Volume 1, Issue 3: Fall 2008 - North Inlet

North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Estuaries Illustrated
Volume 1, Issue 3
Fall 2008
The Bioretention Swale
More than just a ditch!
Innovation is the key to meeting development needs
while maintaining environmental integrity. One of the
newest such innovations is the bioretention swale,
or bioswale. Sometimes referred to as “engineered
ditches”, these low-impact stormwater management
systems are gaining a lot of attention from engineers,
designers, and others.
The North InletWinyah Bay NERR
and ACE Basin
NERR
Coastal
Training
Programs, along with
a slew of partners, hosted three
days of training
workshops
on When vegetation is completely estabbioswale design lished, the bioswales will create attractive
and installation to and functional landscaping features between the streets and homes of the Oak
meet the demand
Terrace Preserve neighborhood.
for knowledge on
the subject among
those who are responsible for seeing these new ideas
implemented on the ground.
After a classroom-based seminar, participants were
transported to the Oak Terrace Preserve. Participants
had the opportunity to see first-hand what a finished
bioswale looks like and how it functions, as well as bioswale preconstruction on some of the site’s future development phases. By the end of the day, participants
were well-versed on how bioswales far exceed the
standard stormwater drainage ditch. These swales are
not constructed in isolation, however. The entire Oak
Terrace Preserve site has been designed with stormwater in mind, and includes pervious paver alleyways
and pocket parks into which the bioswales drain, all
of which together provide additional stormwater filtration and retention prior to ultimate discharge into
local Filbin Creek. Some homes will also have rain gardens and rain barrels for additional retention.
It’s important for engineers to see how these systems
are designed on paper, as well as how they are constructed in the field. The Oak Terrace Preserve development offers an additional bonus of many lessons
learned for those interested in installing bioswales
elsewhere, and gaining acceptance for these techniques among permitting agencies, local government,
and the public. It also gets people thinking outside the
box when they see a site that has been designed comAt the end of October, about 75 engineers, architects, prehensively to address stormwater quality and quandesigners, planners, stormwater managers, develop- tity.
ers, and others traveled from as far away as Savannah, Bioswales- continued on page 7
GA and South Carolina’s upstate to attend these workshops. The days began with technical design seminars
by Mike Horton of Davis & Floyd Engineering, and Elias
Deeb of The Noisette Company. They are project coordinators for the redevelopment of Oak Terrace Preserve, a North Charleston community that is being
revitalized and retrofit with a number of low impact
stormwater practices, including bioswales.
ss
sSeason’s Greetings
Fall at North Inlet-Winyah Bay
“…two species that also occur in the adjacent salt shrub
thickets intermix with the short Spartina: sea lavender…and salt marsh aster…adding a touch of color to
the otherwise drab salt marshes.”
A Guide to Wildflowers of South Carolina,
Porcher and Rayner, 2001.
Obviously Porcher and Rayner were not describing a
South Carolina salt marsh in the fall. Fall color in southeastern salt marshes may be a little more subtle than
the orange sugar maples of the north, but the autumn
yellows, oranges and reds
can be seen here too. Common glasswort forms mats of
orange-red across the high
marsh and in the low marsh
the cordgrass develops a
golden shade. Goldenrod
along the marsh edge blooms
in September and October
and is a good place to look
for bees and butterflies. In
November the berries of the
yaupon holly develop their
glossy red color.
and observe birds from a distance great enough that
they do not show signs of agitation.
Of course, the most appetizing event of fall in coastal
South Carolina is the opening of oyster and clam season, which generally runs mid-September to mid-May.
South Carolina residents can buy an annual shellfish
harvesting license for $10, and according to the state
Department of Natural Resources, roughly 80,000 residents buy one yearly. Two U.S. Bushels of oysters and
one-half U.S. Bushel of clams may be harvested per
person, per day. Oyster roasts are a culturally and economically important right of winter and early spring
in the lowcountry. However, the closing of oysAutumn is also a good time ter canneries and most
to welcome back the many shucking houses and the
bird species that spend the increasing popularity of
Cordgrass (top), golden rod
winter along the South Caro- backyard oyster roasts,
(middle) and yaupon holly
(bottom) provide fall color in lina coast. Black-bellied plo- after which shells typivers return from the Arctic cally end up in driveways
coastal South Carolina.
