Land loss, sea-level rise, infrastructure resiliency and habitat protection are pressing concerns for coastal communities throughout the world. GeoEngineers’ coastal team helps public agencies, NGOs and industrial and energy clients address these concerns and protect critical coastal assets against tidal erosion from sea-level rise and extreme weather events. Our multidisciplinary program—consisting of extensive in-house resources and strategic partnerships with specialty firms—encompasses the entire life cycle of coastal projects, from planning to design, construction and long-term performance monitoring.
In many regions, wetland and marsh areas that once protected communities from flooding and supported wildlife and fishing industries are becoming open water. GeoEngineers supports marsh-creation programs that rebuild coastal marshes by analyzing soil properties and developing design guidelines for protective berms, local fill and habitat restoration.
GeoEngineers’ marine biologists understand the delicate requirements for shellfish, salmon, and the many other species that depend on healthy coasts and waterways. An interdisciplinary approach underpinned by hydrology, ecology and biology enables us to add riparian vegetation and other features to promote healthy habitats in our coastal marshes, offshore environments, and waterways.
Beaches are critical barriers that mitigate the flooding impact from hurricanes and other serious weather events. Our coastal geotechnical experts understand how to predict the settlement of sand and soft soils over time, and develop a plan for placing fill to create a sustainable beach that will protect communities and industries.
Compliance is critical. We help your project stay compliant with local, state and Federal permit requirements by helping with applications or compliance monitoring during construction activities. We also coordinate conversations between the public and the many stakeholders typically involved in coastal projects, obtaining buy-in and communicating important project information.
Our permitting and regulatory support includes creating applications or documentation for compliance with critical areas ordinances, NPDES and state discharge requirements, dangerous/hazardous waste, Endangered Species Act, water rights, Clean Water Act, Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, JARPA, NEPA/SEPA and FERC compliance. We also provide services to develop Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Checklists and assessments to aid in obtaining regulatory approval.
When working with delicate coastal ecosystems, threatened species and valuable infrastructure, we understand that many different priorities and interests must be considered. When a coastal habitat is contaminated, our team considers each variable to arrive at the most effective, and cost-efficient, remediation plan—integrating upland, waterfront and in-water solutions that protect both human and terrestrial habitats.
GeoEngineers’ experts regularly perform critical areas assessments to evaluate the environmental, human and infrastructure risks at project sites. Critical areas are typically defined by local or regional authorities, and include sites that are flood-prone, biologically sensitive, geologically hazardous, critical to a water supply, or important to coastal conservation efforts. Our staff identifies these areas and provides recommendations for protection and mitigation.