Action Examples: Fort Delaware, Pea Patch Island, Delaware
Introduction
Fort Delaware is a 19th century military fortification located on Delaware’s Pea Patch Island. To protect the fort from erosion, the United States Army Corps of Engineers rebuilt a 1,000-foot section of seawall (part of a 7,000-foot wall built in the 1820s) at the southeast tip of the island. The project was completed in 2000.
Analysis
The seawall built in the 1820s helped protect Pea Patch Island from tides, currents and a rising sea level. As the seawall deteriorated, waves began crashing farther inland and eroding the shoreline--endangering Fort Delaware, which was used as a prison camp during the Civil War.
Along with archeological deposits and architectural features associated with the military occupation of Fort Delaware, Pea Patch Island is home to a large heron rookery (nesting area). These historical and biological resources could have been lost forever, if left unprotected from the effects of sea-level rise and shoreline erosion.
This project is one of several initiated by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1999. The aim is to protect this site’s shoreline from sea-level rise and erosion. Other projects include placing fill behind the stone breakwaters, restoring the north sluice gate, removing debris north of the sluiceway and building a new stone breakwater. By March 2005, the project to repair the north jetty (about 1600 feet) had been completed. The final phase will mitigate the impacts to the island’s wetlands, by enhancing 10 acres of degraded wetlands in the area around the US Army Corps’ Reedy Point North Disposal Area. Additional projects to protect the shoreline continue to be evaluated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the public.
While the restoration was in progress, changes were made to minimize historical and biological impacts. For example, the source of fill was changed to protect the local heron rookery. Studies showing that the restoration could affect historical resources led the Army Corps to consult with the Delaware Historical Preservation Office to prevent any damage to the historical resources.
Sources:
- http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/CENAP-PL-E-99-02.htm
- http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/CENAP-PL-E-02-03.htm
- http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pl/seis-species.pdf
- Personal Communication, Mervin E. Brokke Jr., Philadelphia District, United States Army Corps of Engineers, 04/21/05
Photo credits:
- Fort Delaware Historic Society
- Fort Delaware Homepage
- Civil War Studies: Fort Delaware and Pea Patch Island
*All website references were accessed in April 2005.
