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