u . -: (: "F ;Y'~!. "iA:~!~ '-_:, F :,;,y'''~',,,,,- ,0TUDIE!,s OCT 30 1973 t,,/c,\f\o:,,::) FiL.:....D ::::;TATION L!6RAHY E BAY REPORT SE I S DELAWARE BAY REPORT SERIES Volume 8 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF DELAWARE'S COASTAL ZONE by Joel M. Goodman This series was prepared under a grant from the National Geographic Society Report Series Editor Dennis F. Polis Spring 1973 College of Marine Studies University of Delaware Newark, Delaware 19711 ( ) ) ) iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface I. Introduction 7 I I. The Im:Jortance of the Coastal Zone to Delaware 16 III. Historical Perspective 27 Recreation 29 Commercial Fishing 40 Industrial Development 48 IV. A Contemporary Geographic Perspective 57 The Delmarva Region 63 Population Growth 69 Tourism 70 Industry 74 The Metropolitan Region 74 Coastal Zone Communities 85 Harbor of Refuge, Delaware Bay 92 ) Wilmington Harbor, Christina River (Wilmington, Newport) 92 Smyrna River (Smyrna) 94 Leipsic River (Leipsic) 94 Little River (Little Creek) 94 St. Jones River (Bowers, Bowers Beach, Lebanon) 94 Murderkill River (Frederica) 94 Mispillion River (Milford) 95 Broadki1l River (Milton) 95 Inland Waterway Between Rehoboth Bay and Delaware Bay (Lewes and Rehoboth) 95 Waterway from Indian River Inlet to Rehoboth Bay (Lewes and Rehoboth) 96 Indian River Inlet and Bay (Millsboro) 96 Nanticoke River (including Northwest Fork) Delaware and Mary1~hd (Seaford and Laurel) 96 Broad Creek River (Laurel) 97 New Castle County 97 Wilmington 97 City of New Castle 117 Delaware City 119 Kent County 121 Smyrna 124 Dover 124 Milford 125 ) Sussex County 128 iv ) Seashore 135 Lewes 136 Rehoboth 138 Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island 140 V. Some Additional Social Aspects 144 Population ~8 Natural Increase 154 Net Migration 154 VI. A Planning Perspective of Economic and Social Aspects 159 County Plans 167 What of the Future? 173 VII. Bibliographic Notes ~l FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1. The Natural Coastal Zones of Delaware in 1971 4 Figure 2. Growth Patterns in the Nation's Coastal Population 9 ) Figure 3. Middle Atlantic Estuarine Zone 14 Figure 4. Existing Development Around the Small Bays 18 Figure 5. The Natural Coastal Zones of Delaware 21 Figure 6. The Legalized Coastal Zone of Delaware 23 Figure 7. Historical Variation in Fish Harvests 42 Figure 8. Historical Variations in Oyster Harvests 45 Figure 9. The Mideast Economic Region and Megalopolis Corridor 59 Figure/lO. Delaware's Location in the. Middle Atlantic Coast 60 I Figure 11. Principal Routes to and Through Delaware ' 61 Figure 12. The Delmarva Peninsula 62 Figure 13. Total County Impact Area 81 Figure 14. Highway Impact; Brandywine Hundred 83 Figure 15. Highway Impact; Christiana Hundred 84 ) v ) Figure 16. Surface Transportation Facilities 88 Figure 17. Water Transportation Facilities 89 Figure 18. The 18th & 19th Century Coastal Zone 90 Figure 19. Delaware River and Bay Traffic Areas 101 Figure 20. Port Facilities at Wilmington 102 Figure 21. Tidewater Refinery Piers 103 Figure 22. Industries Located in Delaware'sCoastal Zone 113 Figure 23. Dover Possible Development Area 126 Figure 24. Kent County Industrial Tracts 127 Figure 25. Net Migrations in Delaware (1960-70) 146 Figure 26. Population Density (1970) 147 Figure 27. Fertility Rates by County 155 Figure 28. Kent County Migration Characteristics 156 ) Figure 29. Sussex County Migration Characteristics 156 Figure 30. Water Resources Evaluation 160 Figure 31. Generalized Urban Development 161 Figure 32. Kent County, Urban Land Use 163 Figure 33. New Castle County, Urban Land Use 164 Figure 34. Conservation Criticality 165 Figure 35. Soil Suitability for Urban Development 166 Figure 36. Urban Services 166 Figure 37. Preliminary Development Plan 168 Figure 38. General Shoreline Plan 174 Figure 39. Cape Henlopen Development Plan 1V5 I Figure 40. Potential Areas for Industrial Development 177 . ) Figure 41. Potential Areas for Residential Development 178 Figure 42. Potential Areas of Use Conflict 179 vi ) Table 1. Sportfishing Activity 19 Table 2. Recent Oyster Landings in Delaware 44 Table 3. Recent Clam and Blue Crab Landings 47 Table 4. Relative Magnitude of Menhaden to all Other Delaware Fisheries 49 Table 5. Economic Characteristics of Middle Atlantic Region 64 Table 6. Density of Industrial Development 65 Table 7. Population & Agriculture in the Estuarine Zone 66 Table 8. Receipts by Establishments from Tourism Expenditures 72 Table 9. Receipts by Counties from Tourism Expenditures 73 Table 10. Change in Delmarva Value of Output 75 Table 11. Change in Value of Catch, Delmarva District 76 Table 12. Number of Fishermen on Vessels 77 Table 13. Value of Output and Employment, Fish Processing 78 ) Table 14. Growth Potential Rating 80 Table 15. Con~unities of the Coastal Zone 86 Table 16. Delaware River Tributaries 93 Table 17. Su~ry of Traffic In the Delaware River 100 Table 18. Port of Wilmington Outbound Commodity Tonnage 105 Table 19. Port of Wilmington Inbound Commodity Tonnage 106-107 Table 20. Port of Wilmington Primary Markets Commodities 109 Table 21. Change in