WEEK 4 -- ALLEN ROAD LIVING SHORELINE POST CONSTRUCTION REPORT

At last the winds have changed and the tide receded to its normal levels and even lower. The entire project site is covered over with 6 to 8 inches of sand on top of the coir matting. With the easterly and northerly winds the water line is about 4 feet in front of the first row of biologs. 

Photo taken June 2, 2011

Even though the spartina that was planted over a month ago was covered over with 6 to 8 inches of sand, a large percentage of the plants grew thru the sand to reach sunlight.

Photo taken June 2, 2011

At this point in time, it is not known how many plants did not survive out of the 2500 plugs that were planted. We also do not know if any additional buried plants that are not visible will grow thru the sand. Sometime next month I plan on taking an inventory of the surviving plants.

Photo taken June 2, 2011

The plant shown above grew thru the deposited sand measuring 6 inches from the coir matting where it was originally planted, to the existing beach surface. The original plants were 6” to 8” tall when planted in the coir matting.

It is apparent that it would be unwise to use the biologs in future phases of this project. It would be better to just use the 900 series coir matting and pinning it down as I have previously outlined in my week 3 report.

The biologs proved to be very effective in extending the beach by elevating it above the mean high water line.

Submitted by

BSHCA member

William E. McGrath, PLS

Riparian Consultant