Coastal structure relocation/managed realignment example projects in the Puget Sound region
Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Accelerated sea level rise and more intense storms have been projected for the Salish Sea for many years. These trends are already being experienced in the region, however, there has been very little progress in updating management plans and only a small number of mostly voluntary relocation projects have been enacted. Additionally, the cumulative impacts of shore armor and other coastal modifications and legacy development are creating increasing loss of beaches and impacts to bluffs (coastal erosion) that is putting more and more structures at risk. Building traditional shore protection structures such as rock bulkheads has become infeasible in many locations due to permit constraints and expense. Moving buildings, roads, and other structures landward avoids a continuing need for maintenance, monitoring, and stress, and ends up being a cost-effective solution over the medium to long term for protecting improvements. Relocation also allows for restoration and/or conservation of nearshore habitats and access to the beach and the water. This poster will highlight a variety of recent coastal structure relocation projects that can serve as examples or demonstration projects. Each will have the problem, alternatives considered, and the design highlighted. Three of these projects have been constructed and one is in the design stage: • Coastal Road road relocation at receding bluff, Agate Beach County Park, South Lopez Island, WA • House relocation from a high bluff with active landslides, Central Whidbey Island, WA • Armor removal and upland facility relocation and elevation, Waypoint Park, Bellingham, WA • Fill removal, backshore enhancement, and elevated house construction, Orcas Island, WA
Session Title
Poster Session 3: Land - Water Connections
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-196
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Shorelines--Monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Beach erosion--Monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Geomorphology--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Measurement
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Environmental conditions
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Coastal structure relocation/managed realignment example projects in the Puget Sound region
Accelerated sea level rise and more intense storms have been projected for the Salish Sea for many years. These trends are already being experienced in the region, however, there has been very little progress in updating management plans and only a small number of mostly voluntary relocation projects have been enacted. Additionally, the cumulative impacts of shore armor and other coastal modifications and legacy development are creating increasing loss of beaches and impacts to bluffs (coastal erosion) that is putting more and more structures at risk. Building traditional shore protection structures such as rock bulkheads has become infeasible in many locations due to permit constraints and expense. Moving buildings, roads, and other structures landward avoids a continuing need for maintenance, monitoring, and stress, and ends up being a cost-effective solution over the medium to long term for protecting improvements. Relocation also allows for restoration and/or conservation of nearshore habitats and access to the beach and the water. This poster will highlight a variety of recent coastal structure relocation projects that can serve as examples or demonstration projects. Each will have the problem, alternatives considered, and the design highlighted. Three of these projects have been constructed and one is in the design stage: • Coastal Road road relocation at receding bluff, Agate Beach County Park, South Lopez Island, WA • House relocation from a high bluff with active landslides, Central Whidbey Island, WA • Armor removal and upland facility relocation and elevation, Waypoint Park, Bellingham, WA • Fill removal, backshore enhancement, and elevated house construction, Orcas Island, WA
