The Application and Creation of Tools to Support EWN (and RSM) Decision Making

WEDA– NBS Solutions Engineering and Construction Short Couse– June 27, 2024

Wendy Laurent, PE, Taylor Engineering

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Outline and Acknowledgements

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• Models and tools to support EWN and RSM �(consultants' perspective)

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• RSM toolkit
• Building Coastal Resilience through dredge material management
• RSM DST- Quantification of Benefits

David Perkey, PhD- david.perkey@usace.army.mil

Tate McAlpin- tate.o.mcalpin@usace.army.mil

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Models & Tools to Support EWN (consulting perspective)

• Shoaling analysis and BU of dredged material for marshes
• Coupled (MIKE 3) hydrodynamics, waves, sediment transport, and particle tracking modeling to understand drivers of shoaling
• Evaluate historical, existing, and future marsh conditions to understand candidate marsh areas for BU placement & restoration

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• Dredging optimization of inland waterways for improvements to navigation
• Coupled MIKE 3 modeling to understand effects of channel features and drivers of shoaling
• Economic analysis of dredging operations with and without proposed channel features/alignments

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EXAMPLE PROJECT APPLICATIONS

Models & Tools to Support EWN (consulting perspective)

• Fort Pierce Inlet shoaling analysis
• Evaluate inlet dynamics and sediment basin alternatives
• Develop a coupled MIKE 3 model to understand potential sediment basin dimensions and potential BU placement volume for downdrift beaches
• Martin County Shore Protection Project resilience study
• Review of project performance
• Storm-induced beach evolution modeling with XBEACH to evaluate profile configurations
• Forcing included: SLR, tropical, extra-tropical conditions
• Tracked shoreline recession, volume changes, and overtopping

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EXAMPLE PROJECT APPLICATIONS

Martin SPP- Alt 2

Martin SPP- Alt 3

Dredging and BUDM

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Building Coastal Resilience through Dredge Material Management

• Like most great ideas…

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Goal- create a tool to support data driven decisions and help meet the 70% BU goal

Woolpert, 2020

Building Coastal Resilience through Dredge Material Management

APPROACH

• Integrate existing tools:
• NavPortal
• RSM DST – Regional Sediment Management Decision Support Tool
• CERI – Coastal Engineering Resilience Index
• Dredge Optimization
• Address challenges/objectives:
• Tool interoperability
• Data accessibility, security
• Actionable results, metadata

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the Building Coastal Resilience Project includes the creation of a web-based, decision-support tool that enhances resilience through strategic placement of dredged material

Building Coastal Resilience through Dredge Material Management

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Multidisciplinary team

Woolpert, 2024

What is the RSM DST?

• Planning tool accessible in NavPortal (to USACE)
• Assists in the planning of dredge projects
• Optimize dredging projects and possible placement options
• Interactive GIS tool
• Quantify benefits associated with Beneficial Use (BU) Placements
• Support USACE goal of 70% BU by 2030

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🡪

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Cost Module

• DIS data🡪 $/cy
• Data varies widely by Division– cost, project size, dredge type etc.
• Multiple or inconsistent inputs for variables
• Limitations related to dredge type, transport distance/method, BU project costs
• Cost Module Inputs
• USACE division
• Dredge type and project quantity
• Work type (new or maintenance)
• Beneficial use (BU) placement type
• Sediment type
• Transport type and distance

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*not for independent government estimates– tool to aid in project planning and understanding of costs

Benefit Framework

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* Can also be quantified using FEMA’s ecosystem service values

Summary and Looking Forward

• Planning level tools to encourage data driven decision making, sustainable RSM and BU placement
• Support permitting efforts
• Encourage user testing 🡪 continued improvements
• Expand on methods to quantify benefits
• Resource sharing

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What functionality would you like to see in RSM BU tools?

Thoughts/comments/suggestions?