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  • The Use of Native Vegetation and Natural Materials in Shoreline Stabilization: A Case Study of Bubble Gum Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

    PURPOSE: This technical note is the fourth in a series about using native plant communities to achieve engineering and ecological purposes such as shoreline stabilization, structural enhancements, habitat creation, and ecosystem development. In this series, we demonstrate the utility of natural materials (specifically, native vegetation, oyster reefs, and coir logs) in living shoreline projects. Plant species and plant communities play critical roles in wave attenuation and sediment accretion in coastal areas. The application of vegetation in the coastal areas, especially on the East and Gulf Coasts, has focused heavily on the creation of living shorelines—serving both environmental and engineering purposes. This technical note documents the workshop conducted by the US Army Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) and hosted by the US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Philadelphia District (NAP) and Center for the Inland Bays. The goals of this technical note are (1) to demonstrate the application of native plant communities, oyster shells, and coir (coconut) materials and their installation techniques along shorelines to the engineering community; (2) to demonstrate how targeted vegetation establishment can facilitate ecosystem development along shorelines to improve engineering and environmental outcomes; and (3) to provide native vegetation installation techniques for living shorelines projects’ purposes.
  • A Large-Scale Community Storm Processes Field Experiment: The During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX) Overview Reference Report

    Abstract: The DUring Nearshore Event EXperiment (DUNEX) was a series of large-scale nearshore coastal field experiments focused on during-storm, nearshore coastal processes. The experiments were conducted on the North Carolina coast by a multidisciplinary group of over 30 research scientists from 2019 to 2021. The overarching goal of DUNEX was to collaboratively gather information to improve understanding of the interactions of coastal water levels, waves, and flows, beach and dune evolution, soil behavior, vegetation, and groundwater during major coastal storms that affect infrastructure, habitats, and communities. In the short term, these high-quality field measurements will lead to better understanding of during-storm processes, impacts and post-storm recovery and will enhance US academic coastal research programs. Longer-term, DUNEX data and outcomes will improve understanding and prediction of extreme event physical processes and impacts, validate coastal processes numerical models, and improve coastal resilience strategies and communication methods for coastal communities impacted by storms. This report focuses on the planning and preparation required to conduct a large-scale field experiment, the collaboration amongst researchers, and lessons learned. The value of a large-scale experiment focused on storm processes and impacts begins with the scientific gains from the data collected, which will be available and used for decades to come.
  • Engineering With Nature®: Supporting Mission Resilience and Infrastructure Value at Department of Defense Installations

    Abstract: This book illustrates some of the current challenges and hazards experienced by military installations, and the content highlights activities at seven military installations to achieve increased resilience through natural infrastructure.
  • Corps publishes environmental documents related to installation of pedestrian dune walkovers for public review, comment

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has published a notice of availability for public comment on a draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the installation of pedestrian dune walkovers constructed over Federal Coastal Storm Risk Management Projects and Shore Protection Projects conducted by non-Federal sponsors or independent requestors within the district’s Civil Works area of responsibility in the State of Florida.
  • Corps requests Vilano Beach residents to remove temporary items from dunes

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, requests that homeowners and residents in the Vilano Beach area assist in the success of the recent St. Johns County beach renourishment project.
  • Simulations of Shoreline Changes along the Delaware Coast

    Abstract: This technical report presents two applications of the GenCade model to simulate long-term shoreline evolution along the Delaware Coast driven by waves, inlet sediment transport, and longshore sediment transport. The simulations also include coastal protection practices such as periodic beach fills, post-storm nourishment, and sand bypassing. Two site-specific GenCade models were developed: one is for the coasts adjacent to the Indian River Inlet (IRI) and another is for Fenwick Island. In the first model, the sediment exchanges among the shoals and bars of the inlet were simulated by the Inlet Reservoir Model (IRM) in the GenCade. An inlet sediment transfer factor (γ) was derived from the IRM to quantify the capability of inlet sediment bypassing, measured by a rate of longshore sediments transferred across an inlet from the updrift side to the downdrift side. The second model for the Fenwick Island coast was validated by simulating an 11-year-long shoreline evolution driven by longshore sediment transport and periodic beach fills. Validation of the two models was achieved through evaluating statistical errors of simulations. The effects of the sand bypassing operation across the IRI and the beach fills in Fenwick Island were examined by comparing simulation results with and without those protection practices. Results of the study will benefit planning and management of coastal sediments at the sites.
  • Evaluation of Unmanned Aircraft System Coastal Data Collection and Horizontal Accuracy: A Case Study at Garden City Beach, South Carolina

    Abstract: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) aims to evaluate unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology to support flood risk management applications, examining data collection and processing methods and exploring potential for coastal capabilities. Foundational evaluation of the technology is critical for understanding data application and determining best practices for data collection and processing. This study demonstrated UAS Multispectral (MS) and Red Green Blue (RGB) image efficacy for coastal monitoring using Garden City Beach, South Carolina, as a case study. Relative impacts to horizontal accuracy were evaluated under varying field scenarios (flying altitude, viewing angle, and use of onboard Real-Time Kinematic–Global Positioning System), level of commercial off-the-shelf software processing precision (default optimal versus high or low levels) and processing time, and number of ground control points applied during postprocessing (default number versus additional points). Many data sets met the minimum horizontal accuracy requirements designated by USACE Engineering Manual 2015. Data collection and processing methods highlight procedures resulting in high resolution UAS MS and RGB imagery that meets a variety of USACE project monitoring needs for site plans, beach renourishment and hurricane protection projects, project conditions, planning and feasibility studies, floodplain mapping, water quality analysis, flood control studies, emergency management, and ecosystem restoration.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Evaluating Collection Parameters for Mobile Lidar Surveys in Vegetated Beach-Dune Settings

    Purpose: The goal of this Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) is to compare collection parameters and gridding techniques for mobile lidar surveys of beach-dune systems in the northern Outer Banks, NC.
  • Vicksburg District to reopen select beaches and recreation areas at Mississippi lakes beginning July 6

    Vicksburg, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District will reopen select beaches and recreation areas at its Mississippi lakes – Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, Enid Lake and Grenada Lake – and incorporate preventative health measures beginning July 6.
  • Nashville District reopening beaches, picnic shelters in Kentucky June 29

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 23, 2020) – As part of a phased approach for reopening recreation facilities following COVID-19 closures, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is opening additional Corps-managed day use recreation areas and amenities within the Cumberland River Basin in Kentucky June 29, 2020.