#: locale=en
## Media
### 360 Video
### Title
media_215BFA0E_2EE2_296A_41A1_D71356807E80.label = CRd-1
photo_3B13E993_2F66_EB7A_41C1_0F13CA535B01.label = IMG_5498 (1)
photo_3C6BD7C9_2F26_66D6_41C4_A6A7BA9F1594.label = IMG_5927 (1)
photo_3CC5C309_2F1E_5F56_41B7_3A6F661C805E.label = terrapin
### Video
videores_5E6B1431_4EF0_E48C_41BE_F94BC2D0B5BB.url = media/media_215BFA0E_2EE2_296A_41A1_D71356807E80_en.mp4
videores_5E6B1431_4EF0_E48C_41BE_F94BC2D0B5BB.posterURL = media/media_215BFA0E_2EE2_296A_41A1_D71356807E80_poster_en.jpg
### Video Subtitles
## Popup
### Body
htmlText_3B1EC8E1_2F66_2AD6_41C6_486A6F1FC59D.html = Photo credit: Coastal Resources Division
All four sections were planted with native vegetation to enhance stability and habitat value. Along the intertidal zone, 750 Spartina alterniflora plugs were installed. Behind them, approximately 1,500 additional plants were added, including muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens), sea oxeye daisy (Borrichia frutescens), and dune sunflower (Helianthus deblis). To manage stormwater runoff, a stone infiltration trench was constructed along the top of the shoreline.
Photo credit: Coastal Resources Division
For the terraced shoreline locations, there are coir logs at the base of each tier and some at the toe. Coir logs come in various diameters and lengths and are typically laid longitudinally along a slope to intercept stormwater that could cause rivulets and washouts in the newly graded soil. These can become permanent features of the shoreline with the introduction of plant sprigs and seedlings into the logs. They are typically installed with wooden stakes to hold them in place as the vegetation becomes established and are typically made of coir (coconut fiber) straw, or biodegradable synthetic materials.
The CRD living shoreline is already being used by diamondback terrapins, which can move easily between the marsh and upland habitat. By using natural materials instead of hard infrastructure, the project supports this natural transition, or transgression, from water to land. This design not only stabilizes the shoreline but also maintains important connectivity for wildlife like terrapins that depend on access to both habitats.
Diamondback terrapins are easily recognized by the unique, diamond-shaped patterns on their shells, which are as distinctive as human fingerprints. They inhabit tidal creeks and rivers along the coast and come ashore to nest just above the marsh edge. Threats to terrapins, including habitat loss, pollution, and predation, have spurred ongoing conservation efforts to protect and sustain terrapin populations for the future.
This living shoreline serves a dual purpose: protecting upland infrastructure while acting as a demonstration site to showcase living shoreline techniques in Georgia. The project spans 160 linear feet, divided into four 40-foot sections. Two sections feature a two-tiered design, while the other two were graded to a 3:1 slope.
One tiered section and one sloped section were stabilized with natural coir fiber mats and straw double-layer jute mats. Fiber coir logs were installed at the toe of the shoreline and along the bases of the top and middle tiers to help retain sediment. Existing storm drains were preserved and reinforced with rip rap at the inlets and outlets.