Sediment accretion associated with surgebreaker offshore reef, a low cost shore protection device: An update on the Corps of Engineers Section 54 Program

In 1979 a Surgebreaker offshore reef, or pervious sill system, was installed in the surf zone parallel to an eroding Gulf Coast shoreline, at Basin Bayou State Recreation Area, Florida. Funding was provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 54 Program as part of the evaluation of several low cost coastal protection devices in design conditions of 4-foot waves during storm surge periods. Surgebreaker is a modular, pervious sill device designed to attenuate wave energy and to promote sediment accretion¹Comparison of surveys made at time of installation in 1979 and in 1984 and 1985 shows accretion of sand and other sediment landward and seaward of the modular system. Bottom and beach profiles show an increase in elevation. Additional accretion was noted in stations immediately updrift and downdrift of the structure. Erosion of beach and sea bottom, however, continued in nearby areas not protected by this system. The reef showed no evidence of basal scour or physical damage. It is concluded that this modular system was a causative factor in the mitigation of shoreline erosion and in the accretion of beach and nearshore sediment.¹Surgebreaker is a trademark of Great Lakes Environmental Marine Ltd., Chicago, Illinois.