Natural and Structural Measures for Shoreline Stabilization
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Natural and Structural Measures for Shoreline Stabilization Living Shorelines Innovative approaches are necessary as This brochure presents a continuum our coastal communities and shorelines of green to gray shoreline stabilization are facing escalating risks from more techniques, highlighting Living Shorelines, powerful storms, accelerated sea-level that help reduce coastal risks and rise, and changing precipitation patterns improve resiliency though an integrated that can result in dramatic economic approach that draws from the full array losses. While the threats of these events of coastal risk reduction measures. may be inevitable, understanding how to adapt to the impact is important as we explore how solutions will ensure the resilience of our coastal communities and shorelines. Coastal Risk Reduction and Living Shorelines Coastal Risk Reduction SAGE – Systems Approach Coastal systems typically include to Geomorphic Engineering In order to determine the most appropriate both natural habitats and man-made USACE and NOAA recognize the shoreline protection technique, several structural features. The relationships and value of an integrated approach to risk site-specific conditions must be assessed. The following coastal conditions, along with interactions among these features are reduction through the incorporation of important variables in determining coastal other factors, are used to determine the natural and nature-based features in combinations of green and gray solutions vulnerability, reliability, risk and resilience. addition to non-structural and structural for a particular shoreline. Coastal risk reduction can be achieved measures to improve social, economic, through several approaches, which may and ecosystem resilience. To promote REACH: A longshore segment of a shoreline where influences and impacts, such as wind be used in combination with each other. this approach, USACE and NOAA have engaged partners and stakeholders in direction, wave energy, littoral transport, etc. Options for coastal risk reduction include: mutually interact. a community of practice called SAGE, • Natural or nature-based measures: or a Systems Approach to Geomorphic Natural features are created through the RESILIENCE: The ability to avoid, minimize, Engineering. This community of practice withstand, and recover from the effects of action of physical, biological, geologic, provides a forum to discuss science and adversity, whether natural or man made, and chemical processes operating in policy that can support and advance a under all circumstances of use. This nature, and include marshes, dunes systems approach to implementing risk definition also applies to engineering (i), and oyster reefs. Nature-based reduction measures that both sustain ecological (ii), and community resilience (iii). features are created by human design, a healthy environment and create a FETCH: A cross shore distance along open engineering, and construction to mimic resilient shoreline. nature. A living shoreline is an example water over which wind blows to generate of a nature-based feature. SAGE promotes a hybrid engineering waves. For any given shore, there may approach that integrates soft or ‘green’ be several fetch distances depending on predominant wind direction. • Structural measures: Structural natural and nature-based measures, measures include sea walls, groins and with hard or ‘gray’ structural ones at breakwaters. These features reduce PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: The slope of the landscape scale. These stabilization the foreshore or beach face, a geologic coastal risks by decreasing shoreline solutions include “living shoreline” condition or bathymetry offshore. erosion, wave damage, and flooding. approaches which integrate living • Non-structural measures: Includes components, such as plantings, with TIDAL RANGE: The vertical difference modifications in public policy, structural techniques, such as seawalls between high tide and low tide. management practices, regulatory or breakwaters. STORM SURGE: The resulting temporary policy and pricing policy (e.g., structure Living Shorelines achieve multiple goals, rise in sea level due to the action of wind acquisitions or relocations, flood such as: stress on the water surface and low proofing of structures, implementing atmospheric pressure created during storms flood warning systems, flood • Stabilizing the shoreline and reducing which can cause coastal flooding. Surge preparedness planning, establishment current rates of shoreline erosion and is the difference from expected tide level. of land use regulations, emergency storm damage; Storm tide is the total water level. response plans). • Providing ecosystem services (such WAVE