August 2020: Ongoing Dike Maintenance

Part of our ongoing management priority is to improve the long-term stability of our earthen dikes by placing erosion protection -- often in the form of fractured limestone -- on the side slopes. We have highlighted this work in previous posts, but the dogdays of summer are an ideal time to get this heavy lifting accomplished. With Structure 1 and now Structure 2 (installed through the dike below) now operational, there is even more incentive to preserve the integrity of these clay berms so that we can do the kind of work described back in July. One project naturally builds on another.

The West Marsh "Center Dike" with a fresh topcoat of erosion protection -- we could not afford to do the entire 3,000 feet in this effort, but as seen above, we made good progress. There was existing stone from when the dike was fully rehabilitated in 2017, but a new surface dressing is simply sound preventative maintenance.

This visual not only shows improved stability, it also highlights the robust growth of the desirable
vegetation that was only feasible through a timely drawdown (again, see July 2020's summary).

Large expanses of open water like the north end of the West Marsh (above) are particularly vulnerable to wind and wave action. There is major peace of mind having this stability in place.

West Marsh Structure 2: Update #6 -- On-line and Flowing Clear

Check out a new video just posted to our YouTube channel -- Roy narrates as water is finally free to move through our newly constructed Structure 2

Another milestone was reached in the last week when Standing Rush's "Structure 2" was officially brought online. A functional second major water conveyance structure on the West Marsh means surface and subsurface water run-off (largely from agricultural land uses upstream) can now be directed into nearly 200-acres of coastal wetland (our West Marsh) rather than all being discharged directly into Sandusky Bay -- and ultimately into Lake Erie.

This functionality culminates four years of planning and active restoration on the site; it provides a mechanism for tremendous improvement in water quality on a landscape scale and also serves as a blueprint for future restoration activities, ideally both on Standing Rush's East Marsh and beyond.

The dark blue arrow in the schematic above represents water conveyance
from Structure 1; the light blue arrow represents the newly established
water conveyance through Structure 2

Some version of the visual depiction to the left has been floating in my mind for days . . . or if I'm honest, for weeks, months, or even years. The green shaded area to the left of SR 269 is our West Marsh. The green to the right of the north/south highway is our East Marsh. The yellow shading depicts wetland areas owned by four neighbors.

The green arrows represent the "surface and sub-surface run-off" water alluded to above. The small green arrows are new (very intentional) inputs into the marsh; large green arrows depict run-off from surrounding lands. Water generally runs south to north generally in our area. Much of the surrounding landscape is farmed, either for row crops or animals/ livestock. Most of the ground is tiled and ditched.

Understandably, a farmer's goal is typically to remove surface water from a field as quickly and efficiently and possible. This means water is engineered to follow straight lines wherever possible until it terminates at the lowest elevation -- in this case, the bay (or lake).

Prior to Standing Rush's restoration activities, much of the run-off water west of SR 269 and south of the West Marsh ended up in a terminal ditch that flows directly into Sandusky Bay -- depicted by the black, dashed arrow above. This is great for efficiency of water transport, but it is not very good for water quality. [To build on the "wetlands as kidneys" analogy, this is analogous to letting harmful byproducts bypass the kidneys without enabling the crucial organs do what they are designed to do. When they are located in the right place and have the capacity to function as designed, such a bypass just doesn't make much sense.]

Stone placement and rough grading took place
just yesterday to wrap up our 2019 construction
year; finish grading and final touch-up at the
structure will wait till spring/early summer

Keep in mind, we're not just talking about Standing Rush's ~550 acres either. The total area shaded (green and yellow) represents 1,200-1,300 acres or ~5% of all the coastal wetland remaining on all of the Western Basin of Lake Erie.

So with the holidays coming, maybe it's time to lift a glass . . . but we have a lot more work to do. Our efforts on the West Marsh can be replicated -- in many ways, almost identically -- on our East Marsh. And we have opportunity to continue to collaborate with our neighbors to further magnify not just meaningful water quality improvements, but also other shared priorities like long-term conservation, enriched wildlife diversity and usage, increased recreational opportunities, and educational outreach.

