Delaware Bay Resiliency Restoration Projects
Delaware Bay Resiliency Restoration Projects Capt. Alek Modjeski Habitat Restoration Program Director American Littoral Society [email protected]
www.littoralsociety.org www.RestoreNJBayshore.org Co‐authors: Tim Dillingham, Shane Godshall, Quinn Whitesall (American Littoral Society), Dr. Larry Niles, Dr. Joseph Smith, Dianne Daley (LJNiles and Associates), and Steve Hafner (Stockton University)
Delaware Bay Resiliency Restoration Projects Core Partners Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Stockton University Coastal Research Center LJNiles and Associates Funding provided by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Department of Interior (US Fish and Wildlife Service) William Penn Foundation Geraldine R, Dodge Foundation
Project Components • Beach Restoration • Intertidal Reefs • Marsh Restoration • Monitoring • Outreach and Engagement
Beach Restoration • Three separate grants starting in 2013 (NFWF, Penn, Dodge) • 2014 (NFWF and USFWS) • Additional funding 2016 (USFWS) • 2013 team led by the American Littoral Society and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey restored just over a mile of damaged beach successfully in spring 2013 (39,000 cy) • Finished the job at 5 beaches in 2014 • Sand transport study began • Restored 1st source beach 2016
Our restoration began within months after Hurricane Sandy at 5 beaches….. Moores Beach before
Moores Beach after
Thompsons Beach – Maurice River Township
2 out of 4 cells complete – Reef build scheduled for spring 2017
Dyer Cove – Downe Township
Beach Restoration 2016 Totals • 8 Beaches Restored • 148 Restoration Work Days • 2.74 Miles of Beach Restored • 2,051 Tons of Rubble Removed • 200,996 Cubic Yards of Sand Trucked and Placed
Peak Red Knot Count by State
Ecological Benefits – Horseshoe Crab Egg Density Thompsons Beach Before‐after control‐Impact unrestored unrestored
restored
18
Restored beach has much higher egg cluster densities
Egg cluster per transect
16 14 12 10
RESTORED
CONTROL
8 6 4 2 0
2015
2015 2014
2016
2014
2016
Red Knot – Target Weight
Sand Transport Study Littoral Environment Observation
Intertidal Living Shoreline Reefs • 5 reefs permitted, 3 in place currently • Deter sand movement • Reduce wave energy • Create diverse habitat
Reeds Beach Reef – Veterans Reef • • • •
Inshore/Offshore Reef 200’ long Approximately 23 10 foot segments Built in two hours
Ecological Benefits Fish Benthic Avian Biodiversity
1st Annual Shell‐a‐Bration – All are Whelk‐come • April 2015 • Over 140 Volunteers • Approximately 2,500 bags of whelk shell • “Green Eggs in the Sand” Easter Egg Hunt • BBQ
1st Annual Veterans Day on the Bay
Event held to honor all veterans and also our full‐time and paid part‐time US Armed Forces Veteran interns
Moores Beach Reef – Maurice River Township
2nd Annual Shell‐a‐Bration ‐ Blizzard
Dyers East Reef – Downe Township
Wave Attenuation Study
Reefs provide 35% reduction in wave height
Veterans Reef
June 2015
October 2015
January 2016
April 2016
Moores Reef (Now Army Reef)
Marsh Restoration • 2 areas behind Thompson’s Beach • State‐owned and PSEG‐owned • 5 to 7 acres dependent on funding • Beneficial reuse – dredge material • Incremental increases • 5 years of post ‐ restoration monitoring
Veteran Interns
Monitoring • • • • • • •
Reef biodiversity studies Horseshoe crab counts Horseshoe crab tagging Horseshoe crab egg density Avian studies Wave attenuation Sediment Transport Study
Thank You For More Info www.LittoralSociety.org Project Website www.RestoreNJBayshore.org
Capt. Alek Modjeski Habitat Restoration Program Director American Littoral Society [email protected]
www.littoralsociety.org www.RestoreNJBayshore.org Co‐authors: Tim Dillingham, Shane Godshall, Quinn Whitesall (American Littoral Society), Dr. Larry Niles, Dr. Joseph Smith, Dianne Daley (LJNiles and Associates), and Steve Hafner (Stockton University)
Delaware Bay Resiliency Restoration Projects Core Partners Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Stockton University Coastal Research Center LJNiles and Associates Funding provided by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Department of Interior (US Fish and Wildlife Service) William Penn Foundation Geraldine R, Dodge Foundation
Project Components • Beach Restoration • Intertidal Reefs • Marsh Restoration • Monitoring • Outreach and Engagement
Beach Restoration • Three separate grants starting in 2013 (NFWF, Penn, Dodge) • 2014 (NFWF and USFWS) • Additional funding 2016 (USFWS) • 2013 team led by the American Littoral Society and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey restored just over a mile of damaged beach successfully in spring 2013 (39,000 cy) • Finished the job at 5 beaches in 2014 • Sand transport study began • Restored 1st source beach 2016
Our restoration began within months after Hurricane Sandy at 5 beaches….. Moores Beach before
Moores Beach after
Thompsons Beach – Maurice River Township
2 out of 4 cells complete – Reef build scheduled for spring 2017
Dyer Cove – Downe Township
Beach Restoration 2016 Totals • 8 Beaches Restored • 148 Restoration Work Days • 2.74 Miles of Beach Restored • 2,051 Tons of Rubble Removed • 200,996 Cubic Yards of Sand Trucked and Placed
Peak Red Knot Count by State
Ecological Benefits – Horseshoe Crab Egg Density Thompsons Beach Before‐after control‐Impact unrestored unrestored
restored
18
Restored beach has much higher egg cluster densities
Egg cluster per transect
16 14 12 10
RESTORED
CONTROL
8 6 4 2 0
2015
2015 2014
2016
2014
2016
Red Knot – Target Weight
Sand Transport Study Littoral Environment Observation
Intertidal Living Shoreline Reefs • 5 reefs permitted, 3 in place currently • Deter sand movement • Reduce wave energy • Create diverse habitat
Reeds Beach Reef – Veterans Reef • • • •
Inshore/Offshore Reef 200’ long Approximately 23 10 foot segments Built in two hours
Ecological Benefits Fish Benthic Avian Biodiversity
1st Annual Shell‐a‐Bration – All are Whelk‐come • April 2015 • Over 140 Volunteers • Approximately 2,500 bags of whelk shell • “Green Eggs in the Sand” Easter Egg Hunt • BBQ
1st Annual Veterans Day on the Bay
Event held to honor all veterans and also our full‐time and paid part‐time US Armed Forces Veteran interns
Moores Beach Reef – Maurice River Township
2nd Annual Shell‐a‐Bration ‐ Blizzard
Dyers East Reef – Downe Township
Wave Attenuation Study
Reefs provide 35% reduction in wave height
Veterans Reef
June 2015
October 2015
January 2016
April 2016
Moores Reef (Now Army Reef)
Marsh Restoration • 2 areas behind Thompson’s Beach • State‐owned and PSEG‐owned • 5 to 7 acres dependent on funding • Beneficial reuse – dredge material • Incremental increases • 5 years of post ‐ restoration monitoring
Veteran Interns
Monitoring • • • • • • •
Reef biodiversity studies Horseshoe crab counts Horseshoe crab tagging Horseshoe crab egg density Avian studies Wave attenuation Sediment Transport Study
Thank You For More Info www.LittoralSociety.org Project Website www.RestoreNJBayshore.org
Capt. Alek Modjeski Habitat Restoration Program Director American Littoral Society [email protected]