(without their black bellies). and landfills, have conAlso returning from the north are the Dunlin (the most tributed to a shortage
abundant wintering shorebird), the greater and lesser of shucked oyster shell
yellowlegs, semipalmated plovers, and the endangered needed to cultivate oyspiping plover. Beaches, sand bars, and mud flats pro- ter beds. Sixteen oyster shell drop-off sites have been
vide important roosting and feeding habitats for these established by DNR in convenient locations along the
birds which must rest and store energy for the long mi- SC coast in order to encourage the recycling of oyster
grations back to their breeding grounds, so please take shells. To learn more about the South Carolina Oyster
care to avoid disturbing them. Minimize boat wake Restoration and Enhancement program, visit http://
around roosting areas, keep dogs from running loose score.dnr.sc.gov/.
and chasing birds, walk around resting or feeding birds,
2E stuaries I llustrated
NI-WB Staff attend National Meeting in California
Staff members from the 27 Nanity to experience the Monterey Bay
tional Estuarine Research ReAquarium during an evening recepserves came together at the Asilotion, and explored the site of the
mar Conference Center in Pacific
host reserve, Elkhorn Slough NERR,
Grove, California, for the annual
during a day of field trips and workNational Estuarine Research Reshops. The Elkhorn Slough reserve
serve System/National Estuarine
encompasses the largest tract of tidResearch Reserve Association
al salt marsh in California outside of
meeting. The theme of this year’s
San Francisco Bay and provides habimeeting was “NERRS and Sea
tat for hundreds of species of plants
level Change: Focusing Partner- Election day rainbow at Asilomar Beach.
and animals in oak woodlands, tidal
ships and Integration for a Changcreeks, and freshwater marshes.
ing Coast.” Dr. Joshua Collins, Environmental Scientist,
San Francisco Estuary Institute, Dr. Kirstin Dow, Associ- The Asilomar State
ate Professor, University of South Carolina, Dr. Amber Beach and Conference
Pairis, Climate Change Advisor, California Department Grounds was originally
Fish & Game, and Dr. John Day, Distinguished Profes- established in 1913 as
sor Emeritus, Dept. of Oceanography and Coastal Sci- a YWCA retreat. Noted
ences, Louisiana State University provided information architect Julia Morgan
and insight on estuarine science and stewardship in designed eleven of the
the context of climate change and sea level rise. Par- Arts & Crafts architecticipants then met in small break-out groups to discuss tural style buildings An historic building at Asilomar
a NERR system-wide, multi-disciplinary approach for that make up the 107- designed by Julia Morgan.
addressing sea level change and enhancing coastal sus- acre protected retreat.
tainability.
In 1956, Asilomar and the property along the coastline became a unit of the California State Park System,
Speakers Bill Dennison, Vice President, Science Appli- which protects Monterey Pine, Coast Live Oak forest, a
cations, Integration and Application Network, and Dale Natural Dune Preserve and rocky coastline habitats.
Willman, Executive Editor, Field Notes Productions,
presented at a plenary session “Putting NERRs Science Next year’s annual NERRS/NERRA meeting will be hostto Work to Build Resilient Natural and Social Systems.” ed by the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research ReOther topics of discussion included the benefits and serve at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego.
application of social science within the NERRs; creating
conservation programming; how to prioritize, design,
and implement research
that gets applied; and applications of advanced
technology to reserve research, stewardship and
education programs.
An evening reception was
held at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium.
There was also time to explore Monterey Bay and the
surrounding areas. Attendees had a unique opportu-
Relaxing California style: Sea lions find a convenient napping
place in Monterey Bay (left). Monarch butterflies rest in trees at
a sanctuary in Pacific Grove (right).
N orth I nlet -W inyah B ay NERR
3
Stash Your Trash!
Beach Sweeps at North Inlet Show Both Shoreline and Ocean Sources
Marine debris is defined as any man-made object that How does the
enters the marine environment due to processes in- marine debris
cluding careless handling or disposal, intentional or in North Inlet
unintentional release of materials, or as a result of compare
to
natural disasters and storms. Wildlife can be injured or the findings of
killed by ingestion and entanglement in debris. Clean- the NMDMP?
up costs, lost revenue from tourism and reductions V o l u n t e e r s
in property associated with marine debris also affect and
reserve
coastal communities.
staff completProportion of marine debris from the shoreThe National Marine Debris Moni- ed sweeps of line, ocean, and other sources found in
toring Program (NMDMP) was the area along North Inlet.
developed to create a standard- the Clambank
ized method of monitoring marine causeway in March, on Hobcaw Beach in September,
debris on beaches in the United and the north end of North Island in October. Clothing
States. Over a five-year study pe- and toys were the dominant land-based debris found.
riod, land-based sources were Plastic beverage bottles and caps, plastic bags and
found to be responsible for ap- food wrappers comprised the majority of the generalproximately 49 % of marine debris source debris. Cigarettes, filters and lighters and shotIt can be difficult to items along beaches. These sourc- gun shells were also found in high numbers. The top
determine the source es include municipal landfills and ocean-based items were buoys and floats, fishing lures
of debris if you are not the transport of litter and waste, and light sticks, and fishing line.
