We’d like to give another warm welcome to our new partners at HDR, a 100% employee-owned architectural, engineering, environmental and construction firm working in over 200 locations around the world. To get to know them, here’s a look at a collection of coastal projects they’re currently working on:
Shoreline Restoration in the Gulf of Mexico
“The Gulf of Mexico’s coastline presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, requiring tailored solutions that go beyond conventional coastal project approaches. At HDR, we have embraced the intricacies of this dynamic environment, turning obstacles into opportunities for innovation. By collaborating closely with our clients and partners, we’ve been able to develop adaptive strategies that not only protect and restore critical habitats but also set new benchmarks for coastal resilience and sustainability.”
This page explores a few separate restoration projects around the Gulf, from shorebird habitat to innovative new breakwaters.
Dickinson Bird Island II: Nurturing Avian Habitats Through Innovation
“Our team has spearheaded the design and permitting of an 8-acre island, engineered to support both upland and shore bird habitats. From regulatory approvals to construction oversight, we were involved in every phase, ensuring that the project met its ambitious environmental goals. By May 2022, the island was complete, with thousands of trees planted to foster shrubby habitats for upland nesting birds. The success of this project exemplifies how targeted, adaptive measures can create thriving ecosystems.”
Rockefeller Refuge: A Beacon of Coastal Protection
“The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, a 71,000-acre sanctuary established in 1920, is one of the nation’s most vital natural research laboratories. Home to diverse species, including migratory birds, fish and alligators, the refuge has faced relentless shoreline erosion, losing over 15,000 acres since its inception. The urgency of this situation prompted a multiagency collaboration, led by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, to undertake the $34 million Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Gulf Shoreline Stabilization project.”
Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline: Revitalizing Urban Coastal Ecosystems
“Completed in April 2022, this project has transformed a once-degraded urban shoreline into a vibrant, resilient ecosystem. The Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline project highlights the importance of integrating environmental restoration with community engagement, creating a sustainable model for future urban coastal projects.”
Marsh Restoration in the Great Lakes Ecoregion
Congratulations are in order– HDR’s recent Dollar Bay Marsh Restoration Project won the 2024 Best Restored Shores Award from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. The Best Restored Shores program honors projects that enhance shoreline resiliency by addressing environmental degradation, storm impacts, climate change and sea level rise in the United States’ coastal, estuarine and Great Lakes communities, and this is the third year in a row that HDR has been awarded.
“HDR’s work on the Dollar Bay Marsh Restoration included investigation of natural resources, general bottom conditions, oil and gas infrastructure, metocean conditions and bathymetry. This data-informed conceptual designs for marsh restoration alternatives, including intertidal marsh options and shoreline protection features. The final design of the project included marsh terraces utilizing existing site material, a series of graded riprap breakwaters for shoreline protection and incorporation of existing oyster reef to serve as a wave baffle.”
Read more here.
Exploring Advances in Water Injection Dredging
Water injection dredging is a relatively new technique in which sediment is removed from a reservoir using low-pressure, high-volume jets of water that sent sediment downstream and out of the reservoir. This technique can provide a regional sediment management approach to suitable dredging applications. RSM is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiative which strives to keep sediment in the local system, instead of moving it to traditional upland or offshore disposal areas. The use of WID has been explored in various locations throughout the U.S., including providing a reliable and cost-effective means for the North Carolina State Ports Authority to maintain safe access to its berths at the Port of Wilmington.
In a new publication, HDR’s William Fuller and Robert Lewis were part of a team that reviewed the current state of water injection dredging within U.S. waterways. The article includes an overview of WID operations, discussion of the successful permitting and procurement effort by NCSPA to secure a custom-built WID vessel, a presentation of the results from a WID demonstration at the Port of Wilmington, and a summary of related case studies from across the U.S. Learn more here.
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