Duke Univeristy Marine Lab, Pivers Island

Description

Pivers Island in Carteret County is home to the Duke Marine Laboratory. It was also once the home of a degrading asbestos bulkhead and a remnant asbestos wall previously used as flounder containment pens. The pens extended nearly 55 feet into tidal water. Before restoration could begin, the upper portion of the bulkhead, and all of the flounder pens had to be demolished and removed. The asbestos sheeting and wood bracing of the flounder pens was removed and properly disposed of at a licensed landfill.

After removal of the existing bulkhead was complete, a stone sill was constructed to protect the eroding shoreline. Oysters lying in the path of construction were relocated to the base of the new stone sill. The site behind the sill was graded to create a naturally sloping bottom. With the help of volunteers and partners, the federation planted the lower portion of the marsh and the upper portion of the slope with local native species of marsh plants, including smooth cord grass and salt meadow hay. An additional 10-foot area beyond the slope was planted with upland plants and shrubs to form a vegetative berm. Shortly after the construction of the sill and the introduction of native vegetation, the once eroded area became a natural, functioning marsh.

Technical Details

Demolition of existing Flounder Pens and 250 feet of bulkhead including asbestos debris. Construction of 300 linear feet of stone sill structure at north end of property, stone revetment along 426 linear feet of bulkhead on western part of property, restore 0.25 acres of tidal marsh, and regrading of upland area for vegetation growth at Duke Marine Lab on the western shore of Pivers Island at 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort in Carteret County, NC.

Funding

Funding agencies and partners for this project include NCCF, Duke University, NOAA, NCDCM, NCDMF, NCDSS, NCWRFP, and RCDB Funding. 

Duke Marine Lab: $55,000

NCCF: $40,000

Total Project Cost: $153,249