This document discusses the US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) initiative called "Engineering With Nature" (EWN), which aims to intentionally align natural and engineering processes to deliver both economic and environmental benefits. It provides the example of "Green Breakwaters," which modifies existing breakwater infrastructure to incorporate fish habitat features. The document summarizes a pilot project modifying breakwater toe blocks in Cleveland Harbor and proposes a similar project enhancing breakwaters in Ashtabula, Ohio. It outlines next steps to advance the EWN approach within USACE projects and research.

1. Engineering With Nature: Environmental
Enhancements and Navigation Infrastructure-
Green Breakwaters
Cheryl E. Pollock
Research Hydraulic Engineer
Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory
Engineer Research and Development Center
Cheryl.e.Pollock@usace.army.mil
Ferry Transport Committee
of the
Transportation Research Board
Midyear Conference
August 14-15, 2012
US Army Corps of Engineers
BUILDING STRONG®

2. Engineering With Nature - is the intentional
alignment of natural and engineering
processes to efficiently and sustainably
deliver economic, environmental and social
benefits through collaborative processes.
Working
with Nature
Building Engineering
with Nature With Nature

3. Engineering With Nature
Example
Upper Mississippi River Training Structures redirect the strongest
flow of the river away from the islands to prevent erosion
(Photos courtesy of USACE Rock Island District)

4. The USACE Civil Works Strategic Plan
Sustainable Solutions to America’s Water Resources Needs
 USACE Navigation Mission - To provide safe,
reliable, efficient, effective and environmentally
sustainable waterborne transportation systems
for movement of commerce, national security
needs, and recreation
 Vision: “Contribute to the strength of the
Nation through innovative and environmentally
sustainable solutions to the Nation’s water
resources challenges.”
 The goals established by this strategy are to:
► Assist in providing for safe and resilient
communities and infrastructure.
► Help facilitate commercial navigation in an
environmentally and economically sustainable
fashion.
► Restore degraded aquatic ecosystems and prevent
future environmental losses.
► Implement effective, reliable, and adaptive life-
cycle performance management of infrastructure.
► Build and sustain a high quality, highly dedicated
workforce.

5. Environmental Enhancements and
Navigation Infrastructure (EENI)
 Engineering with nature so infrastructure can serve as valuable habitat.
 Designing navigation infrastructure with the specific intent of accomplishing
both engineering goal and specific environmental goals is new to most
planners and designers.
 Study Goals:
► Identify existing and potential navigation project features that were designed with
the express intent of enhancing environmental benefit.
► Identify laws, regulations and policies that both support and hinder such design
features.
► Identify opportunities for increased environmental benefits for Navigation projects
within existing formulation boundaries.
► Propose potential changes to formulation boundaries that would further increase
opportunities for environmental benefits.
► Identify potential areas where research can increase the opportunity to integrate
environmental features into future projects.

6. EENI Starting Points
Existing Identified
examples opportunities
Research
needs

7. Green Breakwaters
 Green Breakwaters is an EENI initiative to
incorporate new designs and/or repair
methods to improve wildlife habitat
opportunities.
 Partners:
► Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
► USACE Environmental Laboratory
► USACE Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory
► USEPA

8. USEPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
(GLRI) Breakwater Ecosystem
Improvement Study
 To evaluate opportunities for enhancing aquatic
ecosystem benefits at existing breakwaters and
navigation structures
 During routine repairs and maintenance, as part
of modifications, or during comprehensive
structural repairs and replacements
 Concept extends to shore protection structures,
non-USACE structures

9. GLRI Products

10. Green Breakwaters

11. Green Breakwaters

12. Green Breakwaters

13. Green Breakwaters

14. Cleveland Harbor Pilot Project
 Cleveland Harbor East Arrowhead Breakwater
was identified as a coastal structure with critical
repair needs located in an Environmental Area
Of Concern (Cuyahoga River)
 The project involves:
► Providing features that will create habitat
opportunities for Great Lakes fish and invertebrates
► Modifying the design (shape and surface texture) of
the standard concrete toe blocks used for breakwater
maintenance
• Dimpled surface texture
• Horizontal line surface texture
• Protected indented shelf (horizontal line)
• No alterations (control)

17. Modified Breakwater Toe Blocks
The left photo shows a dimpled block surface. The right photo shows a horizontal line
block surface. A fish habitat shelf with a horizontal line texture is shown bottom center.

19. First biological monitoring scheduled for Sept 23, 2012

20. Ashtabula, Ohio Turn Nesting
Proposed Project FY13
Option 1.
Full Recess
Add notches
to allow water
drainage, fill
with gravel.
Option 2.
1 End Open Lip needs to
be wide
enough to
withstand
Option 3. some handling
2 Ends Open damage.

21. Engineering With Nature
Path Forward
We will implement Engineering With Nature through a
series of actions:
1. Establish the foundation of EWN using examples of “best-practice”
projects from across USACE
2. Develop and execute a “Strategic Plan for EWN” to expand
application within USACE and with our external partners and
stakeholders
3. Demonstrate the EWN progression in future project case studies,
communicating lessons learned and successes broadly
4. Focus R&D investments to expand technical and communication
science needed to advance EWN
5. Establish leadership and partnerships on EWN through effective
engagement and application

22. Acknowledgements
Dr. Thomas Fredette, Team Leader
Thomas.J.Fredette@usace.army.mil
Dr. Burton Suedel
Burton.Suedel@usace.army.mil
Cynthia Banks
Cynthia.j.Banks@usace.army.mil
Paul Bijhouwer
Paul.Bijhouwer@usace.army.mil