Last updated: March 2025
The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is one of 28 National Estuary Programs established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, focused on safeguarding and restoring the water quality and ecological health of nationally significant estuaries (Ref 2). One of the four main areas of work of the project (Ref 2) is focused on Ecosystem Restoration and Protection (ERP), aiming at restoring and protecting ecosystem function and services (Ref 4). One of the projects implemented in 2023-2024 in the ERP category is the Deer River Coastal Marsh Stabilization and Restoration project, aiming at restoring and protecting the saltwater marshes of the area (Ref 8). The issues faced in the Deer River Shoreline are shoreline recession, marsh deterioration, and loss of natural function from erosion, apparently caused by heavy storms, tidal impacts, and wakes from cargo ships entering or exiting the Theodore Ship Channel (Ref 8). Indeed, the saltwater marshes of this area have started to erode at a rapid rate, up to 12 feet per year (Ref 7). The project aims to enhance the natural function of ecosystem services to improve the area's resilience. It will restore the eroded marsh by creating offshore structures to protect the shoreline and attenuate the waves. The project also aims to restore the water quality of the Deer River by dredging it out, thus improving the water flow. The material dredged out will be used to nourish the marsh (Ref 9).
Deer River coastal marsh stabilization and restoration project
News WRKG 15, Bringing Restoration to Deer River, 20/12/2023
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Coastlines
- Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
- Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Coastal flooding
- Coastal hazards (e.g. erosion, flooding)
- Environmental Degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Coastal landscape management or protection, Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows), Improving coastal resilience, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Habitat conservation, n.a.2, Marine and coastal conservation initiatives, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems)
Project objectives
1) Provide wave attenuation the erosive forces of winds, wave actions, and boat wakes (Ref 8)
2) Stabilize and protect one mile of eroding shoreline (Ref 9)
3) Creating at least 30 acres of additional marsh habitat (Ref 8)
4) Restoring and protecting habitat for fish and seafood (Ref 9)
5) Restore water quality to the Deer River (Ref 9)
6) Improve the long-term resilience to wave impacts and storm surge of the area around the marsh (notably the residential area at the south of the marsh and the port facilities at the north) (Ref 9)
7) Reestablishing connectivity in the Middle Fork of Deer River by restoring the hydrology of the tidal creek system to sustain the currently healthy marsh but sediment-impaired channel (Ref 8)
Implementation activities
1) Creating 19 acres of new offshore marsh (Ref 7) to protect the shoreline and attenuate the waves (Ref 9) to address erosion of the marsh and the shoreline
2) Dedging the Deer River out (Ref 9) to restore and stabilize the ecosystem, improve water quality and water flow, and return accessibility for fishermen (Ref 7)
3) The material dredged out will be used to nourish the marsh (Ref 9) to restore the marsh (Ref 7)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore mangroves, marshes, reefs and wetlands to dissipate the effects of storms and floodwaters
- Restore sediment supply to coastal zone
- Protect and restore coastal ecosystems, to address loss of land and livelihoods, due to rising sea levels
- Restore rivers and other fresh water bodies to reduce flood or drought risk
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Coastal communities
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mobile Bay estuary, is leading the project (Ref 7) and partnered with the Army Corps of Engineers (Federal agency of the United States) and Carter’s Contracting Company (public company) (Ref 7).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) is part of the National Estuary Program (NEP), established by Congress through amendments to the Clean Water Act in 1987. The NEP has been continuously authorized due to its strong and longstanding bipartisan support (Ref 10). This makes it a federal initiative aimed at protecting and restoring estuaries of national significance, like Mobile Bay.)
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Expected improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Expected increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Expected increased presence and recovery of wild species
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Safety
- Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
- Expected improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). mobilebaynep.com. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, p. 1-2 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). Mobile Bay NEP official website - our work. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, p. 1 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). Mobile Bay NEP official website - estatuary status and Trends. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, p. 1 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). Mobile Bay NEP website - Ecosystem Restoration and Protection. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, p. 1 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). Mobile Bay NEP official website - Technical Assistance and Capacity Building. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP , p. 1 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Mobile Bay NEP (n.d.). Mobile Bay NEP official website - Education and Public Involvement. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, p. 1 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Birmingham, L. (2023). News article - Bringing Restoration to Deer River. THEODORE, AL: News WKRG 5, p. 1-3 Accessed on August 8, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (2023). Work Plan 2023-2024 of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, p. 26 Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Mobile Bay NEP (2023). video presenting the Deer River saltwater marshes restoration. Mobile, AL: Mobile Bay NEP, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
10.
City-Data.com (n.d.). Deer River demographics - City-Data.com. Theodore, Al: City-Data.com, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
Saltmarshes of Deer River to be restored
Courtesy: www.flythecoast.com, screenshot of MBNEP presentation video of Deer River restoration project, published on 31/10/2023
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.