Develop design guidelines for shoreline enhancements Sample Clauses

Develop design guidelines for shoreline enhancements. Description: The shoreline and shallow areas of the waters surrounding New York City have been heavily altered over the centuries to meet human demands. These alterations were driven almost exclusively by engineering and economic considerations with little regard to the ecological needs of those waters, aquatic species and the aquatic habitat. As a result, the City’s shoreline has a significantly reduced capacity to provide important habitat for aquatic species, to reduce wave energy, and limit nutrient and sediment delivery from the watershed to the Harbor Estuary. This proposal is based on the observation that new designs for engineered structures in the shore zone that meet engineering and economic requirements, and that enhance and rehabilitate ecologically-degraded shore-zone ecosystems are necessary to guide shoreline restoration projects. To increase our understanding of the ecological functions of shore zone ecosystems, to facilitate future shoreline restoration projects, including those upriver shoreline projects that are currently in progress, and to enhance and protect aquatic habitat and aquatic species in City waters, this project will develop: (a) a classification scheme specific to the urban shoreline habitats of New York City; (b) a comprehensive shoreline and shallow waters characterization and habitat map; and (c) design guidelines and recommendations for managing the City’s shoreline and shallow waters to enhance the ecological function of City waters. This work will be conducted over a period of approximately three (3) years and will create a final report that will be used to guide the design and location of shoreline enhancement projects. The design guidelines presented in the report may be evaluated and/or otherwise implemented at locations along the shorelines of the Xxxxxx, East and Harlem Rivers. Shoreline 139 February 22, 2012 areas near the Project may also be the subject of potential future funding requests, if determined to be feasible, to enhance habitat or water quality in the Project area. Such activities along those rivers may include, for example: (a) selection of one or more locations that would be suitable for a pilot or larger-scale project that would demonstrate and study the effectiveness of ecological enhancement measures identified in the guidelines (such potential sites may include, for example, open space located at the mouth of the Harlem River and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx State Park); (b) monitoring and evaluating the e...