Incorporating Innovative Engineering Solutions into Tidal Restoration Studies

Abstract

Restoring tidal flows to salt marsh wetlands is typically undertaken for environmental, social, or compensatory (i.e., compensating for loss elsewhere) purposes. In most circumstances the objective of the project is to create or restore an environmental setting that historically existed on-site or nearby. During the process of restoring the tidal environment, significant attention is given to the desired environmental outcomes with specific interest on the notable flora and fauna. To achieve these end goals attention has become increasingly focused on the importance of reestablishing a desired hydrologic and/or hydrodynamic regime. The process of restoring the site’s hydrology, however, is often complicated by a range of factors, and, in many cases, it is not possible to restore the site back to some preexisting “natural” state. In these circumstances, engineering solutions are required to achieve the desired hydrologic and/or hydrodynamic outcome.