Construction has started on the Thompson Island Living Shoreline Project.
The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is partnering with DNREC, Delaware State Parks and others for this project.
"A living shoreline employs what we say is natural or nature based solutions. So really what we're looking to do is to mimic what nature would do to preserve eroding banks," said Bob Collins of the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays and the project manager.
It involves the in-water installation of about 400 wave attenuation devices as a large-scale, nature-based engineering solution to protect the island’s shoreline and enhance the surrounding aquatic environment.
The devices will be anchored in the shallow waters just offshore to dampen wave energy, reduce shoreline erosion and create calmer conditions near the shore that benefit fish, shellfish and aquatic plants.
"The project is designed for a number of things, but to stop erosion on Thompson Island, which is part of the Delaware Seashore State Park, and it's often been referred to as one of the most important cultural assets in the state of Delaware," said Collins.
Thompson Island also holds a deep cultural significance for the Nanticoke Indian Tribe. Historically, it’s been a ceremonial gathering place for the tribe, and is considered sacred ground.
It was dedicated as a nature preserve in 2000.
Collins notes this is just the first phase of the project, but it’s the only one that’s funded completely.
The hope is to get more funding for other phases in the future.
