Analysis Of The Armoring Restoration Projects That Have Been Done On The Shorelines Of The Puget Sound

Environmental Protection Agency recognizes the Chesapeake Bay as a damaged ecological community in which millions were spent on research in efforts to save and restore this national treasure and few developments have been proven to be successful, “these actions included upgrading sewage treatment plants, controlling urban runoff, controlling manure and fertilizer runoff, reducing soil erosion, issuing stricter discharge permits, and banning the use of phosphorous detergents.” (Atkins & Anderson, 2003). In partnership, the Chesapeake Bay Program has also made progress in restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Its efforts include reducing pollution, restoring habitats, managing fisheries, protecting watersheds and fostering stewardship. This program has also set goals in relation to “wetlands, submerged grasses, nutrient reduction, toxins, sustainable development, and citizen involvement.” (Atkins & Anderson, 2003).

Giving full credit to restricting the Mississippi River as the culprit for loss of wetlands is not accurate. The booming oil and gas exploration of the 1970’s and 1980’s merits a name on the marquee as well. The pipelines and canals used to transport the resources to the outside world placed a great deal of stress on the fragile wetlands. Erosion from the barges in and out of the marshes as well as the salt water allowed into the fresh water, providing a precarious habitat for fresh water species – flora and fauna alike. Plants provide root systems to hold soil in place. Fish and fowl provide an economy for the area. Enter

Thusly, chronic coastal erosion is beginning to become a huge problem along a majority of the U.S. coast, exclusively on Hawaiian Islands (Romine and Fletcher, 2013). “Kona” storms, with southerly winds and waves, can trigger momentary erosional events to south and west exposed beaches on the coast (Romine and Fletcher, 2013). Erosional events are undoubtedly proving to control most shoreline changes throughout the state Hawaii, let alone Kauai. Romine and Fletcher’s studies of historical shorelines on major Hawaiian Islands, including Kauai, have proven that shoreline changes on the islands are displaying a dominant trend of being caused by erosion (2013) on the leeward and windward sides of the

In the four centuries since the explorations of Captain John Smith, the Chesapeake Bay has lost half of its forested shoreline, more than half its wetlands, nearly 80 percent of its underwater grasses, and more than 98 percent of its oysters. Across the watershed, approximately 1.7 million acres of once-untouched land were developed by 1950. Development has accelerated dramatically since then, with an

In the United States the destruction of wetlands had been enormous, however in the state of California it has been estimated that nearly ninety-three percent of the wetlands have been destroyed. With profit producing coastal real estate the hungry pockets of California developers

A possible new marine sanctuary in the Potomac River, the Potomac River is home to the “Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay.” There are two-hundred known ships in the fourteen square mile area of the river adjacent to Charles County. The ships ages range from the Revolutionary War to the present days. Some of the ships are from the largest World War One wooden steam ships build for the American Emergency Fleet. The ships were burned and scuttled in the bay in 1925. Someone from the public committed on the area on Wednesday, experts have highlighted the importance of Mallows Bay. “... a national treasure in the process of being discovered,” said Maritime Historian Donald Shomette. People say that

Today, storm water runoff is the number one cause of pollution in the Puget Sound. The pollutants contained in storm water runoff are mainly caused by urban runoff, factory farming, and chemicals. Urban runoff can produce pollutants such as gasoline, grease, ammonia, manure, toxic chemicals, and pesticides. In factory farming, the main problem is the production of manure which is extremely bad for the Puget Sound because of the high levels of nitrates it contains. Chemicals carry numerous pollutants which can alter marine life genetics and harm human health. Alternatives to the problems lie in green infrastructure, greenroofs, bio-swales, and porous concrete; however, the solution to the

Aquatic biologists from the Cape Cod National Seashore have published newsletters stating that “increased intertidal volume produces greatly increased tidal flushing. Better flushing will reduce floodwater mosquito breeding on the wetland surface, dilute the presently high fecal coliform counts that have closed river-mouth shellfish beds, and improve water-column aeration by flooding the wetland twice each day with oxygen-rich Cape Cod Bay water” (CCNS, 2011). After the restoration begins taking place and the water levels are allowed to rise, the greater amounts of water will impact where they once dominated in the wetland soils that have fallen to being drained by the dike. This will, in turn, offset the chemical effects of the dam that caused acidity issues and toxic metal presence which has killed off fish populations in adjacent effected waterways (Portnoy and Giblin,