sure what it is.
storm water discharge, industrial
and manufacThe growing population in our coastal
turing, and improper waste manarea has increased the potential for
agement. Ocean-based sources such
marine debris introduction. The 2008
as merchant shipping, ferries and
Report of the Interagency Marine Decruise liners, fishing vessels, public
bris Coordinating Committee makes a
and private vessels, offshore oil and
number of recommendations for regas platforms, drilling rigs, aquaculducing and preventing marine debris.
ture installations, and natural events
Among these recommendations are
were responsible for approximately
the need for education and outreach,
18 % of debris. The remaining 33 %
incentive programs, coordinated reLindsay Thomas helps with the Hobcaw
of shoreline debris was identified Beach Sweep on a breezy day.
moval efforts, research, and technolas general source debris because it
ogy development.
could come from either land- or ocean-based sources.
Plastic bags and bottles made up the majority of the Ways you can prevent marine debris:
general source debris.
;; Reduce, reuse, recycle. Chose reusable items and use fewer disposable ones.
In region 3 of the NMDMP (Morehead City, North Car;
;
Keep
streets, sidewalks, parking lots and storm olina to Port Everglades, Florida) the dominant landdrains free of trash – they empty into our
based items collected included straws, balloons and
oceans.
metal beverage cans. Dominant general-source debris
items were plastic beverage bottles and small plastic ;; Stow all trash, fishing line, and nets on your boat
for proper disposal on land.
bags. The leading debris items associated with ocean;
;
Get involved in cleanups in your area.
based sources were light sticks, rope and fishing line.
4E stuaries I llustrated
Discovery Center Progress
Ground Breaking to Wall Busting
August 11: Ground breaking
Sept. 15: Pouring the slab
Sept. 28: Roof trusses
The ground breaking for the new and expanded
Hobcaw Barony Discovery Center (HBDC) took
place on August 11, 2008. The current HBDC
building was kept fully operational until November 1, after which the building interior was demolished to make space for approximately 1,800
square feet of dedicated exhibit space (compared to the former 500 square feet). The newly
constructed addition includes an audiovisual
room, a classroom, reception area, gift shop and
office space for Baruch Foundation and North Inlet – Winyah Bay NERR education staff. The Belle
W. Baruch Foundation has moved its temporary
base for education programs over to one of the
University of South Carolina cottages near the
front entrance. All major outside construction
activities are being timed around the nesting
season of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker that runs April 15-July 31. It is anticipated
that the building will be ready for occupation in
Fall of 2009.
Nov. 6: Demolition
Sept. 21: Framing
Oct. 7: Closing in
Oct. 20: Siding and roofing begins
Nov. 7: MORE Demolition
Nov. 10: Roof and windows
N orth I nlet -W inyah B ay NERR
5
Notes
The Education Vessel Discovery Makes a Stop in Georgetown
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources staff partnered
with the NI-WB NERR to conduct school programs on the Education
Vessel (E/V) Discovery this Fall. The program utilized a 45’ catamaran
for a variety of hands on educational activities to teach students and
teachers about South Carolina’s marine ecosystem and resources.
While aboard the E/V Discovery, participants had the opportunity to
learn about salt marsh ecology, the value of estuarine and salt marsh
ecosystems, and the biology of animals and plants inhabiting the estuary. SCDNR staff also discussed water quality collection methods,
and the importance of clean water. Reserve staff provided land-based
water quality activities in conjunction with the boat trips.
The Coastal Carolina Discovery Marine Education Program is funded
by the South Carolina Saltwater Recreational Fishing License Program.
For more information please visit www.dnr.sc.gov/ccd/index.html
Reserve Staff Attend SC Marine Educators Association Fall Conference
This year’s South Carolina Marine Educators Association (SCMEA) fall conference was held at Litchfield Beach &
Golf Resort in Pawleys Island, SC, October 10-12th. “A Watershed Weekend” was this year’s meeting theme. Dr.
Erik Smith, NI-WB NERR Research Coordinator, shared research findings from a collaborative research study on
hypoxia events in local waters, and participated in a panel discussion during the conference.
Beth Thomas, NI-WB NERR Education Coordinator, and Karen Fuss, Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education
Consortium Coordinator, gave a presentation titled ‘We All Live Downstream’ about storm water issues and
hands-on solutions such as rain gardens and rain barrels. Wendy Allen, NIWB NERR Manager, and Lindsay Thomas, NIWB NERR Education Specialist, also participated in the conference.
