The Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers present their assessment on additional areas within Jamaica Bay that should be included in the Hudson Raritan Esturary Comprehensive Restoration Project plan

1. Jamaica Bay
Stakeholder
Recommendations
for Future Wetland
Restoration Projects under
the HRE CRP

2. Hudson Raritan Estuary Comprehensive
Restoration Plan (HRE CRP)
• The Comprehensive Restoration Plan provides shared vision and priorities
for the federal, state, and local agencies, university and non-profit partners
engaged in habitat conservation and restoration.
• Authorized by Congress in 1999—directing the US Army Corps of
Engineers and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to develop
the Comprehensive Restoration Plan (CRP).
• Restoration under the CRP centers around 12 Target Ecosystem
Characteristics, categories of restoration, in which measurable restoration
goals were set for both 2020 and 2050.

3. Wetland Island Projects currently slated
under HRE CRP in Jamaica Bay
• Stony Creek------------62 acres
• Duck Point --------------40 acres
• Pumpkin Patch east -29 acres
• Pumpkin Patch west -24 acres
• Elders Center ----------29 acres

4. Long Term
Control Plan
Benefits
• January 2023 – Jamaica Bay Long-Term Control Plan
approved
• Environmental Dredging of 50,000 cys at head end of
Bergen Basin (~$36M)
• Installation of multi-acre (Ribbed Mussel) beds within
Thurston (3-acres) and Bergen (4-acres) Basins (~$26.3M)
• Marsh Island and perimeter wetland restoration
($78.6M)

5. Long Term Control Plan Funding

6. 1951-2003 noted loss

7. History of Stakeholder Observations
• Local observations led to
• Recognition of Marsh loss
• Identification of Water Quality impairments from nitrogen
loading
• First oyster recruitment
• species occurrences such as cow nosed rays, large seal
populations, whale and dolphin sightings and Bald Eagles

9. Recent Observations
• Big Egg Marsh and Little Egg Marsh experiencing some of the greatest
loss in the bay at this time
• Huge loss of habitat
• Increased wave fetch during heavy south winds due to missing
wetlands buffer.
• 2001 NPS pilot project area is only remaining area with viable
wetlands

10. Reasons for Loss
• Sediment?
• Past high level nitrogen effects on Rhizones
• Sea level Rise ?
• Mussels/ crabs impacts?
• Still underdetermined
• Older -Peat based marsh seems to experience more significant die off

12. Big Egg Marsh 2023

22. Little Egg Marsh

26. Navigational Channel Dredging Request

29. Additional areas of concerns

30. Summary
• Success to date with restoration projects that have been completed.
• Current HRE plan includes multiple Wetland islands identified by local
stakeholders over 10 years ago.
• Funding is in place in large part due to the collaborative effort to see the
long-term control plan become a funding source for these projects
• Stakeholders recommend additional Wetland restoration projects be
included in the HRE in particular Big egg and Little egg, marsh islands
• potential future dredging projects within Jamaica Bay should be considered
as a source for sediment for these projects. (as was done with 2001 NPS)

31. Questions ?