Thread: Beach Replenishment

Its all about the $$$$$$$$$

Id assume theyre looking at it as a tourism thing. Keep the beaches there, keep the people there, and therefore keep the $$$$ there.

[quote author=bigdan link=topic=2457.msg22402#msg22402 date=1357523042]
I guess my question to who ever decided that this needed to be done would be; Was there ever a marine impact study. This must have some impact on all marine animal and beach dwellers alike, if there was shouldn't the finding be presented to the public, maybe that would clear up any concerns. Js
[/quote]

There have been quite a few studies done over the years looking at benthic invertabrate community recovery after these types of projects.
Overall, these community recover quickly. Anything living in the surf zone has to be resilient, they get pounded by storms, etc.., all year. If they can recover from a complete roll over/burial on a wide scale from a hurricane, they can recover from beach nourishement.

:-\
I have read some of the reports you refered to Carl and generally agree.
But they are generally dated (Johnson & Nelson 1985) and do not address are the long term affects on the benthic inverts especially after repeated episodes both natural (storms) AND manmade (which IMHO are far more devastating to the biological diversity of the littoral system).
Even later reports such as Sea Grant 2001:
Impacts of Beach Nourishment and Beach Scarping on Critical
Habitat and Productivity of Surf Fishes.
Quote:
• “Repeated disturbance caused by beach disposal appears to prevent the full
recovery of coquina clams (Donax variabilis and Donax parvula), ghost crabs,
mole crabs (Emerita talpoida), and several species of amphipod (Parahaustorius
longimerus and Haustorius spp.) which consequently results in their decreased
productivity and decreased energy flow to vertebrate consumers.”

This is exactly what I have observed in the Gulf Shores area and raise the red flag for me!
Fewer sandfleas and MUCH fewer coquina, together with species such as the beach ghost shrimp form the foundation of the food pyramid for surf dwelling species such as Northern and Gulf kingfishes and the Florida pompano.
Additionally, most of these studies have been on the Atlantic coast which has (significantly?) different geological (i.e. wave) dynamics from this region of the gulf coast.
There are HUGE inferences being made on our coast though I can find NO studies which have been done in this subregion.

Plus no longterm followups have been done on the erosion rates (i.e. geological) of the beaches after these manmade dredging episodes using sand of inferior size and which contains a higher sediment and nutrient load than the 'normally' deposited sand.
This increases the episodes and duration of dingy water making it even harder for fish to sight-feed on a decreased food supply and also seems to increase the occurance and duration of algal blooms in the surf zone during hot, still summer periods thus lowering the overall oxygen content (and biological viablity) of these waters.

In other words: I ain't nowhere near being sold on the process, nor convinced it is the 'win - win' that so many people seem to promote it as.
FWIW I dropped my membership in Mobile Baykeepers this year after they refused to address my reservations after adding their endorsement to the dredging.
That is just me, but it is about the only thing I could do at that point. At least for this go-round... :

>

One note: We (and OB/GS) monitor the project area, onshore and offshore along topo-bathy transect every 1000' in the project area annually. Tons of data on erosional/acretional trends since before the 1st project.
We also do a good number of profiles west of GS and on DI annually.
If you ever want the data, let me know.

8)
I didn't realize that was in your realm.
Yes, most definitely.

Plus any baseline biological data you may know about for our area.

:headbang:

Have any idea what it might do to the water under the Four Seasons Pier? Will there be any water left under it or will it be all sand? Coming down to stay at Four Seasons March 23rd - 30th. The whole reason to stay there was to fish on the pier everyday.

No idea really, it would depend on how much sand they push under the pier.
Right now they are pumping just west of that pier in front of the Cotton Bayou GSPark.
But they have pipes laid all up and down that stretch almost a mile in each direction.

Good luck! I hope it don't mess up your fishing :-\

Seems this post has drawn a lot of interest. I've at least got the answers I was seeking as my time in the Gulf region is drawing nera. And as always thanks to all my pier friends for their helpfulness.

Fshntime

I've been following the beach progression on their website and it appears the work is traveling West from Romar beach heading back towards GS. Will they then arrive at the State Park and pier during spring break and spoil the fishing? They only seem to report a few days in advance. Any one know what lies ahead? If the pier is in the near future and the fishing park is closed at Alabama Point I think I'll leave my fishing gear at home in March! Thanks for the comments so far. :boohoo: :cry:

Fshntime

[quote author=fshntime link=topic=2457.msg23121#msg23121 date=1359536513]
If the pier is in the near future and the fishing park is closed at Alabama Point I think I'll leave my fishing gear at home in March! Thanks for the comments so far. :boohoo: :cry:

Fshntime
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No reason to leave your gear home, there are lots of other access points to surf fish and I dont think they will close the pier even if they are pumping right below it.