D&B received top accolades from The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC NY) in Category G: Water Resources for its Indian Island County Park Living Shoreline Project, which was designed to provide protection, resiliency and stabilization to Indian Island’s bluff, shoreline and marshlands which were subject to chronic erosion that threatened the area’s infrastructure and navigation, coastal ecosystem and sensitive archeological/cultural artifacts.
The Indian Island County Park Living Shoreline Project was designed to provide protection, resiliency and stabilization to Indian Island’s bluff, shoreline and marshlands which were subject to chronic erosion that threatened the area’s infrastructure and navigation, coastal ecosystem and sensitive archeological/cultural artifacts. Indian Island County Park is a 275-acre park located in Riverhead (NY) at the mouth of the Peconic River, offering year-round recreation including camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking and shoreline activities. Shoreline protection and erosion control were accomplished via the creation of a Living Shoreline using natural and nature-based features, including strategic placement of living segmented emergent rock sills and marsh habitat restoration/enhancement. The project was completed on time and within budget in early 2024, overcoming unique archeological challenges and delivering multiple environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits.
The creation of a Living Shoreline is an innovative technique on Long Island which has not previously been applied in an area containing sensitive artifacts such as those in Indian Island’s ancient tribal burial ground. Whereas traditional shoreline hardening structures require extensive excavation, this environmentally sustainable alternative used minimally invasive techniques to avoid disturbing sensitive ecological habitats and archeological resources.
The successful completion of this project is an example for engineering professionals that Living Shorelines are an economically viable, environmentally friendly and a more effective way to protect shorelines than traditionally used hardening structures such as bulkhead, seawalls and jetties. The area roadway is no longer on the verge of collapsing, and the public is now able to enjoy a previously inaccessible beach area due to the installation of a new timber walkway, viewpoint and staircase.
The Living Shoreline protects vital cultural artifacts and prevents the need for future beach sand replenishment and dredging of the adjacent creek, providing historic benefits to the Native American tribes and economic benefits to Suffolk County. The marsh habitat restoration provides increased stability and resiliency to the shoreline to reduce loss, improve progression of the marsh, and sustain the vital native marsh habitat and ecosystem of the region.
The coordination between multiple government agencies and two Native American tribes in developing a solution to protect the area’s natural ecosystem while preserving cultural artifacts represented a major undertaking. For months, several tons of sand, granite, vegetation and oysters were hauled into Indian Island and strategically graded, planted and placed to build a rock sill solid enough to withstand decades of wave and tidal action.
A design benefit of the living rock sills is limitation of the expense and resources involved with dredging of the adjacent navigation channel by entrapping sand. The sills themselves provide productive rocky subaqueous marine habitat for finfish, shellfish, marine invertebrates, seaweeds, etc. Furthermore, the living rock sills have been seeded with oysters that improve water quality through their filter feeding.
(This story was originally posted at https://www.db-eng.com/)