Regional Sediment Management for Atlantic Coast of Maryland and Assateague Island Seashore (Assateague By-Pass Project)
Abstract
This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) describes Regional Sediment Management (RSM) activities and investigations performed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District (NAB), along Maryland s Atlantic Coast at Fenwick Island, the Ocean City Inlet, and the Assateague Island National Seashore. An evaluation was performed of beach renourishment and sand bypassing along the Atlantic Coast of Maryland at the Assateague Island shoreline to develop a holistic approach to understanding the overall sediment transport system. This evaluation was undertaken to investigate the fate of dredged material placed along the shore, and the short- and long-term impacts of that placement to the ebb shoal. A better understanding of these impacts will assist in predicting the ability of the ebb shoal to replenish itself, to estimate the effects dredging will have on the borrow area compared to the overall system, and ultimately to optimize NAB dredging operations with better informed decisions regarding where to dredge. NAB is developing a holistic RSM approach to numerically model and better understand sediment transport along the local eastern seaboard of the State of Maryland (Figure 1). NAB s coastal RSM initiative includes Fenwick Island, the Ocean City Maryland Inlet, and the Assateague Island National Seashore. integrated feasibility report and environmental impact statement (USACE 1998). The study included a sediment budget analysis which indicated that sand bypassing was needed to offset the loss of sand incurred due to the jetties (diverted offshore or into the inlet). The jetties were constructed in the 1930s after a breach of the barrier island occurred at Ocean City, MD, separating Assateague Island and Fenwick Island. This breach, in conjunction with the construction of the jetties, disrupted the natural transport of sand (predominately from north to south) throughout the littoral system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA586343
Entities
People
- Michele L. Gomez
- Robert N. Blama
- Thomas D. Laczo
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center