NI-WB NERR Graduate Research Fellowship News
Weihong Wang, one of two current NI-WB NERR Graduate Research Fellows, recently defended her dissertation,
“Investigations of Belowground Carbon Dynamics in East Coast Salt Marshes, USA.” The goal of her study was
to investigate salt marsh belowground carbon dynamics, specifically to distinguish root system respiration from
soil organic matter decomposition. Her research examined marsh dieback sites and healthy marsh sites located
in North Inlet. Results from her study indicate that belowground production of marsh plants is the dominant
organic matter source in salt marsh soils. This study will help to better quantify salt marsh carbon budget, and
help researchers to better understand the influence of climate change and sea-level rise on soil respiration and
carbon sequestration in salt marsh ecosystems.
6E stuaries I llustrated
Notes
Bioswales-continued from page 1
NI-WB Website Under Construction
The Hobcaw Barony Discovery Center isn’t the only
exciting construction project at the NI-WB NERR. The
reserve has contracted with a web designer to develop
a new look and structure for our web-site. The new site
will provide easy access to information about our education, research, stewardship and coastal training programs. We are also working to develop a virtual tour
of the reserve and to provide real time weather and
water data from our Oyster Landing monitoring site.
Look for an announcement of the ‘grand opening’ of
the new web site this spring.
Photographs, Poems, Pencils, and Pluff
Mud Teacher Workshop offered at
Hobcaw Barony
Through the cooperative effort of Center for Ocean
Sciences Education Excellence Southeast (COSEE-SE),
SC Sea Grant, North Inlet-Winyah Bay NERR, and the
SEWEE Association, two sessions of an educator workshop designed to capture the science of the salt marsh
through photography, literature and the visual arts will
be held at the Kimbel Conference Center on Hobcaw
Barony March 13th-15th, 2009. Kevin Kurtz, author of
A Day in the Salt Marsh, nature photographer, Karen
Beshears, and visual arts teacher, Marie Nichols, will
lead the workshops. Formal and informal educators
from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia will
have the opportunity to interact with salt marsh ecology science experts in the field and classroom, address
science topics such as ecosystems, behavior, adaptations, and food webs, work alongside artists to capture
this ecosystem’s unique components, create their own
book or journal to use in the classroom, and obtain
knowledge and skills in science and art to use with
their students. To learn more, please contact Elizabeth
Vernon at elizabeth.vernon@scseagrant.org or (843)
953-2078.
Furthermore, the willingness of engineers and designers, like Horton and Deeb, to take on a project of such
magnitude inspires confidence in their peers who attended the workshops to start applying this knowledge
elsewhere.
For more information about Oak Terrace Preserve,
please visit oakterracepreservesc.com. Additional
partners for this event were SC Sea Grant Consortium,
SC DHEC, and the Ashley-Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium.
Bioswale Installation at Oak Terrace Preserve
A perforated pipe surrounded by porous media
was installed and covered
with soil and grass to temporarily stabilize the site.
The completed bioswale
(see picture on page 1) was
filled in with top soil and
planted with vegetation
that removes pollutants as
storm water filters through
into the perforated pipe.
The water then flows into
a larger drain under the
street that leads into a
pocket park. The park provides storage in the case
of heavy rain and bioswale
overflow, and a useable
green space for residents.
Drains are installed in the
pocket parks, which direct
any excess water being held
in the park underneath
another street and into a
large pond. This holding
pond is the final step in
the stormwater treatment.
From here, the filtered and
cleaned water drains into
a local creek.
N orth I nlet -W inyah B ay NERR
7
Parting Shot
Fond Farewell
In October we bid farewell to Sarah
Foose Thornton who has served as
a very competent, committed, and
cheery research assistant for over
eight years. Sarah worked for the
reserve on a part-time basis out of
love for the marsh and mud (and
maybe the good company), not for
the hourly earnings that probably
did not even cover the costs of her
long commute in recent years. We
wish Sarah all the best and hope she
will come back from time to time to
play in the pluff mud of North Inlet.
Estuaries Illustrated
North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Newsletter
Editor: Jennifer Spicer
Contributors: Lindsay Thomas, Beth Thomas, Nicole Saladin, Wendy Allen
For questions or comments about this publication, or to subscribe to our mailing list,
please contact Jen Spicer at jen@belle.baruch sc.edu, 843-546-6219 ext. 251.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
P.O. Box 1630
Georgetown, South Carolina
29442
Phone: 843-546-6219
Fax: 843-546-1632
www.northinlet.sc.edu
Created in 1972, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is dedicated to conservation, research, education, and
stewardship activities in America’s estuaries—coastal areas where the rivers meet the sea. The North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve was
established in 1992 and is one of 27 reserve sites around the coastal United States. Each reserve receives funding from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and matched resources from the host state agency. The North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve is hosted by the University of South Carolina, Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences. We are headquartered
at the internationally recognized Baruch Marine Field Laboratory in Georgetown, South Carolina.
8E stuaries I llustrated