for the ESRP Beach Strategies project estimated that armor is present on 29% of Washington shores of the Salish Sea, and this value likely underestimates the actual presence of armor in some regions. When functioning as nature intended, Salish Sea shores provide vital foraging, refuge, and rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids and many other species. Negative impacts of shore armor include reduced sediment input from feeder bluffs that is needed to sustain down-drift beaches and spits, direct burial of the backshore and sometimes the intertidal beach, and altered wave and sediment transport dynamics. Together these impacts result in a simplification of the shoreline, reduced beach width, and loss of nearshore habitat area. In many cases shore armor has been found to be unnecessary and alternatives to hard structures do exist; under these circumstances shore armor and coastal structures can be removed and the beaches and bluffs of the coastal system returned to their natural, functioning state. Several case studies of recent, successfully implemented shore armor removal projects will be outlined, featuring project identification, prioritization, assessment, feasibility, design, construction oversight, and monitoring, with a focus on lessons learned. Project sites have varied between high wave energy settings to protected low wave energy sites. The talk will also cover the needed partnerships between agencies and organizations to complete these projects, some of which have taken four or more years to complete. We are currently designing 19 bulkhead removal projects—showing that these projects are happening at an increasing rate.
Session Title
Posters: Habitat Restoration & Protection
Conference Track
SSE18: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE18-78
Start Date
5-4-2018 11:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Bulkheads--Environmental aspects-Shore protection--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Beach erosion--Monitoring--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Shore armor removal for nearshore restoration
Shore armor, such as bulkheads, rock revetments, and seawalls can negatively impact ecological function and impair nearshore processes in coastal systems. Recent mapping conducted by CGS for the ESRP Beach Strategies project estimated that armor is present on 29% of Washington shores of the Salish Sea, and this value likely underestimates the actual presence of armor in some regions. When functioning as nature intended, Salish Sea shores provide vital foraging, refuge, and rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids and many other species. Negative impacts of shore armor include reduced sediment input from feeder bluffs that is needed to sustain down-drift beaches and spits, direct burial of the backshore and sometimes the intertidal beach, and altered wave and sediment transport dynamics. Together these impacts result in a simplification of the shoreline, reduced beach width, and loss of nearshore habitat area. In many cases shore armor has been found to be unnecessary and alternatives to hard structures do exist; under these circumstances shore armor and coastal structures can be removed and the beaches and bluffs of the coastal system returned to their natural, functioning state. Several case studies of recent, successfully implemented shore armor removal projects will be outlined, featuring project identification, prioritization, assessment, feasibility, design, construction oversight, and monitoring, with a focus on lessons learned. Project sites have varied between high wave energy settings to protected low wave energy sites. The talk will also cover the needed partnerships between agencies and organizations to complete these projects, some of which have taken four or more years to complete. We are currently designing 19 bulkhead removal projects—showing that these projects are happening at an increasing rate.
