The severe shoreline erosion at the Patuxent River Maryland  Naval Air Station, Webster Field Annex, was threatening facilities, destroying marine habitat, and allowing sediment to flow into the Chesapeake Bay, further degrading its already-fragile ecosystem.  Because of the scale and complexity of the problem, the Navy  sought partners who were committed to restoring Chesapeake Bay.   A partnership called the Southern Maryland Coastal and  Aquatic Resource Team was formed under a Sikes Act Cooperative  Agreement.  Each partner agreed to build upon the stabilization project’s basic design by bringing specialized expertise in shoreline  design, habitat restoration, archaeological resources and other aspects of Chesapeake Bay ecology.  Cooperation reduced overall costs and  advanced each partners’ goals.

 

 

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay obtained the funding for its submerged vegetation planting project as part of their overall Chesapeake Bay goals. The Oyster Recovery Partnership provided more than 100,000 oyster spat for the Navy project, fostering development of artificial oyster reefs and contributing to the protection of Navy shore facilities.

 

The shoreline stabilization project protected Navy facilities while meeting several Chesapeake Bay 2000 Multi-state Agreement  goals: (1) increasing oyster production and submerged aquatic  vegetation; (2) promoting education and outreach about the health of the Bay; (3) providing public access to the Bay; and (4) reducing levels of nutrients and sediments entering the Bay.  The Navy was also able to use the design as a demonstration project for shoreline protection at other military facilities.