Wrap all this up together and bear in mind that there finally seems to be political support -- both federally and at the state level -- to make these types of crucial projects happen and we feel that we have the recipe for meaningful progress. Bottom line: we have a working model to meaningfully help address a very timely issue -- namely, how nutrients can be utilized within a coastal wetland setting before they are liberated into the open lake where they are demonstrated to wreak havoc in the form of harmful algal blooms.

Structure 2 (facing north) as of this morning; Roy had to push himself out in a punt boat over an inch of ice to capture
this shot -- easy for me to say, but worth it considering all the work we went through to get to this point

West Marsh Structure 2: Update #5 -- Almost Operational!

Structure 2, looking essentially "downstream" (north);
note the aluminum stoplogs (center/bottom) topped with
a carp/debris screen -- the gate (painted orange), guardrail,
and newly poured concrete crossing in the background

Steely-gray late autumn days have made for some tough conditions for photography -- not to mention for earthwork -- in the marsh as of late. But progress has most certainly continued at Structure 2 in spite of the unseasonably cool (sometimes downright cold) weather and a Thanksgiving holiday.

We're into those muddy months, it feels like a bit earlier than usual. We have had a decent number of mornings with solid ground frost, and at one point even went four consecutive days without getting above freezing.

So there have been some decent days for the contractor . .. . at least from an access perspective. But if you are not cold from the damp chill blowing off the bay, you are carrying two pounds of heavy mud on each boot from the periodic rains we have been getting. Everyone is getting antsy to officially put the 2019 construction/management season in the books. It's getting to be that time.

But we have a few to-dos left on the list before we can wrap up our second major GLRI-funded project, at for this calendar year. The "guts" of the new structure have now been installed. Steel and concrete are all in place.

We just have to oversee the removal of the earthen cofferdams so that we can let water pass through the new connection for the first time. Some grading and stonework should put us in good shape to address finishing touches (e.g., final grading, seeding, collateral damage repairs, etc.) next spring/early summer.

The "guts" of Structure 2 from above; flows will typically be from right to left
(over stoplogs and through a 36" screw gate); horizontal grating is to facilitate access for maintenance

The third week of November brought a much needed window of dry cold that allowed us to pour the crossing;
image above taken one day before the arrival of the concrete truck

The pour in action

Finished pour (facing south) just prior to installation of screw gate and stoplogs

West Marsh Structure 2: Update #4 -- Concrete Floor in Place

Structure 2, featuring a completed cap (and dry ground -- a rare occurrence over the last month) 

While progress has been steady on Structure 2, our new connection between the two major management units on our West Marsh, much of the last month hasn't been terribly photogenic. That's partly due to where we are in the construction process (several tedious steps that do not translate to big visual advances), and partly due to more than our fair share of cold, wet weather -- at least for early to mid-November.

Rebar in place on the bottom of the new structure
just prior to the arrival of concrete

The fabrication and placement of the rebar reinforcement structure that will serve as the backbone to the floor of the flume is case and point. Layout, wire wrapping, and welding are each methodical and inherently slow. But the devil's in these details in terms of long-term durability and structure longevity.

The guys were really got a workout slopping through the shin-high muck as they welded all the metal sheer studs and rebar lattice underlayment into place. Rainy days during the last week of October coupled with sensitivity for the start of the latter half of duck season (which officially opened on November 9th) presented an anticipated challenge in terms of finding the right window for the next major step in this process: the concrete pour for the structure's floor.

We really wanted to "rest" the marsh the last couple days before hunting resumed (meaning keep the construction crew -- and everyone else -- out of the marsh to allow the birds to acclimate and find regular refuge). We fortunately got the right weather window, and the pour went off without a hitch last Tuesday.