Commodity Movements, Port of Wilmington 110 Table 22. Origin and Destination Information, Port of Wilmington 111-112 Table 23. Tributary Population 132 Table 24. Sele~ted Delaware Industrial Employment and Income 143 Table 25. Population of Communities of the Coastal Zone 151-152 Table 26. Population Growth 1900-1970 153 ) ) ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF DELAHARE' S COASTAL ZONE ) by Joel M. Goodman ) ) ) 3 PREFACE The purpose of this volume will be to explore some of the social and economic aspects of Delaware's Coastal Zone that help distinguish it from other parts of the state and thus contribute to its comparative uniqueness in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The economic and social aspects of the Coastal Zone of Delaware will be considered from three per­ spectives. First the historical, then the geographical, and finally, a planning perspective. As indicated in the figure below, these are interrelated to some extent, but in order to minimize duplication of information, matter will only be discussed in the context with ) which it is first introduced. Thus, if information is best introduced in a historical context, it will generally not be repeated in another context unless essential to understanding. Although hardly any of the data are first hand, the author's interpretation is, for the most part, original. For the purposes of this document, the Coastal Zone is considered 4 THE COASTAL ZONE OF DELAWARE 1971 '-------' o MILES S lVl:tv JC:RS£Y 6HOf'UflVl: SAY ) 3M/U: UM/r (/r,u ASSAWOMAN _-=o..I.::IIC::..J -- BAY MARYLAND Figure 1 ) 5 to be comprised of two components -- a primary zone and a secondary zone as depicted in Figure 1. Our principal concern, however, will be with the primary component as defined in House Bill 300 of the Delaware Legislature as amended (Coastal Zone Act, chapter 70). Social and economic attributes frequently do not respect natural or man-made boundaries such as those just described. Thus, although most of our efforts will be devoted to the primary zone, at least a part of our discussion will extend far beyond its borders: in some instances, to the very borders of the Middle Atlantic Region and the Northeast Metropolitan Area. The author wishes to express his appreciation to Mr. David Hugg II, of the State Planning Office, for having reviewed this volume. His ) comments contributed much to the completeness of this study of the Coastal Zone of Delaware. ) ) ) ) 7 I. INTRODUCTION The sea has long played a significant role in the development of the United States; consequently interest in this resource and its. shoreline boundary has always been high. Today, however, there is a new sense of concern for this resource. a concern which extends to the contiguous wetlands and estuarine areas, which together with the shore­ line comprise what is now frequently called the Coastal Zone. The driviRg force and urgency of this new concern stem from traditional interests such as the pressures of mounting economic needs and popu­ lation congestion, and also from an increased recognition of the physical and biological deterioration of these resources. The concern culminated in Congressional action in the form of the Marine Resources ) and Engineering Development Act of 1966. Among other things, the Act established a Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources which after examining, reviewing, and studying the nation's posture relative to marine interests and actiVities, prepared a report and recommended plan of national action for furthering national marine needs and objectives. The report is commonly referred to as "The Stratton Commission Report," and is titled "Our Nation and the Sea." In this report it was noted that the potential for expanded marine-related economic activities must be tempered by the growing recognition of the fact that in many cases man was adversely affecting the environment which so lavishly offered these opportunities. It , 8 ) was argued that if adequately protected, this coastal zone could also provide unique and valuable opportunities for recreation. If not protected, than contamination or destruction of beach, marsh, waterway, and shoreline could only result in denying the use of the sea to our growing population: nationally in 1966, as shown in Figure 2, that amounted to 45% of the population. In the Northeast, much closer t·) home, that number is roughly 66% of the population. The two most visible parts of the Coastal Zone, as defined by environmental and geographic features, are the shoreline and estuary. They were singled out by the Commission as presenting some of the most urgent environmental problems and also the most immediate and tangible opportunities for improvement. The Commission noted that in many respects, the shoreline and estuaries are the nation's most valuable ) geographic features: traditionally, the greater part of the nation's trade and industry takes place there; they are among the most biologi­ cally productive regions of the nation; they are traditionally also the site of numerous other activities such as shellfishing, pleasure boating, and other forms of recreational activity.