The Potential Role of Artificial Marsh on Coastal Protection in Long Island Sound

Abstract

Connecticut marshes, like other marshes in the world, are vulnerable to anthropogenic and climate change effects. However, assessment of current sea level rise and average marsh accretion rates in Connecticut demonstrate sea level rise is not the main vulnerable factor for salt marshes loss. The study on the feasibility of developing an ecosystem-based on two coastlines in Connecticut, Guilford and Stratford, shows that both coastlines, like other coastlines in Connecticut, have limited wave energy, which is a positive factor for marsh growth. The available data assessment represents that sediment supply is the most important parameter to guarantee the resilience and sustainability of a newly developed salt marsh system in Connecticut. In Stratford, conditions for establishing a new ecosystem seem to be better, as the fetch length is pretty small, and there is some sediment supply for the ecosystem. In Guilford, wave energy is limited, but it is more than in Stratford case. Besides, sediment availability is low and the coastline experienced considerable erosion during hurricane Sandy and has not recovered yet.