Slow and steady proved to be the name of the game when it came to prepping for the first of two concrete pours;
the structure's floor was poured last week and the bridge crossing is set for next week

Mixer truck in position to feed the concrete hopper

The concrete hopper being loaded prior to positioning within the structure's flume

Positioning of the concrete hopper once loaded

Field testing of wet concrete prior to placement

Once the wet concrete was roughly placed in the flume via the concrete hopper, it was floated and continuously shot
to confirm the targeted finish elevation

A finished view down the ~40' x 4.5' flume as the fresh concrete continues to cure

Fall turned to winter early this week when rain quickly transitioned to snow and overnight temperatures plummeted into the single digits. Afternoon highs barely got above freezing this week, insulated by the first accumulating snow (3-4") of the season. The marsh completely froze by Tuesday and we may have as much as 2-3" of ice cover in spots as of today.

That said progress continued at the project site this week. The guts of the structure (screw gate, aluminum stop logs, carp screen, etc.) have been delivered on site. Good headway was made on the fabrication to receive all these components, and if all goes well (and weather cooperates), the concrete crossing will be poured next week. If the marsh gods shine favorably down upon us, we could be operational by Thanksgiving. Call me a skeptic, but based on recent weather trends, I'm betting on early to mid-December. We'll see.

West Marsh Structure 2: Update #3 (& Duck Opener!)

Woodies should be part of mixed bags this
coming weekend

The only day without progress on the job site this past week was on Friday (today) -- the eve of this year's duck opener. We asked that the guys move the construction trailer and relocate the larger equipment in preparation for what we hope will be a fun weekend for our hunters.

So Friday was all quiet in the marsh -- at least from a construction standpoint. But as the photos below will show, the crew made hay in nice weather Monday - Thursday and got a lot of welding accomplished. We'll have to feel our way through the next couple weeks (first split of the waterfowl season closes October 27th), and then hopefully the weather will cooperate to really push toward completion during the break (which runs October 28 - November 8th this year).

Our lease groups recognize that restoration activities have to be priority number one, especially while pressures from high lake levels are so acute. But we still want to do all that we can to encourage waterfowl activity and successful hunting. As I've written about several times before, responsible hunting is just too much a part of this amazing place's heritage.

I stuck around past sunset one evening mid-week and saw a decent number of birds "working" the marsh -- preparing to settle in for a restful overnight. Our punters had some similarly encouraging reports. It is supposed to drop from the mid-70s (this afternoon) to the mid-30s (by sunrise tomorrow). We'll see how it goes!

Structure 2 at the end of the work day on Thursday

Cross braces and angle steel, mid-installation

Once plate steel is added to the top of this angle, the crew will move on to prep for the floor and dike crossing

West Marsh Structure 2: Update #2 -- And Then There Was Sheet Pile

The drone was literally in the air for under 60 seconds before the first large rain drops started to fall late Wednesday
afternoon -- but the very brief window of opportunity afforded the chance for a good overview perspective of progress

Despite a couple rain-out days over the last week and a half, the project site has transformed pretty significantly since the last update. Where there was just a hole in the ground (or more technically a long, deep trench) during the last few days of September, there is now a complete channel of sheet pile connecting the "Main West Marsh" to the south (left in the photo above) to the "Rest Pond" to the north (right above).

This juvenile Pied-billed Grebe offered
some distraction while I was photo-
documenting progress at the project site

Earthen cofferdams still hold water back from both sides. This will remain the case until construction is about complete. The next steps are to 1) add a steel "cap" (upper frame of welded plate metal) to the top profile of the sheet pile walls; (2) add horizontal bracing at the top of each wall; (3) prep the bottom of the channel for the concrete floor; (4) prep the top of the cap for the eventual crossing; and, (5) backfill around the outside of each wall to add stability and to further prepare for the two concrete pours (channel floor and crossing deck).

It's our hope that much of this work will happen over the next week or two. With opening weekend of the main duck season set for Saturday, October 12th, the goal is to have the heaviest lifting behind us. By getting the largest machinery off the dike, we should be able to minimize the disturbance to the immediate area and the marsh in general.

Temps are FINALLY starting to normalize. After days of recording-breaking heat to end September and begin October, I dusted off the winter coat for the first time this morning when I went to take the dog for her morning run. We see a pattern of 60s/40s setting up in the 7-10 day forecast with more dry than rain. This should help move ducks and also should continue to help move the project along.

