Corps Regional Sediment Management and Habitat Restoration: Cape May, NJ J. Bailey Smith National Planning Center of Expertise for Coastal Storm Damage Reduction 25 June 2008
Feb 06, 2016
Corps Regional Sediment Management and Habitat Restoration: Cape May, NJ
J. Bailey SmithNational Planning Center of Expertise for Coastal Storm Damage Reduction
25 June 2008
Philadelphia District Philadelphia District Regional Sediment ManagementRegional Sediment Management
Regional Sediment Management (RSM)Regional Sediment Management (RSM)A systems-based approach to managing sediment A systems-based approach to managing sediment
resources within the context of regional strategies resources within the context of regional strategies (watershed, estuarine, coastal) that address integrated (watershed, estuarine, coastal) that address integrated sediment needs and opportunities.sediment needs and opportunities.
Three focus areas:Three focus areas:- - Coastal Coastal - Dredging & Disposal - Dredging & Disposal - Watershed Sediment Management- Watershed Sediment Management
Philadelphia
District• Established 1866• Delaware River basin• Parts of 5 states• 9 million people• 15,000 square miles• 150 miles of coastline• 550 miles Federal channels• 1.1 million acres of
wetlands• 5 flood control dams• 1.5 M park visitors/yr• 1 canal, 5 bridges
NAP - NJ Shore Protection ProjectsNAP - NJ Shore Protection Projects
Barnegat Inlet toBarnegat Inlet toLittle Egg Inlet (LBI)Little Egg Inlet (LBI)
20052005
Barnegat Inlet toBarnegat Inlet toLittle Egg Inlet (LBI)Little Egg Inlet (LBI)
20052005
Brigantine Is. – 2005Brigantine Is. – 2005
Great Egg Inlet to Townsends Inlet - 2007
Great Egg Inlet to Townsends Inlet - 2007
Cape May City - 1990Cape May City - 1990
Ocean City - 1992Ocean City - 1992
Hereford Inlet to Cape MayHereford Inlet to Cape May
Lower Cape May MeadowsCape May Point - 2004
Lower Cape May MeadowsCape May Point - 2004
Avalon – Stone Harbor - 2002Avalon – Stone Harbor - 2002
Absecon Is. - 2003Absecon Is. - 2003
Manasquan Inlet toBarnegat Inlet - 2007Manasquan Inlet to
Barnegat Inlet - 2007
KEYKEY
Constructed Project (Date Initiated) Constructed Project (Date Initiated) Not Not Yet AuthorizedYet Authorized
REGIONAL STRATEGY IMPROVED SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT
NJDEP-sponsored RSM Study
SEDIMENT PATHWAY IDENTIFICATION
CAPE MAY SAND RESOURCE INVENTORY
eCOASTAL GIS DATA INVENTORY
NJDEP-sponsored RSM Study
RSM PROGRAM AT CAPE MAY, NJ
Cape M
ay InletWildwoodWildwood
Cape MayCape MayPointPoint
U.S. Coast GuardU.S. Coast Guard
Atlantic Ocean
Cape May Coastal ProjectsCape May Coastal Projects
BeachfillBeachfill
EcosystemEcosystemRestorationRestoration
Cape May CityCape May CityCape MayCape MayMeadowsMeadows
Cape May National Wildlife Refuge
Delaware Bay CoastlineDelaware Bay CoastlineReeds Beach-Pierces Point &Reeds Beach-Pierces Point &
Villas and VicinityVillas and Vicinity
Whale Beach, NJ - December 1992
Phragmites Eradication, Cape MayBeachfill, Cape May State Park
Dredge FryCape May
Inlet
NJ Coastal ProgramNJ Coastal Program•Shore ProtectionShore Protection•NavigationNavigation•Ecosystem RestorationEcosystem Restoration
October 1991 October 1991 Coastal StormCoastal Storm
Lower Cape May Meadows - Cape May Point
Habitat Restoration and Shore Protection
Constructed 2004-07
Before Beachfill (1994)
During Beachfill (2004)
After Beachfill (2005)
343 acre coastal freshwater wetland composed of the Cape May Point State Park & the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (owned by TNC)
**Internationally recognized migratory bird habitat**
Lower Cape May Meadows Study Lower Cape May Meadows Study AreaArea
Restoration of wetlands
Invasive plant control
Internal hydrology improvements
Beachfill and periodic nourishment
Lower Cape May MeadowsHabitat Restoration
Wetland Restoration Wetland Restoration
3/073/07
• Herbicide Spraying
Water Control Water Control StructuresStructures
•
• Plover crossovers
• Lower berm elevation
• “Plover” ponds
• Modification of dune fencing/planting
• Habitat vs. Storm Protection
Modifications to Enhance Modifications to Enhance Plover Nesting and Feeding Plover Nesting and Feeding
HabitatHabitat
Piping Plover PondsPiping Plover Ponds
- Old dune relocated seaward- Ponds excavated- Minimal vegetation planted around 1 pond
April 2005
August 2005
Total of 3 ponds created ranging in size from 1-4 acres
Creation of Plover Habitat at the Cape May Creation of Plover Habitat at the Cape May National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Create an “overwash area” for piping plovers updrift of Cape Create an “overwash area” for piping plovers updrift of Cape May Inlet jettiesMay Inlet jetties
No net loss of plover nesting habitatNo net loss of plover nesting habitat Agency collaborationAgency collaboration Application of habitat creation for other NJ beachfill projectsApplication of habitat creation for other NJ beachfill projects
Before ConstructionBefore Construction
1/24/07
During ConstructionDuring Construction
New Habitat AreaNew Habitat Area
1/31/07
New Habitat New Habitat AreaArea
2/12/07
2/12/07
Build It and They Will Build It and They Will ComeCome
Until 2007, no recorded nests in Wildlife RefugeUntil 2007, no recorded nests in Wildlife Refuge 2007 nesting occurred but all chicks lost to predation2007 nesting occurred but all chicks lost to predation Birds utilized nesting habitat within a few months of creationBirds utilized nesting habitat within a few months of creation Nor’easter flooded out nests in Coast Guard beach, but nests Nor’easter flooded out nests in Coast Guard beach, but nests
in new habitat area survivedin new habitat area survived USFWS considers this a success USFWS considers this a success and will maintain project in futureand will maintain project in future
•Meadows and Wildlife Refuge habitat restoration successesMeadows and Wildlife Refuge habitat restoration successes
•Collaboration with resource agenciesCollaboration with resource agencies
•Plover restoration features can be effective additions to Plover restoration features can be effective additions to some some coastal projectscoastal projects
•Effective ‘balance across business lines’ and regional Effective ‘balance across business lines’ and regional project integration including shore protection, ecosystem project integration including shore protection, ecosystem restoration and navigation projectsrestoration and navigation projects
•knowledge applied towards developing potential strategy knowledge applied towards developing potential strategy for shoreline protection needsfor shoreline protection needs
Cape May Habitat Cape May Habitat Restoration SummaryRestoration Summary