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A Severn Riverkeeper shoreline restoration project

 

The community of Epping Forest is located on the Severn's southwest shore midway between Round Bay and the Route 50 Bridge.  A small community park, named Drevar Park, occupies a prominent point near the mouth of Saltworks Creek.  The park provides an opportunity for residents to view the Severn River, relax on gentle shaded grassy hillsides, and enjoy the natural attractions of a small pond.  Unlike the nearby community beach, the small beach at Drevar Park is not used for swimming, and and the beach had been neglected for many years.   

Its direct exposure to the Severn and had led to visible erosion of the former marshy area of the park, as well as the nearby small hill beside it.  Waves generated by storms and boat wakes were clearly responsible for this erosion, which over time threatened the loss of significant areas of Drevar Park. The Severn Riverkeeper worked with community leaders to put together a feasibility study for restoring this area with a "living shoreline" that would protect the park from erosion and also provide a natural beach habitat for fish and crabs.

The restoration project involved getting an experienced professional to design a suitable structure that would calm wave forces enough to allow the growth of shoreline plants.  It was fortunate that a local resident, Keith Underwood, had built a number of successful  living shorelines around the Chesapeake and agreed to undertake this project.  Because Drevor Park is on a point of land, the high wave energy required a protective wall of fairly large rocks that were moved into place with heavy machinery.  The Severn Riverkeeper Program obtained a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to fund this project. 

 

The completed rock wall extends to slightly above the high tide level and provides a sheltered sandy beach behind it.  Sand was moved to fill in behind the rock wall to create a marsh-like area that is flooded at high tide.  The new structure was allowed to sit for several months to allow the sand to settle before creation of the vegetated shoreline

 

Meanwhile, volunteers from the local community and beyond were recruited by the Severn Riverkeeper to take care of small marsh grass plants after they were delivered to the site in flats.  The principle plants used were the native species Spartina alternaflora and Spartina patens, both of which are widely distributed in East Coast marshed. After repoting and nurturing for several months they had grown large enough for transplanting to the newly created shoreline area, and a large turnout of volunteers was recruited for this job.  . 


After a year of growth, a new marsh has been created due to the successful growth of the marsh grasses.  Seen here at high tide, the grasses are flooded and become the feeding grounds and hiding sites for small fish, grass shrimp, and crabs.  The grasses act as a filter by trapping suspended sediment, which counteracts remaining erosive tendencies. 

Read about another Severn River living shoreline project at St. John's College on College Creek.