Geotechnical design of created marsh

Marsh settlement, dike stability, and erosion protection problems were addressed during the geotechnical studies for the Bayport Demonstration Marsh. A 2,073-meter long dike was constructed enclosing an 89-hectare dredge disposal site. The project successfully showed that created marsh could be constructed from dredged disposal material in Galveston Bay, Texas. In order for the marsh to be biologically successful, the final surface must be within a narrow elevation window. Detailed construction records and survey measurements were made to track the settlement of the dredge material. This data provides a basis for evaluating the settlement estimate. Trials of alternate erosion protection methods to stone rip-rap including vegetation, geoweb, geotube, and pyramat were conducted on the dike. We assessed the relative performance of each method over a two year period