Project Location
SE Volusia County
28.97910500, -80.89527700Project Timeline
Duration: In progress
Project Contacts
Infrastructure Types
Project Summary
The project includes the restoration of one quarter mile of living shoreline within SE Volusia County, including the planting of mangroves and salt marsh plants and placement of oyster reef modules.
Project Goals
- Waterbody impacted: Indian River Lagoon
- This project will support the North Indian River Lagoon Basin Management Action Plan and the Mosquito Lagoon Reasonable Assurance Plan. These documents indicate that small living shoreline projects are estimated to reduce nutrient pollution by 2% and the associated educational activities can contribute up to a 6% reduction in the baseline anthropogenic load for both total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) throughout the basins. The 6% load reduction estimate was determined by the Center for Watershed Protection Watershed Treatment Model.
- Community improvement: The project will Improve aesthetics at several parks where native vegetation will be Installed along the shoreline.
- Riverside Conservancy is undertaking this initiative to standardize cost and maximize efficiencies of scale to 1) promote clean water, healthy habitats and resilient communities and 2) create a model for largescale shoreline restoration efforts that can ultimately be utilized as mitigation for impacts to shorelines in the region. This is a stand-alone project, but the results will be used to leverage other funding sources to install green infrastructure along miles of riverfront in the Indian River Lagoon.
Project Maintenance
Riverside Conservancy will measure success by quantifying the number of mangroves, salt marsh plants and oyster reefs planted throughout the quarter mile project. Success in nutrient reductions will be estimated based on the methodology identified in the Mosquito Lagoon Reasonable Assurance Plan. Restoration sites will be monitored quarterly to determine success rates and recruitment of other native plant species as well as usage by aquatic species. Riverside Conservancy will also monitor water quality at each site and take aerial photos of the sites quarterly. The restoration sites will be maintained for two years and monitored for five years.
Annual cost: $5,000
Project Cost & Funding
Total project cost: $190,440
Total construction cost: $92,440
FDEP Grant: $67,440
Community Engagement
The Riverside Conservancy has worked with the City of Edgewater, FWC, Volusia County, Bethune Cookman University, Stetson University and numerous other agencies in promoting green infrastructure throughout the county. The City of Edgewater’s Council has granted Riverside Conservancy approval to conduct restoration projects. The City asked Riverside Conservancy to facilitate a Water Quality Workshop in February 2020 to review water projects and discuss resiliency.
A portion of the living shoreline project will be Installed at the Riverside Conservancy’s headquarters which will provide an educational opportunity for visitors.
Outcomes & Results
Riverside Conservancy will measure success by quantifying the number of mangroves, salt marsh plants and oyster reefs planted throughout the quarter mile project. Success in nutrient reductions will be estimated based on the methodology identified in the Mosquito Lagoon Reasonable Assurance Plan. Restoration sites will be monitored quarterly to determine success rates and recruitment of other native plant species as well as usage by aquatic species. Riverside Conservancy will also monitor water quality at each site and take aerial photos of the sites quarterly. The restoration sites will be maintained for two years and monitored for five years.
Estimated water quality and/or quantity benefits: 0.25 acres of wetlands improved