LEWES, Del. — Researchers and engineers installed a “hybrid” living shoreline in Lewes on Tuesday, aiming to protect Delaware’s coast from erosion, flooding and stronger storms.
The project, led by the University of Delaware in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, combines engineered structures with natural materials, including reef balls, shellfish mattresses, biodegradable mats and native marsh grasses to stabilize the shoreline while supporting marine habitat.
Crews spent the day placing oyster shells and other materials along eroded sections of marsh. Jules Bruck, director of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the University of Florida, said the goal is to rebuild areas where marsh edges have worn away.
“We’re stacking some of the shells under areas that have been really eroded,” Bruck said. “The hope is that as the tides come and go, it’s depositing sediment in there, and little creatures are making homes out of it.”
Researchers described the effort as a collaborative project that integrates coastal engineering, marine science and landscape design after years of research, modeling and permitting.
“I’m really proud of how our team was able to come together,” said Leigh Muldrow, a landscape architect and doctoral student at the University of Delaware. “I think this project came together really, really well.”
Officials say the living shoreline could serve as a model for other Delaware Bay communities seeking sustainable alternatives to traditional hard infrastructure as sea levels rise.
