Research to Support Design and Siting of Deposition Areas for Dredged Material from the Rodanthe Emergency Channel” (Project ID: 2015-20)
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Research to support design and siting of deposition areas for dredged material from the Rodanthe Emergency Channel Nancy White, PI D. Reide Corbett Robert McClendon, John McCord, Adam Parker, Michael Piehler, Nathan Richards, J.P. Walsh UNC Coastal Studies Institute East Carolina University NCDOT Project 14-0790 FHWA/NC/20YY-NN June 2017 Research to support the design and siting of deposition areas for dredged material from the Rodanthe Emergency Ferry Channel (REFC) Final Report : NCDOT Project 14-0790 Nancy White, PI D. Reide Corbett, Robert McClendon, John McCord, Adam Parker, Michael Piehler, Nathan Richards, J.P. Walsh UNC Coastal Studies Institute East Carolina University Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA/NC/20?????? 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Research to support design and siting of deposition areas for dredged material June 30, 2017 from the Rodanthe Emergency Channel 6. Performing Organization Code … … 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Nancy White, D. Reide Corbett Robert McClendon, John McCord, Adam … … Parker, Michael Piehler, Nathan Richards, J.P. Walsh 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) UNC Coastal Studies Institute … … East Carolina University 850 NC-345, Wanchese, NC 27981 11. Contract or Grant No. … … 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered North Carolina Department of Transportation Final Report Research and Development Unit 104 Fayetteville Street 1/1/2015 – 6/30/2016 Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 14-0790 Supplementary Notes: … … 16. Abstract The Rodanthe Emergency Ferry Channel (REFC) is essential for transporting emergency personnel, equipment, and supplies to Hatteras Island communities following any event that renders the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge and/or North Carolina Highway 12 impassable. The N. C. Ferry Division runs ferries during these emergency situations from Stumpy Point to Rodanthe. Maintaining this channel is a public safety issue and addressing any associated logistical challenges is a NC DOT priority. The REFC is currently too shallow to allow safe passage of the ferries. There is only one landward dredge material deposition site available, but it is not large enough to accommodate the amount of material generated by dredging the channel to necessary depths/ widths. There are limited locations available on land due to dense residential and business development in the area, as well as U. S. Fish and Wildlife property. This project was developed to provide the needed site characterization to assist the NC DoT Ferry Division with assessing the use of dredge material and minimizing negative impacts of dredge material deposition. The data presented provides an improved understanding of the geological, ecological, and anthropological factors affecting siting of dredge material deposition sites. The decision framework developed is based on best available data from the study area and information from similar sites in the literature. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Ferry terminal; dredged material; Decision support … … system; Channels (waterways); Sedimentation; Habitat; Ecology 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified …fill in… … … Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of the University. The author(s) are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of either the North Carolina Department of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administration at the time of publication. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people have helped with data collection and processing. Linda D’Anna, Corey Adams, Lindsay Dubbs, Jason Wilkinson, and Maggie Fuentes for field, lab, and synthesis support in the ecology and decision making sub-groups. Data collection and processing related to the sedimentary environment sections was greatly aided by the help of CJ Cornette, Kieth Garmire, Émeric Bourineau, David Hawkins, Ian Conery, Luke Stevens, Nick Kelly, Ryan Gibbons and Brian Querry. Ryan Bradley was integral to the outreach programing. Many individuals provided information and/or time to develop the Maritime Archaeology and History section, including individuals from the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch (John Morris III, Nathan Henry, Greg Stratton), East Carolina University (Jim Kinsella, Adam Parker, C.J. Cornette, Scott Rose, Mark Keusenkothen, Mike Baker, Eric Diaddorio), UNC-CSI (Dr. Lindsay Dubbs, Ryan Bradley, Marie Magee, and Corey Adams), Outer Banks History Center (KaeLi Schurr, Tama Creef, and Stuart Parks), North Carolina Department of Transportation (John Kirby, Pablo Hernandez (Manteo Resident Engineer), Matt T. Wilkerson (NCDOT archaeologist), Gretchen Byrum, and Demetria F. Walker (NCDOT maintenance yard)), Roanoke Island Dive Center (Pam Landrum and Matt Landrum), as well as Dawson V. Carr, Edwin Hooper, Priscilla Delano, Mel Covey. Financial support was provided by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Rodanthe Emergency Ferry Channel (REFC) is essential for transporting emergency personnel, equipment, and supplies to Hatteras Island communities following any event that renders the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge and/or North Carolina Highway 12 impassable. The N. C. Ferry Division runs ferries during these emergency situations from Stumpy Point to Rodanthe. Maintaining this channel is a public safety issue and addressing any associated logistical challenges is a NC DOT priority. The REFC is currently too shallow to allow safe passage of the ferries. There is only one landward dredge material deposition site available, but it is not large enough to accommodate the amount of material generated by dredging the channel to necessary depths/ widths. There are limited locations available on land due to dense residential and business development in the area, as well as U. S. Fish and Wildlife property. In coastal regions sediment is now regarded as a critical commodity that allows stabilizing natural habitats such as marshes and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) to maintain themselves in the face of long and short-term changes in water levels. However, sediment can also have detrimental impacts on these same habitats if it is not applied appropriately. Selection of deposition sites that minimize environmental damage and maximize environmental benefits is necessarily an interdisciplinary venture. This project provides an improved understanding of the geological, ecological and cultural factors affecting siting of dredge material deposition sites in shallow coastal waters. Specifically, we provide perspective on disposal options in the REFC area and decision matrices to make and defend decisions regarding dredge material deposition sites for the REFC. The decision making framework we present should be applicable across multiple NC DOT sites. More specifically, we explored the feasibility of sediment deposition approaches including multi- habitat island development, reef creation, shoreline/marsh reconstruction, marsh accretion through thin-layer disposal, and local usage. Each of these have benefits and challenges, and this project sheds light on the value and feasibility of the options. Following are key findings from the disciplinary investigations and from the integrated decision making assessments. Sediment dynamics Shoreline erosion was the dominant shoreline change process across the study area and areas of high erosion rates showed increased anthropogenic modification. As marsh shorelines erode and are replaced with sediment banks, shoreline erosion is expected to continue and possibly increase until bulkheads and rip-rap exceed natural shoreline presence or shoreline hardening occurs. Sediment flux from the shoreline does not appear to be a significant sediment source in the offshore back-barrier. Resuspension events remobilize sediments by current or wave processes, and these events likely maintain largely mud-free sands along the back-barrier by removing supplied muds and organic matter. Shear stress exceeded τcr during stronger winds of the instrument deployments, suggesting that waves and currents episodically resuspend sediments during moderate wind conditions (>10 -1 m s ). Times of moderate waves indicate that forces associated with currents exceed τcr. Paired with the low LOI and mud percent, resuspension events provide a mechanism for the local transport of sands. Channel bathymetry data suggest large local sediment deposition events occur associated with storms, requiring dredging operations to maintain navigable waters for ferry access to the island. In the future, the option of placing dredged sediment in the system should be considered, potentially as nourishment for eroding shorelines. The optimal depth of SAV habitats at Rodanthe is 0.5-2.2 m due to wind-influenced water levels and light limitation. Persistent SAV habitat was mapped throughout the back-barrier shoal system where low mud percentages and organic matter are observed. Wind tides affect water level along with astronomical tides and likely influence SAV distribution due to subaerial exposure of nearshore shallow