Swamp Stomp
Volume 16, Issue 39
Sea levels are continuing to rise along U.S. coasts and those who live in these areas need to create barriers to protect their communities. Good news for the people and governments in these areas is that it may get a little easier for them to obtain federal permits to construct “living shorelines.” Living shorelines are natural or natural-based structures designed to protect communities and infrastructure from extreme storms and flooding even as they protect habitat.
These nationwide permits are administered by The Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps is considering creating a new category that it would speed up the process to obtaining permits to create living shorelines such as wetlands with sea and marsh grass, sand dunes, mangroves, and coral reefs.
At this point in time, it is much faster to obtain permits for gray infrastructure such as sea walls, bulkheads, and so on. If the Corps do create the new category, it would speed up living shorelines permit approval from 215 days to 45 days.
“The living shoreline piece is a part of what we’re pushing as a nonstructural, nature-based method that is a lot less costly,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, who ushered in the proposed permit during his time as chief of the Army Corps of Engineers, before his retirement last week. “It helps us with our environmental focus; it helps us with the endangered species, perhaps. All of that is a natural way that we can reclaim some of our land and take the focus off of expensive infrastructure.”
The spotlight on dynamic systems is a major shift for agencies like the Army Corps, which in the past paid more attention to engineered solutions, Bostick said last week during an event at the National Academy of Sciences that focused on the state of resilience in the country. Unlike with engineered solutions, there’s greater uncertainty with living shorelines. Researchers and engineers have less information about how they will respond to sea-level rise, storm surge and other extreme events. They’re learning to be more nimble, Bostick said. “How do you know the unknowns? Forget about it. You’re never going to know,” Bostick said. “I’m going to accept uncertainty. I’m going to accept a little give in this system.”
While these living shorelines are better for and protect species, can they also protect homes? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who support living shorelines in places they are warranted, say they are best in areas that are more sheltered that have moderate waves like the Chesapeake Bay, river systems, Puget Sound, and the Great Lakes. A study performed by the Pew Charitable Trusts found proof that shorelines with intact natural coastal habitats not only see less damage but also bounce back more quickly from severe storms. The question still remains of how well living shorelines will work and whether they are actually cheaper than gray infrastructure.
Source: Bolstad, Erika. ““Living Shorelines” Will Get Fast Track to Combat Sea Level Rise.” ClimateWire. Scientific American, 06 July 2016. Web. 09 Sept. 2016.