Current Conditions

This coastal resilience shoreline project will stabilize approximately 1,600 linear feet of South River Farm Park’sLong Point peninsula. The Point is eroding at a rate of approximately 2.63 feet per year with some sections eroding at a rate of over 4 feet annually.

Not only does this peninsula protect parts of the 169.5 acre South River Farm Park, it also helps to protect some of the nearby communities from intense wave action and storm surges. To prevent continued loss of the peninsula and increase the resilience of the site, stone sill structures will be installed in strategic locations that are the most vulnerable across the site. These rock structures have been specifically engineered to account for the site’s fetch and potential storm surges, so that wave energy will dissipate or calm as it reaches the peninsula. 

To maximize the stabilization efforts and habitat value of this site, oyster reef balls will be used in addition to traditional stone sill structures. Oyster reef balls will disrupt wave swells underwater while providing habitat for oysters, crabs, fish, and plenty of other aquatic creatures. Some of the reef balls will be set with spat and strategically placed by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, growing our organizational partnership and oyster population within the Chesapeake Bay region.