1/20/2016

AssessingEcologicalandPhysical
PerformanceofSustainable
ShorelineStructures
StuartFindlay,JonMiller,
OmarLopezFeliciano
OnaFerguson,EmilieHauser
01/20/2016

hrnerr.org

Advisory Committee
Land owners
Funders
Regulators
Natural resource managers
Designers (engineers landscape architects and
restoration scientists)
Land stewards

1/20/2016

Sustainable Shorelines Project

Promoting choices that preserve or
enhance ecology and shoreline
benefits while meeting upland use
and engineering needs in a
changing climate.

2005 Shoreline Inventory

MUDSAND

BEDROCK

OTHER

41%

Engineered,
HardShoreline
Natural

58%

1/20/2016

Ecological Studies & Products

Literature review
Study of biodiversity (fish,
plants) and organic matter
accumulation as a function
of shore zone structure &
age
Rapid assessment protocol
Ecological brochure and
handbook

1/20/2016

Engineering Studies & Products

Literature review
Physical forces
Cost analysis
Forensic analyses

Ultra high resolution version

of NYHOPS developed
for understanding wave &
current variability

A Literature Review of Existing Methods for Limiting

Erosion along Sheltered Shorelines

1/20/2016

Several alternatives exist at

each site for which the costs
are relatively similar.
Alternative solutions can be
cost competitive with traditional
approaches.
Consistent with NOAAs Weighing
Your Options report.

10

Other Studies & Products

Understanding the management arena
Legal framework
Perceptions of shorelines by users
Outreach
Training
See: https://www.hrnerr.org/hudson-river-sustainable-shorelines

1/20/2016

11

Demonstration Site Case

Studies & Network

12

Forensic Analysis Common Findings

Vegetation Establishment
Slope Compatibility
Debris Impact
Leeside Erosion
Adaptive Management
Stone Sizing
Site

Coxsackie

River Mile 125

County
Greene

Esopus
Meadows
86.5
Ulster

Habirshaw

Irvington

Oak Point

18
Westchester

25
East River
Westchester Bronx

Hunts
Point
East River
Bronx

1/20/2016

13

Assessing Ecological and Physical Performance

of Sustainable Shoreline Structures

FoundryCove,ColdSpring,NY

Objectives
Createasimpleyetvalidated
setofmetricstargetingkey
ecologicalattributesandphysical
performanceofsiteswithinthe
SustainableShorelines
DemonstrationSiteNetwork
Trainlocalandregionalland
stewardstousethesetools,so
theycantrackperformanceinto
thefuture.

14

Long Term Outcomes

Engineers, regulators and policy makers are more

confident about performance of nature based shorelines.

Innovative projects built and become the norm

Uniform protocols will facilitate long-term and cumulative

tracking of performance

1/20/2016

15
Name

Demonstration
Site Network

Hudson
RiverMile

DemonstrationSite
NetworkCaseStudy

DemonstrationSite

Forensic
Analysis

CoxsackieBoatLaunch

125

Yes

StevensInstitute

Yes

Athens4th St.Kayak
Launch

117

Yes

KaaterskillAssociates
&KleinkeAssociates

RhinecliffLanding
Bulkhead

90

EsopusMeadows

StevensInstitute
Feeneys

86.5

Yes

CreativeHabitat

FoundryDock

54

Yes

Hudson&
PacificDesigns

Dockside

55

HabirshawPark

18

NyackBeach

30

HarlemRiver

Yes

Milone&MacBroom
Yes

CreativeHabitat

Yes

PrincetonHydro

HarlemRiver

Yes

NYCParksetal.

HuntsPoint

EastRiver

Yes

HDR

Yes

OakPoint

EastRiver

na

Yes

16

1/20/2016

17

Project Outputs
Field-validate assessment tools
Guidance manual on the appropriate use of the assessment
tools.
Field-based workshops on applying the assessment tools
Collection of local data on ecological and physical
performance
Baseline condition established before the next major storm.
Potential to establish conditions before a shoreline is
modified.

18

Thank You
Emilie Hauser
Estuary Training Coordinator
Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Emilie.hauser@dec.ny.gov

hrnerr.org