Shoreline & Coastal Restoration
Coastal zones encompass diverse elements including shorelines, waterfronts, environmentally-sensitive habitats, marine sanctuaries, public infrastructure, and industry. Baird addresses the often-competing demands on the coastal zone through integrated management. Baird develops a coherent plan supporting compatibility between the human uses and natural elements of the coastal zone, especially with respect to sediment dynamics. To be successful, the plan must be founded on a thorough understanding of the natural processes underlying the dynamics of the coastal zone.
Beaches
People around the world are attracted to coastlines, and particularly to beaches where the water’s edge is most accessible. Beaches represent one of the most dynamic forms of coastline with complex and competing processes of erosion and accretion.
Baird’s work preserves, improves and creates beaches. Our success derives from a combination of clearly understanding client requirements, our wealth of practical experience, and the application of state-of-the art analysis techniques.
Baird has studied beaches around the world, designed numerous stable beach systems, and supervised construction of large nourishment projects in the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Africa. Sites have ranged from straight shorelines experiencing chronic erosion, to highly variable sites associated with tidal inlets or coral reef environments experiencing complex cycles of erosion and deposition.
Baird understands the physics of beach dynamics and simulates these processes with state-of-the-art models. Baird appreciates the importance of beaches to communities and this is a factor in planning issues related to setbacks, access and users. Baird has also developed coastal zone management plans that recognize the importance of beaches to regional development.
Coastal Zone Processes
Baird provides specialized services that address coastal zone processes. Our nearshore restoration technical services include:
- Numerical and physical modelling: wave hindcasting, coastal hydraulics, shallow water wave transformations, statistical analyses, fluvial and coastal processes, circulation and pollutant modelling
- Evaluation of complex interactions between surface and groundwater runoff, water quality, marine ecology (including coral reefs) and carbonate beach stability
- Sediment budget analysis to understand the historic, present and future fate of sediments that protect and enhance the nearshore
- Beach and nearshore restoration, including beaches, barrier islands and marshes, coral reef preservation and restoration