The crew setting one of the last "sticks" of steel on the southwest corner of what will become Structure 2

Another perspective of the newly constructed connection between our West Marsh management units;
this ~5'-wide channel will be a big improvement over the 18" pipe that currently serves as our only conduit

I never got a clear image, but I spent a good half hour trying -- this striking female Common Yellowthroat was seemingly
curious to monitor progress at the project site as well; despite fresh raindrops and this little warbler never holding still for more than a second, I couldn't help but try to capture a clear view before she continues on her migration south

Here We Go Again -- Structure 2 Underway! (Update #1)

Site overview for Structure 2, looking west/southwest in Standing Rush's West Marsh;
40-acre Rest Pond in the foreground, 145-acre Main Marsh in middle, and Sandusky Bay in background

While equipment and building materials have been mobilizing on-site for going on three weeks now, our second new "water conveyance structure" (a.k.a. "Structure 2") is finally starting to look like something. "Structure 1" -- completed this past January -- connects Sandusky Bay to our West Marsh. The challenge is that it only provides ideal connectivity to the most adjacent management unit.

While we received the official green light on Structure 2 about a month ago,
the last few weeks have focused on mobilizing equipment and raw materials
(above: steel sheet piling being off-loaded from flatbed along highway)

When complete, Structure 2 will be an approximately 6' wide x 8' deep x 45' long steel and concrete, open-topped conduit (essentially, a simplified version of Structure 1) that will serve as connection between our 40-acre "Rest Pond" (adjacent to the bay) and the 145-acre "Main Marsh" on west side. As it stands today, any water exchange between these two units is limited to passage within 40-feet of 18-inch PVC pipe.

This immensely improved connection will encourage much broader access and use by a diverse population of fish species that benefit from moving in and out of the marsh. It will also allow us to convey much larger volumes of water across the entire site as we work to tie agricultural and surface water runoff (from the south) into the marsh.

Steel sheet piling lying in wait (Rest Pond to left; Main Marsh to right); Structure 2 will be built through this earthen
berm that was completely reconstructed by Standing Rush in 2016

With modest coffer dams in place and surveying complete, the trench within which Structure 2 will be built was cut
late last week (Rest Pond in background)

Temporary steel H-pile was placed last Friday as a guide
for the placement of the sheet-pile walls
(click here for a visual of  how it will eventually look)

Think improved water quality. Typical flows are south to north at the site, So Structure 2 will complete the structural infrastructure needed to "fully reconnect the kidneys." To complete the metaphor, as water from fields and ditches can be diverted into the upstream (south) end of the marsh, it can now gradually work its way downstream (north) through nearly 200-acres of wetland and near-shore estuary before entering the open bay. This significantly increased natural filtration area will provide dramatically  increased residence time, giving time for solids and particulates (which add to turbidity) an opportunity to settle out. Flow-through will also subject macronutrients like derivatives of both phosphorus and nitrogen (the biggest contributors to algae issues in the open bay and lake) to ideal conditions for uptake within the wetland footprint. Our mantra is we would rather "grow bigger cattails" than have those otherwise available fertilizers/nutrients bypass the marsh and enter directly into Lake Erie (to grow algae).

This project was originally conceived and proposed for funding in the spring of 2017. Funds were secured through GLRI (federal dollars) and ODNR (state dollars) for Structure 1 just over a year ago and construction took about five months (September - January). We kept at it over this past winter, resubmitted for Structure 2, and received confirmation this past spring of a second round of funding (utilizing the same awesome team of collaborators) that will allow us to complete Structure 2. Our goal -- especially consider this simplified design involves no pump, no electricity, and significantly fewer parts -- is to have this project buttoned up well before the snow flies. With temps continuing to bounce from the 50s or 60s at night into the 70s, 80s, and even the 90s, that seems a long ways away. But as we know too well, you can never count on the weather.

A Ribbon of Limestone (From the Sky)

Newly placed limestone reinforces the main exterior dike (center) protecting the main West Marsh (left)
from the open bay (right) 

To close the loop on our most recent improvement project -- and to provide another perspective on the impact of historically high water on Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay -- I decided to get the drone in the air. [Call me a fair-weather pilot, but conditions were about perfect yesterday for a late morning flight in March!]

