Restoration Doesn’t Have to Mean Losing Infrastructure

A heavily impacted site in Thatcher Bay, Blakely Island, was identified as a priority site for beach restoration. Historic use of the bay was for logging exports from the island via a barge ramp and log roll structure. Development of the shoreline had resulted in a heavily degraded beach containing multiple stages of damaged or failing revetments, with associated debris scattered over a large area. While the log roll structure was no longer used, the ramp provided continuing barge access to the island, and therefore required preservation. A restoration design was formulated and implemented to both preserve the barge ramp while restoring beach habitat. Efforts included removal of beach debris and reconfiguration of the barge ramp for both smaller footprint and easier barge access. Drainage features, originally consisting of a simple ditch, were upgraded to buried pipe to provide additional room for landward relocation of the ramp. The existing revetment was reconstructed in a more landward position, providing additional space for beach habitat in this known forage fish spawning region. Following restoration, 5,000 square feet of beach habitat had been restored