The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program hired Thompson Engineering to restore the northern tip of Mon Louis Island, a coastal marsh at the mouth of East Fowl River in south Mobile County, Alabama. The northern tip of the island had eroded significantly and was close to being breached, a problem that would put wildlife and people in potential danger. Coastal marshes provide habitat that is essential for the area’s fisheries. The marsh’s plant material is the foundation of the food web that includes numerous species of invertebrates, fish, and wildlife. It also serves to protect homes and infrastructure from the effects of storm tides and wave action.
Over the course of the project, Thompson met three main goals for the Mon Louis project:
- protect the existing marsh and the restored marsh by building a rock breakwater,
- dredge Fowl River navigation Channel as a safety and recreational benefit, and
- enhance habitat in the area by creating four acres of new marsh.
Thompson Engineering was responsible for the planning, design, permit coordination, and construction oversight. Thompson will also work with a team to monitor the project for five years to document the success of plant and wildlife development.
client
MOBILE BAY NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM
location
MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA
market
STATE & LOCAL
Service Specialties
- CIVIL
- GEOTECHNICAL
- MARINE
- COASTAL RESTORATION
- SURVEYING
- COMPLIANCE
- ASSESSMENTS & INVESTIGATIONS
- ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
- DRILLING
- LABORATORY TESTING
- CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION & MATERIALS TESTING
