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North Channel -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1957, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged an area separating Balder's Pond and the Rehoboth Bay on Delaware's Atlantic Coast as part of a program to obtain sand for beach replenishment. Soon after the dredging program, tidal currents widened and deepened this newly created North Channel until it became a major hydraulic connection between the bay and the Atlantic Ocean. In an effort to return this location to its original use as a destination for recreational and commercial boating, Delaware's Division of Parks and Recreation decided to build a 250-slip marina. Duffield Associates was selected to conduct hydraulic, sediment movement, and environmental studies. After conducting an extensive evaluation, the Duffield team recommended that the man-made North Channel be closed thereby returning tidal flow patterns to pre-1957 configurations and creating a safer harbor for boaters. We developed a hybrid design that combined a stone core dike, sand fill contained by geotextiles, and armoring stone. The construction of this innovative design cost 50% less than a typical structure. Extensive use of natural construction materials enabled the structure to complement its environment while minimizing impact to existing underwater habitat. Duffield's design for the North Channel Closure was awarded the Consulting Engineers Council of Delaware's First Merit Award for Engineering Excellence. Restoring historical land configurations and tidal flow patterns
improved water quality and created a safe and environmentally sound
harbor. |
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Georgetown,
DE
Philadelphia, PA Carlisle,
PA Stone
Harbor, NJ North
East , MD