KS Associates is under contract with EnviroScience, Inc. to provide coastal engineering, permitting, design, and construction-phase services for the Lake Erie Island Erosion Control and Coastal Restoration Project. The goal of this initiative is to install nature-based shorelines at two nature preserves owned by the Put-In-Bay Township Park District, the first of which is the Scheeff East Point Preserve on South Bass Island.
Restoring the Shoreline to its Natural Condition
The Put-in-Bay Township Park District acquired the Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve property in 2010 with the goal of restoring the land’s shoreline to its natural condition. The shoreline was cluttered with concrete and metallic debris from the demolition of old vacation homes and imported fill. The shoreline also experienced severe erosion and the loss of trees due to high water levels from 2019 to 2021.
KS Associates joined the team to provide expertise in wave and erosion modeling, open-coast shore protection design, and coastal permitting. KS Coastal Engineers provided specialized numerical modeling to estimate the design wave conditions and analytical modeling to evaluate storm erosion and multi-year project performance. The final design includes the installation of sand, gravel, and cobble fill; new plantings; and the replacement of low-grade riprap and concrete debris with natural stone and native vegetation to stabilize the new fill. The design includes anchored trees to provide additional stabilization and habitat along the preserve’s shoreline.
The Scheeff East Point Preserve was one of the first coastal Great Lakes projects to be constructed under Federal Nationwide Permit 54 for Living Shorelines. This permit was developed in response to a growing interest in adopting nature-based solutions to erosion and shoreline loss. KS Associates secured U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorization for the project and also managed the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Shore Structure Permit and Submerged Lands Lease application. KS Associates also worked with the Park District to secure a waiver of the springtime in-water work restriction, which allowed the majority of construction to occur between mid-March and mid-May prior to the onset of tourist season.
Overcoming Construction Challenges
Because the project is located on an island accessible only by ferry, construction posed several challenges in terms of contractor availability and mobilization. In September 2023, one of the few contractors available and qualified to tackle the job, Shoreline Contractors, Inc., was awarded the construction contract.
Construction of the project began in March 2024. Shoreline chartered a Miller Boat Line ferry service that was available only during a two-month window from mid-March 2024 to mid-May 2024, avoiding peak tourist traffic between Memorial Day and Labor Day (late May to September 2024).
Meeting the Project Goals
Careful planning and regulatory coordination resulted in the project being constructed within available transportation windows and with minimal disruption to tourist traffic on South Bass Island. Substantial completion of the project was achieved on June 6, 2024.
