Armor Removal at Shaw Island's Broken Point

Friends of the San Juans (Friends) completed a beach restoration project at Broken Point on Shaw Island, in collaboration with the private waterfront property owner. The goal of the project was to remove toxic creosote and unbury upper intertidal and backshore habitat in support of salmon and salmon prey. Project actions included full removal of a 235 linear foot vertical creosote wood and rock fill bulkhead and fallen armor rock debris from an adjacent intertidal beach. All treated wood, rock backfill, and other associated fill material was removed; the adjacent shed was relocated inland. The project restored 370 linear feet of shoreline and 13,000 square feet of intertidal and backshore marine habitats. The beach restoration project is located within one of four high priority forage fish spawning regions of San Juan County (Friends 2004). Recent surveys also identified Pacific sand lance and surf smelt spawn on the eastern shores of the same tax parcel. The project is in a high priority fish use area for chinook and forage fish rearing and forage fish spawning habitat factors (PIAT II 2017). Eelgrass is present in the project area. SRFB grant funds, along with landowner match, will support permitting and implementation of intertidal and backshore beach restoration actions. Removal of this toxic, low elevation bulkhead restored beach habitat and nearshore processes in a priority forage fish spawning region of San Juan County and provided a demonstration project to illustrate how armoring doesnt prevent coastal flooding, how armor removals can meet multiple objectives of improved shoreline access for property owners as well as improved habitat quantity and quality as well as for managed retreat, as an outbuilding and the garden were relocated landward. A site tour was made as part of a summer 2023 Friends event on Shaw with 16 Shaw Island residents and broken pt neighbors toured the site during and following construction (n=8). The project also planted more than 2,500 dune grass and approximately 150 native shrubs, using Islands Conservation Corps crews who received education on restoration project planning and construction, as well as hands on planting techniques, as part of the project.

Project fully removed creosote wood treated bulkhead and all associated rock and soil fill to unbury an intertidal beach. Nourishment and backshore planted returned beach to natural substrate and grade. project improves habitat for salmon prey and is a demonstration for armor removal on private residential property.