Smith Island Environmental Restoration and Protection, Maryland Reconnaissance Report Syllabus Smith Island, Maryland’s last inhabited Chesapeake Bay island, is located 12 miles west of Crisfield, Maryland, 95 miles south of Baltimore, and straddles the Maryland and Virginia state line. The island is populated by a unique culture of watermen descended from the original settlers of 350 years ago. The isolation of an island in the Bay has led to a society of close-knit, independent people who speak with a distinctive accent and live lifestyles similar to their ancestors. Smith Island is abundant in natural resources. The high concentration of submerged aquatic vegetation make the vicinity among the most prolific areas for wildlife in the Bay. The island itself is almost entirely wetlands. The upland areas provide very productive roosting areas for a variety of birds. In recent years, this community that lives in balance with the Bay has become more and more threatened by the process of erosion. Coastal areas, especially valuable wetlands, protect the populated portions of the island and are being lost to erosion. The increased wave action and sedimentation in the region is leading to a decline in submerged aquatic vegetation. This study was prompted by concern about the loss of fish and wildlife habitat and unique human culture. There is strong public and private interest in preserving Smith Island. The recommendations discussed below are aimed at protecting and expanding the fish and wildlife habitat and preserving the human culture on Smith Island. Several plans of improvement were examined during the course of this study. Preliminary analyses were conducted for four problem areas; Rhodes Point, Tylerton, Ewell, and the Martin Wildlife Refuge. In the vicinity of Rhodes Point, on the western side of the island, it was determined that the mouth of Sheep Pen Gut needs to be stabilized and protected in the interest of erosion control, navigation, and habitat restoration. Such a project could include shoreline protection for the south side of the mouth using geotextile tubes and backfill. Another alternative could allow for construction of twin stone jetties to protect the mouth of the gut and the Federal channel. Further study is warranted for this project. A justified plan to protect Tylerton from continued erosion and storm damages includes a stone revetment along the length of the western shoreline, and segmented off-shore breakwaters to the south of the town. For Ewell, repairing the breaches that have opened on the peninsula between Big Thorofare and the Bay and protecting the peninsula with a series of offshore segmented breakwaters is warranted for further study. These projects in the vicinity of Ewell would help to restore the hundreds of acres of submerged aquatic vegetation that have been lost. In the Martin Wildlife Refuge three coves on the north and northeast sides could be constructed or rehabilitated to protect and recreate shallow water and submerged aquatic vegetation habitat. These projects would help maintain the viability of the population of the island as well as enhance the fish and wildlife habitat value of this environmentally important region of the Bay. The results of the reconnaissance phase support further Federal involvement in the feasibility phase and other available authorities on studies for improving the fish and wildlife as well as human habitat of Smith Island. The non-Federal participant, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, agrees with the findings in this report and has signed a letter of intent. In view of this expression of non-Federal support and the favorable results of the technical analyses, the District Engineer recommends that planning and engineering for improvements to Smith Island be continued. ii Smith Island Environmental Restoration and Protection, Maryland Reconnaissance Report Table of Contents Section Title Page Syllabus i List of Preparers vii 1 Introduction 1.1 Study Purpose and Authority 1-1 1.2 Study Area 1-2 1.3 Scope of Study 1-4 1.4 Prior Studies, Reports, and Projects 1-4 1.5 Study Process 1-6 2 Existing Conditions 2.1 Background Conditions, General Description of Area 2-1 2.2 Social, Cultural, and Economic Setting 2-1 2.2.1 Social and Cultural 2-2 2.2.2 Economic Setting 2-3 2.3 Physical Setting 2-3 2.3.1 Ewell 2-4 2.3.2 Rhodes Point 2-4 2.3.3 Tylerton 2-4 2.3.4 