The USACE Mobile District, responsible for maintaining over 2,200 miles of navigation channels and ports along with several lakes and recreation areas, has established itself as a regional leader in implementing innovative sediment management strategies, particularly along Mobile Bay. With decades of experience in Beneficial Use (BU) of dredged materials, the district has successfully applied Engineering With Nature (EWN) principles to enhance coastal resilience and ecosystem restoration along the northern Gulf Coast.
As a proving ground for EWN, the Mobile District’s efforts are characterized by strong partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels, facilitating sustainable project outcomes across Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. A prime example of these efforts is the federally authorized Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP), through which nearly $500 million worth of projects have been executed, showcasing the district’s commitment to resilient and nature-based solutions.
Leveraging its longstanding Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Working Group and Coastal Resiliency Program, the Mobile District continues to pioneer multi-disciplinary approaches that prioritize collaboration and data sharing.
Insights
Their work highlights several valuable insights for others pursuing nature-based solutions:
- Multiagency Collaboration is Essential: The success of EWN projects depends on a coordinated, multiagency effort. Strong partnerships among local, state, and federal entities, along with various disciplines, are crucial for aligning goals and resources, ensuring that projects are executed effectively and sustainably.
- Integrate Monitoring Data to Improve Future Projects: Continuous monitoring of EWN projects and integrating that data back into research is key to refining tools and developing improved guidance. This adaptive approach helps ensure that future projects are informed by the real-world performance of previous efforts, leading to more effective and resilient solutions.
- Share Lessons to Encourage Broader Application: As projects are implemented, sharing lessons learned and experiences is critical for helping others plan, design, and justify nature-based solutions. Communicating the successes and challenges encountered in past projects can assist other districts and agencies in navigating their own NBS initiatives.
- Communication Products Are Powerful Tools: Resources like the EWN Atlas Series are invaluable in demonstrating the benefits of NBS projects. These products not only communicate the tangible outcomes of EWN work but also help build excitement and support for expanding NBS applications both within USACE and with partners.
Engineering With Nature Four Coasts: Mobile District
A report identifying design concepts for incorporating Engineering With Nature® approaches into the work of the Mobile District