ENERGY: Wave energy is related to The types of risk reduction measures as habitat for fish and other aquatic wave height and describes the force a wave employed depend upon the geophysical species) and increasing flood storage is likely to have on a shoreline. Different setting, the desired level of risk capacity; and environments will have lower or higher wave energy depending on environmental reduction, objectives, cost, • Maintaining connections between factors like shore orientation, wind, channel reliability, and other factors. land and water ecosystems to width, and bathymetry. Boat wakes can also enhance resilience. generate waves. Low: Limited fetch in a sheltered, shallow or small water body (estuary, river, bay) i.e. < 2 ft. Medium: A range that combines elements of low and high energy (e.g., shallow water with a large fetch or partially sheltered) i.e. 2 - 5 ft. Fetch High: Large fetch, deep water (open ocean). Reach Tidal Range Storm Tide High Water Level Low Water Level Storm Surges at Low & High Tide Green - SOFTer TecHniQUes HOW green OR graY Small Waves | Small Fetch | Gentle Slope | Sheltered Coast SHOULD YOUR SHOreline SOLUTION BE? LIVing SHOreline VEGETATION EDGING SILLS BEACH NOURISHMENT OnLY OnLY Photo Credit: Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Shoreline Conservation Service - Shoreline Resources Natural of Maryland Department Credit: Photo Estuary Delaware for Partnership Credit: Photo Conservation Service - Shoreline Resources Natural of Maryland Department Credit: Photo Roots hold soil in place to reduce Structure to hold the toe of existing Parallel to existing or vegetated Large volume of sand added from erosion. Provides a buffer to upland or vegetated slope in place. Protects shoreline, reduces wave energy outside source to an eroding beach. areas and breaks small waves. against shoreline erosion. and prevents erosion. A gapped Widens the beach and moves the approach would allow habitat shoreline seaward. Suitable For Suitable For connectivity, greater tidal exchange, Suitable For Low wave energy environments. Most areas except high wave energy and better waterfront access. environments. Low-lying oceanfront areas with Material Options Suitable For existing sources of sand and Vegetation* Base with • Native plants* Most areas except high wave energy sediment. Material Options environments. Benefits Material Options (low wave only, temporary) Vegetation* Base with • Dissipates wave energy • “Snow“ fencing • Sand Material Options • Slows inland water transfer • Erosion control blankets Benefits • Increases natural storm • Geotextile tubes • Stone water infiltration • Living reef (oyster/mussel) • Sand breakwaters • Expands usable beach area • Provides habitat and • Rock gabion baskets • Living reef (oyster/mussel) • Lower environmental impact ecosystem services • Rock gabion baskets than hard structures Benefits • Minimal impact to natural • Flexible strategy Benefits community and ecosystem • Dissipates wave energy • Redesigned with relative ease processes • Slows inland water transfer • Provides habitat and • Provides habitat and • Maintains aquatic/terrestrial • Provides habitat and ecosystem services ecosystem services interface and connectivity ecosystem services • Dissipates wave energy Disadvantages • Flood water storage • Increases natural storm • Slows inland water transfer water infiltration • Provides habitat and • Requires continual sand resources Disadvantages • Toe protection helps prevent ecosystem services for renourishment • No storm surge wetland edge loss • Increases natural storm • No high water protection reduction ability water infiltration • Appropriate in limited situations Disadvantages • No high water protection • Toe protection helps prevent • Possible impacts to regional • Appropriate in limited situations • No high water protection wetland edge loss sediment transport • Uncertainty of successful • Uncertainty of successful Disadvantages vegetation growth and vegetation growth and competition with invasive competition with invasive • Require more land area • No high water protection • Uncertainty of successful vegetation growth and competition with invasive * Native plants and materials must be appropriate for current salinity and site conditions. Initial Construction: Initial Construction: Initial Construction: Initial Construction: Operations & Maintenance: Operations & Maintenance: Operations & Maintenance: Operations & Maintenance: Initial Construction: = up to $1000 per linear foot, = $1001 - $2000 per linear foot, = $2001 - $5000 per linear foot, = $5001 - $10,000 per linear foot Operations and Maintenance (yearly for a 50 year project life): = up to $100 per linear foot, = $101 - $500 per linear foot, = over $500 per linear foot Green - SOFTer TecHniQUes HOW green OR graY GraY - HarDer TecHniQUes Small Waves |