Marsh Restoration Using Thin Layer Placement: Soil and Hydrologic Response to Direct Sediment Application

Berkowitz, Jacob F.; VanZomeren, Christine M.; Piercy, Candice D.; Keys, Tyler A.

doi:10.1142/9789811204487_0129

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…The application of thin sediment layers shows substantial promise to help coastal wetlands offset impacts from sea-level rise by supplementing marsh elevations while maintaining established vegetation communities (Raposa et al 2020). In a coastal setting near Avalon, New Jersey fragmentation degraded a marsh system, stressing vegetation and reducing marsh resiliency to sea level rise (Berkowitz et al 2017). Thin layers of dredged sediments were intentionally deposited onto the degraded marsh, mimicking storm driven sediment transport processes (Figure 3).…”

Section: New Jersey Salt Marsh -Avalonmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Initiatives Improve Wetland Restoration Outcomes: Engineering with Nature and the Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features

F. Berkowitz

2022

WSP

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For some time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has supported an initiative called Engineering With Nature® (EWN) and the application of Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF), both of which promote the incorporation of natural processes and structures into the design and operation of ecological restoration and flood risk reduction projects. Each approach is introduced below, with an emphasis on potential applications in a wetland restoration context. Additionally, examples of recent and ongoing case studies that align with these initiatives are discussed. Historically, practitioners designed wetland restoration projects and assessed their outcomes based upon observations made in unaltered reference areas (Brinson and Reinhardt 1996). However, many restoration projects failed to: follow anticipated trajectories, achieve project milestones, and provide wetland functions at magnitudes observed in unaltered locations (Zedler and Callaway 1999). Differences in landform, hydrology, soils, vegetation community dynamics, and landscape-level ecological processes between restored and reference locations were identified as factors limiting the success of restoration efforts (Zedler 2000). Also, many areas lack appropriate reference areas to determine pre-disturbance conditions which poses a challenge to achieving restoration success (Otte et al. 2021). Recently, researchers and practitioners have increasingly emphasized the integration of natural and nature-based structures and processes into interdisciplinary frameworks to improve restoration project outcomes (Kurth et al. 2020). These concepts build upon previous research recognizing that restoration projects mimicking natural processes and structures provide higher levels of ecological functions than those constructed using traditional techniques (Streever 2000; Foran et al. 2018).

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Section: New Jersey Salt Marsh -Avalonmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Initiatives Improve Wetland Restoration Outcomes: Engineering with Nature and the Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features

F. Berkowitz

2022

WSP

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“…Wetland degradation of the area was identified in the rapid transition of vegetated marsh platforms to un-vegetated shallow pannes through erosion and vegetation stress over the course of decades [16,19,30]. The primary vegetation located across the wetland was a lowform of S. alterniflora that transitions to tall-form S. alterniflora as elevation decreases near ponds and tidal creeks (Fig 1)…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The application of dredged sediments to deteriorating wetlands increase marsh elevation and improve soil aeration in the root zone, thereby increasing redox potentials (Eh), plant productivity and soil accretion allowing marshes to keep pace with relative sea-level rise [9,16,18,19]. However, quantifying belowground soil stability or strength following TLP is still poorly understood and despite being a crucial parameter in the prediction of wetland sustainability (i.e., erosion, ponding, collapse, uprooting) [20,21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In March 2016, the United States of America Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District (NAP) began restoration of coastal wetlands in New Jersey, USA via TLP. In total, the restoration deposited 34,405 m3 (45,000 yd3) of dredged sediments from the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (NJICW) [19] across five containment sites. The sediment was contained using coir logs that were slashed after stabilization of the dredged sediment (approximately 6 months) to expedite coir log deterioration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Establishment of soil strength in a nourished wetland using thin layer placement of dredged sediment

et al. 2021

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Coastal wetlands are experiencing accelerated rates of fragmentation and degradation due to sea-level rise, sediment deficits, subsidence, and salt-water intrusion. This reduces their ability to provide ecosystem benefits, such as wave attenuation, habitat for migratory birds, and a sink for carbon and nitrogen cycles. A deteriorated back barrier wetland in New Jersey, USA was nourished through thin layer placement (TLP) of dredged sediment in 2016. A field investigation was conducted in 2019 using a cone penetrometer (CPT) to quantify the establishment of soil strength post sediment nourishment compared to adjacent reference sites in conjunction with traditional wetland performance measures. Results show that the nourished area exhibited weaker strengths than the reference sites, suggesting the root system of the vegetation is still establishing. The belowground biomass measurements correlated to the CPT strength measurements, demonstrating that shear strength measured from the cone penetrometer could serve as a surrogate to monitor wetland vegetation trajectories. In addition, heavily trafficked areas underwent compaction from heavy equipment loads, inhibiting the development of vegetation and highlighting how sensitive wetlands are to anthropogenic disturbances. As the need for more expansive wetland restoration projects grow, the CPT can provide rapid high-resolution measurements across large areas supplying government and management agencies with vital establishment trajectories.

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“…One approach to address coastal erosion and build marsh elevation relative to sea level has been through sediment addition or augmentation in a variety of ways (Pope 1997;Berkowitz et al 2017;Ganju 2019). Some approaches place dredged sediments in the nearshore zone with the intent of subsequent tidal or storm redistribution (Schwartz and Musialowski 1980;Fettweis et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Salt Marsh Elevation Using Sediment Augmentation: Critical Insights from Surface Sediments and Sediment Cores

Fard,

Brown,

Ambrose

et al. 2023

Environmental Management

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Sea-level rise is particularly concerning for tidal wetlands that reside within an area with steep topography or are constrained by human development and alteration of sedimentation. Sediment augmentation to increase wetland elevations has been considered as a potential strategy for such areas to prevent wetland loss over the coming decades. However, there is little information on the best approaches and whether adaptive management actions can mimic natural processes to build sea-level rise resilience. In addition, the lack of information on long-term marsh characteristics, processes, and variability can hamper development of effective augmentation strategies. Here, we assess a case study in a southern California marsh to determine the nature of the pre-existing sediments and variability of the site in relation to sediments applied during an augmentation experiment. Although sediment cores revealed natural variations in the grain size and organic content of sediments deposited at the site over the past 1500 years, the applied sediments were markedly coarser in grain size than prehistoric sediments at the site (100% maximum sand versus 76% maximum sand). The rate of the experimental sediment application (25.1 ± 1.09 cm in ~2 months) was also much more rapid than natural accretion rates measured for the site historically. In contrast, post-augmentation sediment accretion rates on the augmentation site have been markedly slower than pre-augmentation rates or current rates on a nearby control site. The mismatch between the characteristics of the applied sediment and thickness of application and the historic conditions are likely strong contributors to the slow initial recovery of vegetation. Sediment augmentation has been shown to be a useful strategy in some marshes, but this case study illustrates that vegetation recovery may be slow if applied sediments are not similar or at a thickness similar to historic conditions. However, testing adaptation strategies to build wetland elevations is important given the long-term risk of habitat loss with sea-level rise. Lessons learned in the case study could be applied elsewhere.

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Marsh Restoration Using Thin Layer Placement: Soil and Hydrologic Response to Direct Sediment Application

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

New Initiatives Improve Wetland Restoration Outcomes: Engineering with Nature and the Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features

New Initiatives Improve Wetland Restoration Outcomes: Engineering with Nature and the Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features

Establishment of soil strength in a nourished wetland using thin layer placement of dredged sediment

Increasing Salt Marsh Elevation Using Sediment Augmentation: Critical Insights from Surface Sediments and Sediment Cores

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