Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2022)

DREDGING LONG ISLAND rior, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Flood proo? ng is a technique used to reduce damages to

Geological Service, Suffolk County Government, the town- homes that may be affected by ? oodwaters. Approximately, 650 ships of Islip, Babylon, Brookhaven, Southampton and East homes will be ? ood proofed. One method the Army Corps is

Hampton, 12 incorporated villages, and the general public. using to ? oodproof homes is constructing ringwalls. Ringwalls

The project includes several measures to manage the risks are walled structures that encircle homes to hold back ? oodwa- of coastal storm damage and sea level rise. They include a ters. Ninety-three homes will be provided with ringwalls.

breach response plan, home elevations, ? ood-proo? ng & ac- quisitions, coastal restoration, preserving natural resources,

COASTAL RESTORATION and adapting to sea level rise.

Over the years, much of the project’s coastal area has eroded, removing the natural beachfront and dunes that provide coast-

BREACH RESPONSE PLAN al protection to the communities from storm surge. To restore

After a storm or tidal surge, if a breach is created on a bar- these beaches, sand will be placed back on them. rier island, it will be closed immediately. Closing the breach Approximately, 4.2 million cubic yards of sand will be will be accomplished by dredging sand from federal naviga- dredged from several federal channels including Fire Island tion channels and placing the sand on the barrier island to Inlet and shoals and Moriches & Shinnecock Inlets and shoals. build the island back up. Homeowners will be able to decide if Ocean dredges gather sand from offshore sand borrow areas they want their homes elevated or ? ood proofed by the Army and pump it through pipelines onto the beach. The sand will

Corps. The homes will be elevated so that the lowest ? oor be placed onto several beaches including Gilgo Beach, Robert is above the ? ood level. Approximately, 4,000 homes will be Moses State Park, and Tiana and Montauk Beaches.

elevated. “This is the largest number of structures that have The sand can be placed in different areas of a beach depend- ever been considered for a raising on an Army Corps project,” ing on the project design. Sand can be placed to increase the said Mark Lulka, project manager, New York District, U.S. height and width of a berm of the beach. The berm is a ? at

Army Corps of Engineers, who oversees the home elevations, area of the beach between the landward shore and the ocean ? oodproo? ng and home acquisition aspect of this project and where beach goers typically sunbathe.

was the project manager for the entire project a few years ago. The sand can also be used to create sand dunes. Dunes pro-

Sand being pumped through pipelines onto Gilgo Beach, one of several beaches receiving sand replenishment with the

Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, New

York, Coastal Storm Risk Management

Project.

Photos: James D’Ambrosio, Public Affairs

USACE 42 March/April 2022

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