Green Shores | Case Studies
Fisherman Bay, Lopez Island
↪ Green Shores for Homes project
Project Overview
| Location: Lopez Island, Washington State | Project area: 0.625 acres |
| Year completed: 2004 | Awards: n/a |
| Shoreline length: 125ft (38m) | Shore type: Marine, sediment |
| Green Shores rating achieved: Chinook (Level 1) | Total points: 28 |
Site Description
The property lies within the Parksville-Qualicum Wildlife Management Area – a designated conThis property is located among a series of single-family residential parcels on Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island, Washington. The area is flat with a relatively low-energy shoreline. An old creosoted wood bulkhead, built originally to create additional dry land, extended along the length of shoreline. It was deteriorating, and significant erosion was occurring behind and beneath the structure.
Project Team and Affiliated Organizations
- Designer: James Graham
- Contractor: Ravenhill Construction
Project Objectives
- Remove deteriorating creosoted wood bulkhead.
- Restore shoreline function.
Work Plan
- In conjunction with remodelling the house, and on the advice of the Washington Dept. of Ecology, the owners decided not to rebuild the bulkhead, but rather to replace it with a more natural shoreline. The creosote boards were extracted and correctly disposed of. Old fill from behind the bulkhead was removed and re-sloped to provide a natural gradient. A layer of smaller diameter cobble was laid down along with boulders and logs in the beach area. This was capped with layers of gravel and sand.
Description of how the project meets Green Shores principles
> Maintained/ Enhanced Habitat Function and Diversity
- While the riparian area of the restored shoreline was not planted with native vegetation, the trees on the south end of the shoreline were retained and provided the benefits of overhanging vegetation.
- Woody material in the form of short logs and root wads was added to mimic naturally occurring wood and created some microhabitats.
> Preserved/Restored Shoreline Physical Processes
- The distance that the renovated house was set back from the ordinary high water mark met local regulations. Although most of the original bulkhead was removed, a small portion was retained and some rock revetment added to protect the roots of several large trees at the south end of the shoreline. Overall, the site qualified as ≥75% net bulkhead removal.
> Ecological Services Provided
- Enhancement of water quality.
- Improvement of shoreline habitat.
> Shoreline Collaboration and Public Education
- The owners kindly allowed this property to be used in testing early versions of the GSH credit and rating system, and in training GSH verifiers.
> Additional Notes
- Minimal area was retained as an impervious surface.
- No paints or stains were used on the overwater structures, and a number of contaminated creosoted pilings were removed and disposed of in a safe manner as part of the bulkhead removal.
