Conservation
Wetlands Restoration
Robinson Bayou Breakwater Fence, East Bay
The Robinson Bayou Breakwater fence project in East Bay near the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge involved construction of a 1,900 foot breakwater constructed of storm fence material. The breakwater fence was placed approximately 100 feet from the eroded shoreline. As the fence trips waves sediments will deposit shoreward of the fence. This sediment deposition will allow for the planting of marsh grasses along the eroding shoreline, restoring intertidal marsh and helping stabilize the shoreline. The project will protect 1,900 feet of eroding shoreline, 1,400 acres of habitat from erosion, saltwater intrusion, and habitat conversion. The project will restore up to 3.4 acres of intertidal habitat.
Phase I
Before
After
This project is based on a similar highly successful breakwater fence constructed approximately 7 miles to the southwest of the current project site. In Fall of 2000 two rows of storm fence breakwater was constructed along approximately one-half mile of eroding shoreline. Shortly after installing the fence breakwater smooth cordgrass was planted along the now protected shoreline. A site visit in 2006 revealed that the area shoreward of the fence (now removed) was now a flourishing intertidal marsh. The original project resulted in restororation of over 5 acres of intertidal marsh.
The 2008 project will differ slightly from the 2000 project. GBF will compare the effectiveness of using a single row of fence to two rows of fence. Construction of the 2008 project took place in February 2008 and volunteers planted marsh grass there in May 2008 as part of GBF's Marsh Mania.
The 2008 project was funded by Fish America Foundation, NOAA Restoration Center, Brunswick Public Foundation, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.
