Alternative erosion mitigation project presented at Saco conference

Scott Bartkowski, president of Living Shoreline Solutions, presents at the Coastal Conference at Ferry Beach Conference Center on Tuesday. SBN STAFF/Liz Gotthelf

Liz Gotthelf, Publisher•

SACO — Nearly 100 people gathered on Tuesday at Ferry Beach Conference Center for the Coastal Conference, sponsored by SOS Saco Bay.

At the forefront of discussion was a familiar topic – erosion of the Saco coast caused by the Saco Jetty. It’s been an area of concern for a long time, as over the years streets and homes have been destroyed.

The erosion has occurred over the years as the jetty, which juts out 6,600 feet into the Atlantic Ocean from the mouth of the Saco River, displaces wave energy and the natural flow of sand. The jetty was built in the late 1800s to create a smooth shipping channel in the Saco River.

The City of Saco typically spends about $300,000 a year to patch up and clean up the shoreline after storms.

“We’re sort of the front-line workers of coastal erosion,” said Public Works Director Patrick Fox.

He said the city can put a Band-Aid on the situation, but can not mitigate the problem solely on a local budget.

The city has been moving forward on discussions with the Army Corps regarding a project to mitigate erosion. The project, as proposed by the Army Corps, would construct a 750- foot arm extending perpendicular off the side of the jetty, as well as reinforcements to sections of the main jetty and would also include the delivery of 225,000 cubic yards of sand to reinforce the beach.

In 2007, the federal government allocated $27 million for an Army Corps project. U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree are advocating for the authorization of $45 million in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 to ensure there is enough funding for the project, given the increased costs since 2007.

A study was conducted last year, with state funding secured by State Senator Donna Bailey, on an alternative to the Army Corp’s project.

The alternative project, proposed by Living Shoreline Solutions, would create an artificial reef made up of a series of wave attenuation devices, or WADS, said Scott Bartkowski, president of Living Shoreline Solutions. The WADS are hollow, concrete pyramids with holes on the sides, and would work differently than a traditional breakwater. A project proposed for Saco would be estimated to cost between $15 and $17 million, said Bartkowski.

A traditional breakwater deflects wave energy, protecting an area of sand in front of the breakwater, but causing the wave energy to curl around the breakwater and scour and erode the sand in areas on both sides of the break water.

Living Shoreline Solutions has installed WADS in other parts of the country including Louisiana and several locations in Florida, and has never been turned down for a permit, said Bartkowski. WADs work differently than breakwaters, he said.

While breakwaters deflect wave energy, WADS reduce and slow down incoming wave energy. The concrete pyramids are also designed so that flow of water prevents sediment from building up inside the WAD and instead deposits the sediment toward the shore. The WADS help to preserve the natural shoreline, and in some cases, according to Living Solutions, have reversed the effects of erosion.

The WADS have a hollow base to minimize impact on the bottom of the shore, and can be moved to a different location in the future if need be.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.