Restoration planning identified the rehabilitation of the floodplain functions that foster recruitment of riparian vegetation and the quality of riparian habitat. Fall-run Chinook salmon is an important management species in the Merced River, and numerous state and federal resource programs include increasing its abundance in their goals. The vision has been to enhance channel, floodplain and riparian ecosystem processes and critical habitats for juvenile and adult salmonids, in coordination with local communities and stakeholders, to promote the recovery of healthy and diverse Chinook salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations in the Merced River, while helping to meet the abundance goals of the Anadromous Fish Restoration Program.

Over the last few decades, the loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands has become a point of concern because of the vital roles the wetlands play in the environment. They have been destroyed over time because of natural causes such as hurricanes and weather as well as from the construction of man-made flood-control levees. Wetlands serve many purposes within the environment. Not only do the wetlands effect the residents of southern Louisiana, but they effect the animals that call the wetlands home as well as the industries that thrive off the wetlands. Since the wetlands have begun to disappear, steps have been taken in order to prevent Louisiana’s wetlands from disappearing. Restoration acts have been put in to place by the government to help

The overview of vulnerabilities isn’t fully addressed, the climate change is resulting in significant impacts to Massachusetts coastline and ocean waters. The coast is modestly changing in temperature having an impact on sensitive ecosystems, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem-based economies, based off fisheries, tourism, and recreation. Sea level will impact development, infrastructure and natural systems from erosion and storm damage. Impacts may also include loss of life, extensive property damage, destruction of public infrastructure; releasing of sewage, oil,debris, and other contaminants; and loss of commercial and marine-related businesses critical to local,regional, and state economies. Also, areas such as coastal salt marshes,barrier

The Deciduous Bottomland Complex is made up of bottomland containing silver maple and bur oak that are resistant to heavy floods, river levee containing basswood and hackberry forests, bur aak, and American elm, and marshes located in the Bottomland Complex that contain cattails and bur-reed. The Glacial Lake Shoreline is made up of deciduous forest of the Nippissing Bluff containing beech, white birch, and sugar maple, which is the most important, and gently sloping Lake Payette Terrace containing cedar or balsam fir forests where scattered pools are present. These different complexes all help with flooding and erosion. The roots of these plants stabilize the soil preventing erosion. Also, the presence of the plants affects the hydrology of the water. This includes the water level, water flow, and water chemistry. The velocity of the water flowing through the Swamp determines how much erosion occurs for the water cutting into the soil, but with trees and other different plants present the water is slowed reducing erosion. The chemistry of the water is influenced by the plants by seeing how much nutrients is present, or what kind of elements appear in the water due to the plant. The major prevention of flooding is due to the

Common trout and Colorado River cutthroat trout (O. clarkii stomias) are MIS representing aquatic habitats on the GMUG. A variety of land management activities can affect lake and stream habitats, including traditional forestry practices, road construction and maintenance, fire and fuels management, and water development. The presence of MIS species in a watershed is not an obstacle to active forest management. On the contrary, MIS species are used by Forest personnel to gauge the response of the entire forest ecosystem to land management projects we implement. In particular, common trout were selected to assess effects of

Riparian areas have been steadily declining across the United States in both area and connectivity (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife). Development and water use has significantly altered many stream and river systems in the US. Riperian areas are important for songbirds, erosion prevention, fish & invertebret habitat, trapping sediment and creating primary production. Restoring riparian areas can lead to an increase in biodiversity because there are a lot of organisms who specilize in using or living in riparian areas.

It is found that flood discharges increased in proportion to impervious surface cover and were at least 250% higher in urban catchments than forested catchments in Texas and New York after similar storms (Espey et al., 1965; Seaburn 1969; Paul and Meyer, 2001). Consequences of increased impervious cover may change the shape of the stream channel, raise water temperature and pollute streams and rivers through sweeping urban debris (Elvidge et al., 2004). Increase of impervious area also decline baseflows