The image above does a nice job depicting the breadth of our recent stone work -- a little over 1,200 linear feet in all. And if you click on the image to enlarge you can also see how sustained high water and freeze/thaw cycles on the bay accelerated the erosion of the "barrier island" that (until very recently) seemed to provide real protection for the exterior dike. Ice came off the main bay just a few days ago -- probably once and for all for this season -- but the damage to the trees and shrubs that have been growing on the outer fringes for more than 25 years had already been done. Thank goodness we got that stone in place. The next few months of high water, which typically peak in early summer, are going to be interesting . . .

Modest waves are still relentless against what's left of our barrier island; the day the ice finally receded,
we could see that the damage had been done

Upturned root masses will not last long against high water and spring wave action; this portion of the barrier island would
have been two to three feet out of the water as recently as 2015 -- water levels are cyclical (and at times destructive)
on Lake Erie and the rest of the Great Lakes

West Marsh Stoning Project: By the Numbers

About 500 linear feet of the 1,250' just protected by last week's bay front stoning project; the work is now complete
and we hope that this will protect the West Marsh for the next 20-25 years

Before moving on to the next major priorities on the list, I thought it made sense to commemorate last week's efforts on the West Marsh with a project summary -- by the numbers:

Our operator was efficient and highly effective at
individually placing stone and "keying" the rock together
to increase its durability and resilience to wave action

* 1,250 linear feet of exterior dike protected;

* 738 tons of quarried limestone delivered/placed;

* 107 single-axle truckload deliveries; 

* 80 trucking man hours (approx);

* 25-30 excavator hours (still waiting on official total);

* 20 project oversight hours on-site (Roy);

* 14+ weeks of permitting applications;

* 3-4 trucks delivering, depending on day;

* 2.7 work days;

* 2 relieved Standing Rush staff members;

* 1 protected exterior dike (the only one on SR property).

The final number that is significant for this project is the total cost. We know it is going to be a significant 5-digit number (if not six digits). But we also know that (1) this was a must-do project, (2) we were very fortunate to be able to squeeze it in before spring storms and early summer peak water levels, (3) the work was done efficiently and done well, and (4) the completion of this project is a major victory for the long-term viability of the site. And after a day or two to catch our breath, we can begin focusing our attention on our next permit application and what will likely be the next major improvement project targeted for 2019 -- the rehabilitation of approximately 3,000-feet of our south dike on the West Marsh. This is going to be another doozy!

Single-axle trucks could only bring 5-9 tons per load, but short runs kept the excavator operator busy and kept
our existing earthen infrastructure from being damaged

A delivery truck returning (empty) to the highway from the project site for another load of quarry stone;
trucks used our "center dike" (which we completely rebuilt in 2016/2017) as our service road

Rising Water Levels Lead to Unexpected Expenses

If this image looks cold, it's because it is; this represents the first two of up to 140 truckloads of quarry limestone that are
currently being placed on our exterior (Sandusky Bay-facing) dike on our West Marsh

One recurring theme of this running narrative has been that water levels dictate about everything else when it comes to wetland management, particularly in coastal settings. There are daily reminders of this universal truth in our work, but the impact of changing hydrology is particularly poignant today, as Roy oversees the start of an unexpected bay front stoning project on our West Marsh.

I say "unexpected" in that this investment (expense) was not on the radar when we took possession of the property in 2014. In fact, it wasn't clear on the screen even in 2017. But several consecutive years of increased water levels in Lake Erie and one particularly nasty storm event has ultimately placed this project on the top of the priority list.

Static water levels in Sandusky Bay were a solid 18" higher when this photo was taken (July 2018) as compared to when we
started this project (February 2015); what was a "barrier island" a few years ago (formed during low water years of the late
1990s and 15 years of the 2000s) has evolved into a deteriorating string of fallen willows and cottonwood trees

Water levels on Lake Erie (and all the Great Lakes) tend to be cyclical. Locals speak in terms of "high water years" and "low water years" because they tend to be memorable extremes. But when looking at the data over the last hundred years, most of the time, the lakes reside somewhere in between.

