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Seminar: Development of a living breakwater to protect coastal infrastructure
Dr. Ben Jones
Director of Ocean Science and Technology at the Applied Research Laboratory at the University of Hawai‘i and the principal investigator of the R3D project
*In-person (HOLM243) & via Zoom*
Meeting ID: 896 4271 4403
Passcode: 971524
Sea-level rise and wave-induced flooding during increasingly frequent storm events threaten communities and coastal infrastructure throughout the tropical Pacific region. Natural coral reefs provide substantial protection to shorelines in tropical regions—absorbing and dissipating much of the energy from storm-driven waves. However, the world’s coral reefs are under intense pressure due to marine heat waves as well as other stressors including pollution and overfishing (Setter et al., 2022). Traditional breakwaters and seawalls are imperfect solutions that alter sediment transport dynamics which can affect adjacent beaches; often prevent public access to coastlines; and may require costly maintenance or replacement due to wave-induced scour. Living, submerged, coral-reef breakwaters are an alternative solution that can effectively attenuate over 80% of wave energy while allowing a more natural flow of sediment without reducing public access to coastlines or cultural resources. Additionally, the establishment of a living ecosystem, integral to the structure, reduces maintenance requirements while protecting and even enhancing natural resources. The Rapid Resilient Reefs for coastal Defense (R3D) Consortium has spent over three years developing such a system that is now on the cusp of a major milestone—deployment of the first living coral-reef breakwater. The successes, challenges, and the winding path that this project has taken will be discussed.