CONCORD, Mass. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District is proposing to construct a revetment at the base of the East Shore Arm breakwater at the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge Federal Navigation Project in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and make breakwater repairs.
Funding for the federal portion of this proposed project will be provided by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.
“The purpose of this proposed project is to construct a revetment at the base of the East Shore Arm breakwater and along the shore to the east to arrest erosion and stabilize the Federal property located at the Camp Cronin fishing area,” said Project Manager Jennifer Flanagan, of the Corps’ New England District, Programs and Project Management Division in Concord, Mass. In addition, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) has requested the Corps to construct additional revetment along the shore of the Camp Cronin fishing area to protect property owned by the state of Rhode Island.
Funding for the state portion of the proposed project will be provided by the state of Rhode Island. RIDEM will be responsible for any permitting requirements associated with the state portion of the proposed work.
The proposed federal portion of the revetment would extend approximately 200 linear feet along the shoreline from the breakwater heading to the east. RIDEM has proposed to continue the revetment an additional 300 linear feet to the east onto state property. Approximately 22,000 tons of stone would be needed to create the 500-foot long revetment varying from 24 to 30 feet high MLLW and approximately 70 feet wide from the crest to the toe.
To help dissipate the wave action against the stone revetment, a three-foot layer of cobble fill and native backfill from the excavation will be placed at the toe of the stone revetment.
In addition to the construction of the revetment, approximately 15,000 tons of stone will be used to make emergency repairs to those sections of the East Shore Arm Breakwater damaged by Hurricane Sandy to their currently authorized dimensions. The rock would be placed on the breakwater by either a crane or excavator from land or water. In will take approximately nine months to repair the breakwater and three months to construct the revetment. Construction of both portions would occur from Oct. 1 through the end of May to avoid the beach recreation season. The breakwater was last maintained in 1994 through 1995.
The proposed work is being coordinated with: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Marine Fisheries Service; Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council; Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission.
The public notice for this proposed work, with more detailed information, is available for review on the Corps website at: http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/PublicNotices.aspx. An Environmental Assessment for the proposed work is being prepared and will be available for review.
Public comments on this proposed work should be forwarded no later than March 24, 2014 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Programs and Project Management Division (ATTN: Ms. Jennifer Flanagan), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751 or by email to nae-pn-nav@usace.army.mil.