BergerWorld: 2nd Quarter 2006

Salt marshes are some of the world's most productive ecosystems-a nursery for small fish, a sanctuary for migrating birds and a haven for shellfish. The most common problem facing salt marshes today is lowered salinity caused by filling and elevating the marsh or restricting the flow of seawater-both processes encouraging common reed expansion. Common reed or Phragmites australis, an invasive grass that forms dense stands of low biodiversity, thrives in low-salinity environments and snuffs out more salt-tolerant, native grass species. Restoration efforts for marshes filled and elevated with dredged material begin with removing the spoils to allow high tides to once again inundate the site. With marshes experiencing restricted tidal flow, restoration begins with widening the channel which increases salinity, inhibits common reed advancement, and promotes growth of native cordgrasses to enhance biodiversity.

Berger was selected by the USACE New York District in collaboration with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to prepare design and contract plans for the 23-acre Woodbridge Creek Wetland Restoration Project as mitigation for the $1.6 billion New York/New Jersey Harbor Deepening Project, an operation which involves dredging key navigational channels for a new generation of mega-ships. Berger assisted the Corps with biological benchmarking, preparing vegetative cover maps, soil sampling and modeling. Berger also developed a disposal plan for the excavated materials; assisted with public outreach and permitting; developed a three-year monitoring program; and will continue to assist the USACE through the bidding, construction and monitoring phases of the project. Adjacent to the Woodbridge Creek Wetland Restoration Project, the Woodbridge Wetland Restoration Site is a mitigation project for the 1998 Exxon Bayway Oil Spill. Berger was selected by NOAA, in conjunction with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), to prepare designs and construction documents for the 17-acre tidal wetland site on the Woodbridge Creek, a tributary to the Arthur Kill, to remove a historic dike and restore tidal channels allowing native cordgrasses to return and provide habitat for estuarine fish and shellfish. Berger developed site preparation and planting plans; designed a confined disposal facility to contain the excavated material; and estimated quantities and costs for bid documents.

Berger was also selected by the New Jersey Highway Authority (NJHA) to design a mitigation plan to compensate for potentially adverse impacts to tidal and freshwater wetlands during rehabilitation of the Driscoll Bridge in Central New Jersey. As an alternative to new wetland creation, the NJHA and Berger chose wetland restoration, and based on field surveys and negotiations with the NJDEP and the USACE, determined that Pine Creek, a seven-acre area in Sayreville, NJ, was the most viable restoration site. Upland island areas were created using excavated materials; island tops were designed to provide coastal grassland habitat with hand-sown, salt-tolerant grasses; and island slopes planted with salt-tolerant shrubs. By the end of the first growing season, all seeded species were thriving, overtaking common reed and providing a diverse array of native plants. As the grassland matures, it will provide cover, nesting and foraging habitat for both resident and migratory birds.

Within view of the Empire State Building, the northern New Jersey Hackensack Meadowlands is one of the most critical estuaries on the east coast. A wetland expanse of more than 30 square miles, the Meadowlands is an important stopover and breeding ground for migratory birds, as well as home to many endemic species. The urban estuary, the epicenter of a population of 20 million, is showing signs of resurgence following years of restoration efforts. Berger is proud to have played an important role in restoring and enhancing the Meadowlands' aquatic habitats starting six years ago with the construction of a 206-acre marsh for Marsh Resources Inc. A bold experiment, the Meadowlands Mitigation Bank has withstood the test of time, met all state and federal regulatory performance requirements, and today is a fully functioning tidal salt marsh. As habitat to increase numbers and diversity of fish and bird species, the bank showcases the benefits of successful restoration and serves as a living laboratory for cutting-edge research in salt marsh restoration. Berger's role at the Meadowlands Mitigation Bank continues in designing and building the next phase-an innovative 60-acre restoration of both tidal marsh and freshwater wetland habitats.

Collaborating with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) and a number of federal and state agencies, Berger also prepared the "Regional Guidebook for Hydrogeomorphic Assessment of Tidal Fringe Wetlands in the Hackensack Meadowlands." The guidebook provides metrics for evaluating and rating tidal wetland habitats based on hydrology, biomass production, biota and shoreline stability data. The guidebook also provides modeling tools to predict outcomes of various restoration designs prior to implementation, avoiding costly mistakes.

