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Understanding and Managing Understanding and Managing

Hudson River Shorelines Hudson River Shorelines
Daniel Miller
NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Hudson River National Estuarine Research
Reserve
Hudson River Estuary Program
demiller@gw.dec.state.ny.us
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Characteristics of Natural Estuarine Characteristics of Natural Estuarine
Shores Shores
Natural shorelines are dynamic Natural shorelines are dynamic
and diverse places and diverse places
Part of larger sediment budget Part of larger sediment budget
systems systems
Stability and ecological function Stability and ecological function
depend on morphology, depend on morphology,
composition and hydrology composition and hydrology
Need for mitigation determined Need for mitigation determined
by natural stability and cultural by natural stability and cultural
interests interests
Estuarine Shoreline: Habitat Estuarine Shoreline: Habitat
Functions Functions
Production Production
Littoral species Littoral species
habitat habitat
Forage Forage
Refuge Refuge
Reproduction Reproduction
Interaction with Interaction with
uplands uplands
Trophic Trophic interactions interactions
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Estuarine Shoreline: Cultural Estuarine Shoreline: Cultural
Functions Functions
Food Resource Food Resource
Transportation Transportation
Recreation Recreation
Fishing Fishing
Boating Boating
Passive Recreation Passive Recreation
Community Community
Development Development
Reasons for Shoreline Stabilization Reasons for Shoreline Stabilization
Public Safety Public Safety
Access Access
Property Protection Property Protection
Sediment Sediment
Contaminants Contaminants
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History of The Hudson Rivers History of The Hudson Rivers
Shoreline Shoreline
Early 19 Early 19
th th
century century
channel modification channel modification
Railroad construction Railroad construction
completed 1852 completed 1852
Early 20 Early 20
th th
century century
channel dredging and channel dredging and
spoil deposition spoil deposition
Waterfront Waterfront
industrialization industrialization
Waterfront community Waterfront community
development development
Historic Shoreline Modifications Historic Shoreline Modifications
Timber and rock Timber and rock
cribbing cribbing
Timber bulkheads Timber bulkheads
Riprap Riprap
Concrete Concrete
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Current Trends Resulting in Current Trends Resulting in
Continued Shoreline Hardening Continued Shoreline Hardening
Failing bulkheads Failing bulkheads
needing repair needing repair
New development New development
pressures pressures
Waterfront Waterfront
revitalization revitalization
Possible Effects of Hard Engineered Possible Effects of Hard Engineered
Shoreline Shoreline
Increases turbidity in the water column. Increases turbidity in the water column.
Deepens near shore habitat. Deepens near shore habitat.
Decreases habitat complexity. Decreases habitat complexity.
Reduces water exchange with wetland Reduces water exchange with wetland
habitats behind structures. habitats behind structures.
Creates a barrier to aquatic/terrestrial Creates a barrier to aquatic/terrestrial
migration. migration.
Reduces wetland migration (during rising sea Reduces wetland migration (during rising sea
levels). levels).
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Critical Questions Critical Questions
How do ecosystem functions vary with How do ecosystem functions vary with
shoreline type (engineered and shoreline type (engineered and
natural)? natural)?
Can shorelines be managed to support Can shorelines be managed to support
both ecosystem and cultural functions? both ecosystem and cultural functions?
Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Research Agenda Research Agenda
Inventory existing Inventory existing
shoreline types shoreline types
classification classification
mapping mapping
Identify engineering Identify engineering
alternatives alternatives
Conduct demonstration Conduct demonstration
projects projects
Determine habitat Determine habitat
functions functions
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Spring Black Bass CPUE (individuals per hour) for Spring Black Bass CPUE (individuals per hour) for
Hudson River Estuary Shoreline Types Hudson River Estuary Shoreline Types
Source: NYSDEC and LMS
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Hudson River Shoreline Inventory Hudson River Shoreline Inventory
High tide line inventoried High tide line inventoried
from the river from the river
Tappan Zee bridge to Tappan Zee bridge to
Troy dam Troy dam
5 level nested 5 level nested
classification scheme classification scheme
1902 discreet shoreline 1902 discreet shoreline
segments mapped segments mapped
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Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Classification Scheme Classification Scheme
Nature Structure Substrate Adjc. Land Use Condition
Revetment Unconsolidated Rock Stable
Gabion Timber Degrading
Engineered Cribbing Sheet Pile
Bulkhead Concrete Marina
Woody Debris Mixed Soil and Rock Public Access/Park
Other Other Railroad
Industry
Undeveloped
Private Property
Natural Parking/Roadway
Gramin/Brdleaf Veg Mud/Sand Unknown/Abandnd.
Natural w/Remnant Woody Veg Unconsolidated Rock Other
Engineering Unvegetated Solid Bedrock Stable
Woody Debris Sand w/Brick Eroding
Other Mixed Soil and Rock
Industrial Other
Non-Engineered
Soft Engineered None at present
Natural Shorelines Natural Shorelines
Vegetated Vegetated
Unvegetated Unvegetated
Rock Rock
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Engineered Shorelines Engineered Shorelines
Bulkhead Bulkhead
Revetments Revetments
Cribbing Cribbing
Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Inventory (preliminary) Inventory (preliminary)
0.17 0.93 Soft Engineered
0.50 2.65 Indust. Non-Eng.
11.61 61.56
Nat w/Remnant
Eng.
46.77 248.05 Natural
41.94 217.13 Hard Engineered
% Kilometers L1: Nature
Source: NYSDEC
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Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Inventory (preliminary) Inventory (preliminary)
0.01 0.05 Other
0.15 0.80 Gabion
16.15 85.65 Unvegetated
29.50 156.46 Woody
11.19 11.19 Gram./Brdlf. Veg
8.94 47.40 Bulkhead
0.98 5.20 Cribbing
31.84 168.84 Riprap/Revetment
% Kilometers L2: Structure
Source: NYSDEC
Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Inventory (preliminary) Inventory (preliminary)
1.12 5.95 Other
11.99 63.58 Mixed Soils & Rock
0.89 4.72 Sand with Brick
8.45 44.80 Bedrock
52.52 278.52 Unconsol. Rock
16.25 86.18 Mud/Sand
4.69 24.89 Concrete
1.67 8.87 Sheet Pile
2.41 12.80 Timber
% Kilometers L3: Substrate
Source: NYSDEC
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Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Classification and Inventory Classification and Inventory
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Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Classification and Inventory Classification and Inventory
Hudson River Shoreline Hudson River Shoreline
Classification and Inventory Classification and Inventory
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Next Steps Next Steps
Finalize Shoreline Finalize Shoreline
Inventory Inventory
Conduct Functional Conduct Functional
Assessment Assessment
Construct and Monitor Construct and Monitor
Demonstration Demonstration
Projects Projects
Todays Workshop Todays Workshop
Restoration or Enhancement? Restoration or Enhancement?
Clearly define project goals and priorities Clearly define project goals and priorities
Historic conditions Historic conditions
Ecological function Ecological function
Human use functions Human use functions
Sites are examples selected based on field Sites are examples selected based on field
observations without consultation with observations without consultation with
owners/communities. owners/communities.
There is no substitute for diversity and There is no substitute for diversity and
undisturbed natural systems. undisturbed natural systems.
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Daniel Miller
Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (HRNERR)
Bard College Field Station
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
845-758-7014
Preservation of existing habitat is critical to the success of estuarine restoration
Restore Americas Estuaries (RAE) Principle #1: