The Use of Native Vegetation for Structural Stability in Dredged Material Placement Areas: A Case Study of Beneficial Use Site 4A, Chocolate Bayou, Brazoria County, Texas
This technical note is the third in a series about using native plant communities to enhance dredge material placement areas (DMPAs), confined disposal facilities (CDFs), and projects where dredged sediments are used for various engineering purposes. DMPAs and CDFs occur in numerous locations spanning different geographic locations nationwide. Oftentimes, these containment dikes are constructed using […]
The use of native vegetation and natural materials in shoreline stabilization : a case study of Bubble Gum Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
This technical note is the fourth in a series about using native plant communities to achieve engineering and ecological purposes such as shoreline stabilization, structural enhancements, habitat creation, and ecosystem development. In this series, we demonstrate the utility of natural materials (specifically, native vegetation, oyster reefs, and coir logs) in living shoreline projects. Plant species […]
Coastal Edition: Nature-Based Solutions for Biodiversity
As shorelines change and infrastructure ages, communities may be faced with how to strengthen their shoreline or protect against flooding. Landscape architecture can play a meaningful role in each step of the process for implementing nature-based infrastructure: scoping, decision-making, implementation, and operations.
Evaluating restoration success in a Great Lakes embayment: A case studyfor addressing beneficial use impairments
Aquatic habitats within the St. Louis River estuary were impacted when developing the Duluth-Superior Harbor (MN/WI USA) and through decades of unregulated industrial and municipal discharge. An effort to remediate and restore sediment quality in the harbor began by implementing projects designed to address Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) identified in this Area of Concern. Habitat […]
Dredged material can benefit submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitats
This technical note (TN) was developed by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center–Environmental Laboratory (ERDC-EL) to provide an overview of the ecosystem services delivered by submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) to estuarine and coastal ecosystems and to describe potential methods for the beneficial use of dredged material (BUDM) to aid in SAV restoration. Although […]
Long-term nitrate-nitrogen reductions in a large flood control reservoir
Flood-control reservoirs are common in the U.S. and several are located in highly agricultural regions of the Midwest. In this study, a mass balance of annual and seasonal NO3-N concentration and load reductions was calculated for Lake Red Rock, a large flood-control reservoir located on the Des Moines River downstream of the City of Des Moines, Iowa. […]
Plant community approach to establishing vegetation on DMPAs and CDFs
This technical note (TN) is the second in a series about using native plant communities to enhance Dredge Material Placement Areas (DMPAs) and Confined Disposal Facilities (CDFs). Project goals include the following: 1) introducing the dredging community to the benefits associated with native plant communities, and 2) demonstrating how targeted vegetation establishment can enhance DMPA […]
Patterns, drivers, and a predictive model of dam removal cost in the United States
Given the burgeoning dam removal movement and the large number of dams approaching obsolescence in the United States, cost estimating data and tools are needed for dam removal prioritization, planning, and execution. We used the list of removed dams compiled by American Rivers to search for publicly available reported costs for dam removal projects. Total […]
Enhancing Benefits Evaluation for Water Resources Projects Towards a More Comprehensive Approach for Nature-Based Solutions: Case Study Analysis Results and Recommendations
This document is the fourth and final report produced as part of this collaborative effort. Previous reports developed during this project describe the evolution of USACE evaluation approaches from prior eras of planning to the present day (Ehrenwerth et al., 2022), investigate where and how NBS were considered in planning studies from 2005–2020 (Windhoffer et […]
The potential for nature-based solutions to combat the freshwater biodiversity crisis
Enthusiasm for and investments in nature-based solutions (NBS) as sustainable strategies for climate adaptation and infrastructure development is building among governments, the scientific community, and engineering practitioners. This is particularly true for water security and water-related risks. In a freshwater context, NBS may provide much-needed “win-wins” for society and the environment that could benefit imperiled […]
