GBA: Project Profiles: Poplar Island

NAME:	Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project for Expanded Beneficial Use and Habitat Restoration
CLIENT:	Maryland Port Administration The Maritime Center II 2203 Broening Highway Baltimore, MD 21224-6621
GBA ROLE:	Project Management - led a design team of eight firms
COMPLETION DATE:	Phase 1 – 2001 Phase 2 - Ongoing

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Conduct of an environmental study, preliminary coastal & dredging engineering concepts, and a final coastal engineering design with construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for the restoration and environmental enhancement of approximately 1,110 acres at Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay. The project is being built in two phases. Clean dredged material from the navigation channels of Chesapeake Bay will be used to create a combination of wetland and upland habitat.

GBA SERVICES
In Phase 1, GBA conducted the following activities:
Designed 37,000 feet of a rock protected sand dike
Bathymetric and topographic surveys including sub-bottom profiling
Geotechnical investigations including borings, sampling, laboratory testing & analysis
Environmental assessment survey to NEPA guidelines, including sediment quality, water quality, aquatic ecology, terrestrial ecology, and shellfish
Coastal engineering assessment and hydrodynamic analysis
Participation in hearing presentations
Environmental assessment report
Cultural assessment as well as terrestrial and marine archeological investigations
Three alternative site layouts and a final design of the selected layout
Cost estimates and specifications for all aspects of the project, including construction, dredging and placement, transportation, operations, habitat development, and maintenance
Evaluation of planting and seeding schedules and plans
Development and evaluation of methodologies for the construction of the dikes, filling the facility, in addition to establishing wetland and upland habitats
Development of procedures for managing the project site, after completion of placement operations, to achieve desired characteristics of the developed habitats

In Phase 2, GBA is:
Providing construction oversight
Managing placement of dredge fill
Developing wetland habitat

AWARDS
Coastal America 2003 Partnership Award for GBA’s efforts in the Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project.

Port of Baltimore Award for GBA’s Contribution in the Creation and Monitoring of the Wetlands Area Design for the Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project.