A significant northeast storm pushing Sandusky Bay water over a 25+ acre
area that is typically all above the water line (March 2018);
the typical shore line is left of any whitecaps on this image

Anthropomorphic issues arise when water levels hit these historic highs and lows. And as it turns out, as a result of an extremely complex interaction of many environmental factors (e.g., regional and local precipitation, evaporation, air temperatures, wind, ice cover, impermeable surfaces, etc., etc.), we in the midst of a period of near historic high water.

I stumbled onto a decent article (access here) on the subject relating to Lake Erie in particular.

Changing water levels impact our daily routines differently depending on our interrelationship with the lake. But for Standing Rush, the continuous uptick in lake and bay water levels have meant vulnerabilities in areas of the property that haven't been vulnerable for nearly 25 years.

A comparison of our access to Sandusky Bay during calm conditions, left (July 2017) and during the major storm event that
caused the bulk of the damage to our exterior dike (March 2017)

Data from the USACE, released today. The red line reflects recorded water levels. Compare those levels with the 100-year average (in blue) and the projection for the balance of the year (in green), and the reason for concern (or at least vigilance)
increases. I added the yellow highlighting; if the upper end of the projected deviation proves true, we will be breaking
records set in 1986 -- probably the last time our exterior stone was fortified. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

Once we realized that the water level trends weren't tipping down but could, in fact, be continuing up, permitting with USACE and ODNR was the next step. Roy has been working his tail off for the last several months on this front to allow us to do this work. The government shutdown complicated things, causing us to miss a mid-winter weather window. [Proper weather conditions are crucial: sustained cold, so the dikes can be driven as hauling roads, without too much snow, so trucks can access and not slip off the dikes.] If we can't do it now, we wait until July (after another potentially destructive spring storm season).

We received the official green light last Friday, and the good Lord miraculously seems to be giving us another weather window of late-season cold. To make matters more interesting, all work must be suspended from March 15-June 30 (a restricted period for in-water work to protect fish, among other things). The bad news is, protecting up to 1,250 linear feet of exterior dike will cost us up to $100,000 or $80/linear foot (not including Standing Rush's time investment) depending on what we ultimately discover in the field (e.g., underwater conditions). The further bad news is, we did not have this project budgeted in our 3-year budget, and we have not been able to find funding support for the project (hard to get people excited about paying for rock!). The good news is, as of about an hour ago, we had the first 200 or so feet completed. It isn't fun, but we're protecting our assets.

ASIDE: While historic high water levels put stresses on anyone/anything on the lake shore, our biggest vulnerability comes if/when we have a strong NW or W wind following three or four days of sustained strong NE wind (a "Nor'easter"). Click here to see a short snippet of the destructive storm from March 2017. At 250-lbs+, I could barely stand up to film. Awesome power.

Structure 1: A View From Above

The view from atop our newly constructed water conveyance structure (looking south/southwest); most of the field of view is of the
~40-acre "Rest Pond" (restored starting in 2016) -- the main ~145 acres of our "West Marsh" lies just beyond the open water toward
the top of the shot, and Sandusky Bay wraps this perspective to west (right) and to the north

Well, I finally got my drone in the air over the marsh! I beat this past weekend's crazy winds and took to the sky late Friday afternoon. Lighting was harsh, but the images still provide decent perspective. All were captured just above our recent construction site.

Our new pump and water conveyance structure ("Structure #1") from just inside the marsh, looking west/northwest
(the water on the top half of the image is what we call the "estuary" because it is directly tied to Sandusky Bay where
the cluster of trees jut from the water in the upper left of the image; the highway visible on the upper-right is Route 2)

Similar vantage point, facing more or less due west (image provides good overview of estuary, good view of access
to the open bay, and the winter vegetation within the Rest Pond)

Structure #1, the Rest Pond, and the Main West Marsh from the estuary/bay side of the newly constructed
water conveyance structure

We look forward to gathering more imagery from above -- not only of this project but of other restoration efforts around the property. Check out this post to read more about the many benefits of an aerial perspective.