On the site of a historic sea coast defense built in the late 1800s, this $4.5-million  shoreline stabilization project was designed to improve about 4,650 linear ft of shoreline with eroding banks that were unsafe for park visitors. The shoreline had lost 2.8 acres of land, with some areas losing shoreline width of more than 2 ft per year. 

For the 19-month project, completed on schedule under budget, the team took a three-phase approach for shoreline protection, plus a mix of green and gray infrastructure, with the goal of restoring, protecting and enhancing the shoreline.

Photo courtesy BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc.

Phase 1 of the project, completed in 2020, used sandy dredged material from a neighboring creek that required dredging for boating access. Phase 2, completed in 2022, involved building an 80-ft-wide beach for swimming and recreation, along with constructing headland breakwaters and nourishment to restore the beach. The final phase, also finished in 2022, included constructing fishing piers and an elevated revetment for flood protection in an area with wave activity. 

Phasing was necessary for the project because pockets of shoreline along the park serve as habitat for migrating fish, wintering fowl and other wildlife that require a construction timeframe from June through November. Because that is also the park’s busy season, phasing allowed some areas of the park to remain open during construction. About  20,000 people visit the park during holiday weekends.

Construction sequencing posed challenges for team members because they had to comply with environmental work restrictions while allowing the public access to some recreational resources. Simultaneously coordinating three contractors working on the same access roads and staging areas while carefully managing placement of dredged material with dredging projects added complexity.   

Dredging on the project was handled under a separate capital improvements contract. By beneficially using dredged material from neighboring areas, the county was able to achieve significant cost savings for dredging purchase and placement. Dredging also necessitated the team’s close coordination with regulatory agencies to obtain necessary waivers for construction activities. 

Photo courtesy BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc.

The team faced a major challenge on Oct. 29, 2021, when a nor’easter delivered record-high water levels, breaking a 90-year record. That storm and other severe weather events resulted in having to move and place significant amounts of sand on the shoreline to replenish the eroding beach.

Today, the site’s ecosystem supports multiple species, which is benefiting the waters of the Patapsco River. Using the living shoreline to stabilize the erosive shoreline also has brought environmental uplift and attracted habitat to the area. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Maryland Dept. of the Environment are monitoring the project to study the effectiveness of its approach.

Photo courtesy BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc.