Corps Regional Sediment Management and Habitat Restoration: Cape May, NJ J. Bailey Smith National Planning Center of Expertise for Coastal Storm Damage Reduction 25 June 2008

Philadelphia District Regional Sediment Management Regional Sediment Management (RSM) A systems-based approach to managing sediment resources within the context of regional strategies (watershed, estuarine, coastal) that address integrated sediment needs and opportunities. Three focus areas: - Coastal - Dredging & Disposal - Watershed Sediment Management

Philadelphia District Established 1866 Delaware River basin Parts of 5 states 9 million people 15,000 square miles 150 miles of coastline 550 miles Federal channels 1.1 million acres of wetlands 5 flood control dams 1.5 M park visitors/yr 1 canal, 5 bridges

NAP - NJ Shore Protection Projects Barnegat Inlet to Little Egg Inlet (LBI) 2005 Barnegat Inlet to Little Egg Inlet (LBI) 2005 Brigantine Is. – 2005 Great Egg Inlet to Townsends Inlet Cape May City Ocean City Hereford Inlet to Cape May Lower Cape May Meadows Cape May Point Lower Cape May Meadows Cape May Point Avalon – Stone Harbor Absecon Is Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet KEY Constructed Project (Date Initiated) Not Yet Authorized

REGIONAL STRATEGY IMPROVED SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT NJDEP-sponsored RSM Study SEDIMENT PATHWAY IDENTIFICATION

CAPE MAY SAND RESOURCE INVENTORY eCOASTAL GIS DATA INVENTORY NJDEP-sponsored RSM Study

RSM PROGRAM AT CAPE MAY, NJ

Cape May Inlet Wildwood Cape May Point U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Ocean Cape May Coastal Projects Beachfill EcosystemRestoration Cape May City Cape May Meadows Cape May National Wildlife Refuge Delaware Bay Coastline Reeds Beach-Pierces Point & Villas and Vicinity

Whale Beach, NJ - December 1992 Phragmites Eradication, Cape May Beachfill, Cape May State Park Dredge Fry Cape May Inlet NJ Coastal Program Shore Protection Shore Protection Navigation Navigation Ecosystem Restoration Ecosystem Restoration

October 1991 Coastal Storm

Lower Cape May Meadows - Cape May Point Habitat Restoration and Shore Protection Constructed

Before Beachfill (1994)

During Beachfill (2004) After Beachfill (2005)

343 acre coastal freshwater wetland composed of the Cape May Point State Park & the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (owned by TNC) **Internationally recognized migratory bird habitat** Lower Cape May Meadows Study Area

Restoration of wetlandsInvasive plant control Internal hydrology improvementsBeachfill and periodic nourishment Lower Cape May Meadows Habitat Restoration

Wetland Restoration 3/07 Herbicide Spraying

Water Control Structures

Plover crossovers Lower berm elevation “Plover” ponds Modification of dune fencing/planting Habitat vs. Storm Protection Modifications to Enhance Plover Nesting and Feeding Habitat

Piping Plover Ponds - Old dune relocated seaward - Ponds excavated - Minimal vegetation planted around 1 pond April 2005 August 2005 Total of 3 ponds created ranging in size from 1-4 acres

Creation of Plover Habitat at the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge l Create an “overwash area” for piping plovers updrift of Cape May Inlet jetties l No net loss of plover nesting habitat l Agency collaboration l Application of habitat creation for other NJ beachfill projects

Before Construction 1/24/07

During Construction

New Habitat Area 1/31/07

New Habitat Area 2/12/07

Build It and They Will Come l Until 2007, no recorded nests in Wildlife Refuge l 2007 nesting occurred but all chicks lost to predation l Birds utilized nesting habitat within a few months of creation l Nor’easter flooded out nests in Coast Guard beach, but nests in new habitat area survived l USFWS considers this a success and will maintain project in future and will maintain project in future

Meadows and Wildlife Refuge habitat restoration successesMeadows and Wildlife Refuge habitat restoration successes Collaboration with resource agenciesCollaboration with resource agencies Plover restoration features can be effective additions to some coastal projectsPlover restoration features can be effective additions to some coastal projects Effective ‘balance across business lines’ and regional project integration including shore protection, ecosystem restoration and navigation projectsEffective ‘balance across business lines’ and regional project integration including shore protection, ecosystem restoration and navigation projects knowledge applied towards developing potential strategy for shoreline protection needsknowledge applied towards developing potential strategy for shoreline protection needs Cape May Habitat Restoration Summary