Martin Wildlife Refuge 2-4 2.4 Environmental Resources 2-5 2.5 Aesthetic and Recreational Setting 2-7 2.5.1 Recreation and Tourism 2-7 2.5.2 Aesthetics 2-8 2.6 Most Probable Future Conditions 2-9 2.6.1 Social Setting 2-9 2.6.1.a Rhodes Point 2-10 2.6.1.b Tylerton 2-11 2.6.1.c Ewell, Martin Wildlife Refuge 2-12 2.6.2 Economic Conditions 2-12 2.6.2.a Rhodes Point 2-12 2.6.2.b Tylerton 2-13 2.6.2.c Ewell 2-14 iii Section Title Page 2.6.2.d Martin Wildlife Refuge 2-15 2.6.3 Environmental Resources 2-15 3 Problem Identification 3.1 Public Involvement Efforts 3-1 3.1.1 Meetings with Citizens 3-1 3.1.2 Agency Coordination 3-2 3.1.3 Other Public Involvement Activities 3-3 3.2 Problems, Needs, and Opportunities 3-3 3.2.1 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) 3-3 3.2.2 Wetlands 3-5 3.2.3 Erosion 3-7 3.2.4 Navigation 3-7 3.2.5 Storm Damages 3-8 3.3 Problems Identified for Further Study 3-8 3.3.1 Rhodes Point 3-8 3.3.2 Tylerton 3-10 3.3.3 Environmental Restoration - Ewell 3-11 3.3.4 Habitat Protection/Restoration - Coves 3-12 3.4 Effects of Prior Corps Projects 3-12 4 Plan Formulation 4.1 Federal Objective 4-1 4.2 Study Objectives 4-2 4.3 Planning Objectives and Constraints 4-2 4.4 Plan Formulation Rationale and Criteria 4-3 4.5 Public Input 4-4 4.6 Alternative Plans 4-4 4.6.1 Rhodes Point 4-4 4.6.1.a Shoreline Stabilization 4-5 4.6.1.b Single Jetty 4-6 4.6.1.c Twin Jetties 4-7 4.6.2 Tylerton 4-7 4.6.2.a Western Shoreline 4-7 4.6.2.b Southern Shoreline 4-7 4.6.3 Ewell 4-7 4.6.4 Martin Wildlife Refuge 4-9 4.7 Other Problems and Opportunities 4-10 4.8 Problems and Opportunities for Non-Federal Interests 4-12 5 Plan Description and Evaluation 5.1 Without Project Plan 5-1 iv Section Title Page 5.1.1 Populated Areas, Social Setting 5-1 5.1.2 Economic Conditions 5-2 5.1.3 Environmental Resources 5-2 5.2 Rhodes Point 5-3 5.3 Tylerton 5-4 5.4 Ewell - Breaches 5-5 5.5 Martin Wildlife Refuge - Coves 5-6 5.6 Summary of Alternatives 5-6 5.7 Public Reaction 5-7 5.8 Estimate of First Costs 5-7 5.9 Impacts 5-8 5.9.1 Social, Cultural 5-8 5.9.1.a Social 5-8 5.9.1.b Cultural 5-9 5.9.2 Environmental 5-10 5.9.3 Navigation, Employment 5-11 5.10 Non-Federal Sponsorship 5-12 5.11 Implementation Schedule 5-12 6 Additional Project Considerations 6.1 Feasibility Study 6-1 6.2 Avenues for Implementation 6-2 6.2.1 Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946 6-2 6.2.2 Section 204 of WRDA 1992 6-2 6.2.3 Section 1135 of WRDA 1986 6-3 6.2.4 Section 538 of WRDA 1996 6-3 6.2.5 Section 510 of WRDA 1996 6-3 6.3 Public Support6-3 7 Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations 7.1 Findings and Conclusions 7-1 7.2 Recommendation 7-2 List of Figures Figure Title Page 1.1 Smith Island Location 1-3 1.2 Study Area 1-5 3.1 SAV Distribution 3-4 v Figure Title Page 3.2 Historic Shoreline 3-6 3.3 Rhodes Point 3-9 3.4 Tylerton 3-10 3.5 Breach Repair 3-11 4.1 Shoreline Stabilization4-5 4.2 Jetty Alternatives - Rhodes Point 4-6 4.3 Tylerton Alternatives 4-8 4.4 Ewell Alternatives 4-9 4.5 Cove Plans 4-10 List of Tables Table Title Page 3.1 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Acreage 3-5 5.1 Implementation Costs by Project Alternative 5-8 List of Appendices Appendix A - Planning Aid Report Appendix B - Economics Appendix C - Engineering Appendix D - Real Estate Appendix E - Public Coordination Appendix F - Cultural Resources Appendix G - Overview of Feasibility Phase Feasibility Cost-Sharing Agreement vi List of Preparers NAME DISCIPLINE/EXPERTISE Daniel Bierly Study Manager Carol Anderson-Austra Public Involvement, Environmental Studies Greg Bass Hydraulic Engineering Analysis Ken Baumgardt Cultural, Archeological Research Kevin Brennan Real Estate Analysis Carolyn Brumfield Technical Manager Tony Colicchio Cost Estimating Steve Garbarino Operations, Habitat Creation Larry Mathena Civil Design Pete Noy Geographer, GIS Specialist Jim Snyder Geotechnical Engineering Sharon Wagner Economic Analysis Katherine Will Counsel The study team would like to give special thanks to the people of Smith Island who were always hospitable and tolerant of our intrusions. vii Smith Island, Maryland, Environmental Restoration and Protection Reconnaissance Study Section 1 INTRODUCTION The first permanent settlement on Smith Island occurred in 1657 when settlers from St. Clements Island, in the lower Potomac River, landed near the present location of Ewell.