Geotextile Tube Applications as Breakwaters for Wetland Restoration

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and its customers dredge to maintain 25,000 miles of navigation river, lake, and coastal channels, as well as numerous flood control projects, and as part of the permitting process for US Navy homeporting, private and public marinas, and for dredge-and-fill permitted projects. Only a tiny fraction of this has been considered for use in tubes, or involves tube projects for wetland restoration. However, the low costs associated with using tubes as breakwaters for wetland restoration and beneficial uses of dredged material projects have made it an area of intense discussion and concern. Virtually all of the wetland restoration tube projects constructed have involved recognized functions of wetlands such as fish and wildlife habitats, sediment management, and erosion control. In years past, the Corps generally used unconfined disposal with a primary purpose of navigation and channel maintenance; however, a secondary purpose resulted in the habitat creation and/or restoration on islands, wetlands, and along shorelines.