Recognizing the benefits of restoration and the importance of the region's estuaries, Berger, under a joint USACE New York District and the NJMC contract, is developing a Meadowlands Comprehensive Restoration Implementation Plan (MCRIP). The Berger team is documenting tidal flow restrictions, filling of wetlands, encroachment of invasive species, habitat fragmentation, water and sediment contamination from non-point source pollution, effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants, industrial discharges and landfill leachate. Goals of the MCRIP include re-establishing tidal hydrology, remediating contaminated water and sediments, eradicating invasive and re-introducing native species, expanding wetland acreage, and promoting habitat connectivity.

Also under the MCRIP, Anderson Creek Marsh, a 52-acre degraded salt marsh is being restored. Berger is preparing an environmental assessment and is collecting geotechnical and hydrologic data for the site design to restore the marsh by re-establishing tidal flows, reducing invasive reeds, and introducing native species.

Under a joint NJDEP, Hudson County and NOAA program, Berger is restoring the Lincoln Park wetland system as part of an innovative $7 million project to restore wetlands and redevelop a landfill for recreational use. The Berger team is planning the excavation of landfill debris, re-establishment of tidal channels, and re-introduction of native vegetation to create a 31-acre tidal wetland along the Hackensack River. Berger is also assisting in capping and restoring a 20-acre landfill for incorporation into Jersey City's 270-acre Lincoln Park to create additional recreation fields and park facilities.

The NJMC also selected Berger to prepare designs and bid documents for the Secaucus High School Marsh Restoration site, a 42-acre tidally restricted and reed-choked marsh adjacent to the high school and Hackensack River. As mitigation for permitted wetland impacts associated with the $1.3 billion Xanadu retail, commercial and entertainment complex in and around the Continental Arena and Giants Stadium, Mills and Mack-Cali Realty Corporations, the developers, are supporting the restoration to ensure no-net-loss of wetland habitat in the watershed. Serving as an outdoor classroom and research site for restoration experts from academia and industry, the restored tidal wetland, which will include high and low marsh habitats and experimental research areas, will be accessed via a boardwalk running along the river.

For Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Berger has undertaken restoration of the shoreline between Randall's and Ward's Island Park. Tidal areas were filled with construction debris, the seawall deteriorated, and upland areas filled and degraded. The Team conducted baseline investigations, including habitat mapping, soil and water sampling, biological benchmark assessments, a tree survey, and tide and seawall analyses. Soil, water and debris samples were analyzed for contaminants and compared to background levels. The baseline conditions were used to repair and replace the seawall, and to design a restoration plan for a two-acre salt marsh and a freshwater marsh. Berger prepared and submitted the required federal and state environmental permits and coordinated the permitting process. The salt marsh restoration plan involved excavating fill material to intertidal elevations to encourage the growth of native salt marsh grasses. The freshwater wetland enhancement plan included grading to increase the wetland storage capacity and replacing invasive species with native vegetation. The program will improve habitat for fish, crabs, mussels and wading birds; improve water quality; prevent erosion; and provide additional public recreational resources for New York City residents.

The Massachusetts Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP) is a public-private partnership associated with Massachusetts' ambitious Wetland Restoration Program (MWRP) to restore degraded freshwater and coastal wetlands in the Commonwealth. Partners include representatives from industry, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), the Coastal America Partnership, NGOs and academia. Berger has assisted the program in preparing restoration plans, permitting and fisheries monitoring for Quivett Creek Marsh, a meandering tidal creek and salt marsh between Brewster and Dennis on Cape Cod.

The upper reach of the salt marsh is bisected by Sea Street, an abandoned road, and tidal flow was restricted by two undersized, deteriorated metal culverts. After Berger replaced the culverts with larger ones, tidal inundation was restored and extended into the upper reach of the marsh, inhibiting the spread of Phragmites; enhancing habitat for juvenile fish; and easing the passage of river herring as they migrate upstream to spawn.

Under an on-going Technical Services Agreement with MWRP, Berger took dredged material samples from a salt marsh fill area near Wingaersheek Beach, west of the Annisquam River in Gloucester, MA, as part of an investigation to evaluate the area for salt marsh restoration. Berger characterized the material, deposited on the marsh during the dredging of the mouth of the Annisquam River in the 1950s, to determine the suitability for beach nourishment by comparing it to sand samples from Wingaersheek Beach. Studies showed that the sandy lower strata of the dredged material were suitable for beach nourishment, but the silt-laden upper strata were not. Berger prepared restoration design plans, dredged material disposal options, invasive plant management strategies and cost estimates.