U.S. patent application number 10/011255 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-29 for shoreline reclamation apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to Allain, Jeffrey R., Hilliard, Wallace J..
Application Number | 20020119009 10/011255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26682170 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020119009 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hilliard, Wallace J. ; et
al. |
August 29, 2002 |
Shoreline reclamation apparatus and method
Abstract
A porous groin and method of use for restoring an eroding
shoreline. The porous groin has at least two vertical supports
placed in the seabed within the eroding water flow and a porous
elongated barrier is attached to the supports such that the barrier
is at least partially within the sediment-laden eroding water flow
of the shoreline with the water flow passing through at least a
portion of the barrier. The endmost seaside support is anchored to
the seabed and the barrier has a lower edge which is retained
proximate to the seabed. The porous barrier then causes the
accretion of suspended solids within the water flow thereby
restoring the eroding shoreline.
Inventors: |
Hilliard, Wallace J.;
(Naples, FL) ; Allain, Jeffrey R.; (Naples,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BOCKHOP & REICH, LLP
3235 Satellite Blvd.
Bldg. 400, Suite 300
Duluth
GA
30096
US
|
Family ID: |
26682170 |
Appl. No.: |
10/011255 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60250628 |
Dec 1, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
405/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/74 |
International
Class: |
E02B 008/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for use in restoring an eroding shoreline, the
shoreline having an eroding water flow impacting thereon, the
eroding water flow including suspended solids therein, the
apparatus comprising: a plurality of spaced vertical supports each
having a lower portion placed in the seabed within the eroding
water flow and an upper portion of the support extended above the
seabed within the water flow, and having an endmost shoreline
vertical support and an endmost seaside vertical support, the
endmost seaside vertical support being anchored to the seabed; a
porous elongated barrier having a top edge and a bottom edge, the
barrier being suspended from the plurality of vertical supports
within the eroding water flow; the barrier having the bottom edge
retained proximate to the seabed; and wherein the porous elongated
barrier causes the accretion of the suspended solids from the water
flow thereby restoring the eroding shoreline.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endmost seaside vertical
support is anchored by a cable extending from the upper portion of
the vertical support to an anchoring means in the seabed.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the anchoring means comprises
at least one Danforth anchor.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the anchoring means comprises
a weight on the seabed.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endmost seaside vertical
support is anchored by driving the endmost seaside vertical support
substantially deeper into the seabed than the remaining plurality
of spaced vertical supports.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous elongated barrier
is held to the upper portion of the vertical support by an elastic
member.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous elongated barrier
is comprised of a flexible mesh.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the porous elongated barrier
is reefable so as to raise the barrier bottom edge in the vertical
direction.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the porous elongated barrier
has at least one intermediate reefing line extending substantially
horizontally along its length.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous elongated barrier
is repositionable upon the vertical supports so as to raise the
barrier bottom edge in the vertical direction.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous elongated barrier
has a plurality of weights affixed thereto.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spaced
vertical supports has a rope cleat for attachment of the porous
elongated barrier.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the barrier bottom edge is
retained proximate to the seabed with a weighted barrier bottom
edge.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the barrier bottom edge is
retained proximate to the seabed by staking the bottom edge to the
seabed in at least one location between the vertical supports.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous elongated barrier
has a porosity that varies in a vertical direction.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality
of spaced vertical supports has a high visibility coating upon the
upper portion thereof.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the endmost
vertical supports has a light reflective material affixed
thereto.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the endmost
vertical supports has a light affixed thereto.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the vertical
supports have a monofilament line stretched therebetween above the
top edge of the porous elongated barrier.
20. A method of restoring an eroding shoreline having an eroding
water flow impacting thereon, the eroding water flow including
suspended solids therein, the method comprising the steps of:
placing a plurality of vertical supports in the seabed in the
eroding water flow, with an endmost seaside vertical support being
anchored in the seabed; suspending from the vertical supports a
porous elongated barrier having a top edge and a bottom edge, the
bottom edge retained proximate to the seabed, and the porous
elongated barrier in the eroding water flow; accreting the
suspended solids from the eroding water flow with the elongated
barrier; and periodically raising the bottom edge of the elongated
barrier out of the accreted solids by partially extracting the
plurality of vertical supports from the seabed.
21. An apparatus of for use in restoring an eroding shoreline, the
shoreline having an eroding water flow impacting thereon, the
eroding water flow including suspended solids therein, the
apparatus comprising: a supporting means for supporting a barrier
in the eroding water flow; the supporting means anchored in the
seabed; an accreting means for accreting sand suspended within the
eroding water flow as the flow impacts the barrier, the accreting
means supported on the supporting means within the eroding water
flow; and whereby the accreting means causes the accretion of the
suspended solids from the water flow.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Serial No. 60/250,628, filed on Dec. 1, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and
methods to restore or prevent erosion of shorelines and beaches.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus
and method for shoreline reclamation that uses a plurality of
stanchions and a porous barrier fastened to the stanchions to
create a temporary structure that is placed in the water flow,
proximate to the shoreline, and the structure causes accretion of
sediment suspended in the water flow.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Shorelines on bodies of moving water, such as rivers and
oceans, will erode from natural processes removing material from
the shoreline. This erosive process is sometimes referred to as
"scour, " and the natural processes of movement of material along a
coastal shoreline are referred to as littoral processes. In scour,
the moving water suspends the material at one location in the
flowing water and then redeposits the material at some other
location. Many factors specific to the particular shoreline and
water velocities can enhance erosion phenomenon.
[0006] One significant factor is the consistency of the material
comprising the shoreline. A sandy beach is easily eroded by a slow
and steady stream of water, and can be quickly eroded in very
turbulent and fast moving water such as the seas associated with a
major storm. Conversely, shoreline comprised of mostly rocks or
larger sediment will be much less susceptible to erosion.
[0007] Shoreline erosion is a serious problem because most of the
urban areas of the world are ports having urban development right
up to the shoreline. There are often structural improvements
present at and near the shoreline, such as private beach homes,
hotels, bridges, retaining structures, and the like, and shoreline
erosion progressively undermines the foundations thereof and
threatens the physical integrity of the structures over time. There
are also many regions with beach tourism as their main industry,
and thus, beach erosion can cause these regions significant
economic harm by removing the main tourist attraction.
[0008] There have been many devices and methods of hydraulic and
earth engineering employed in the attempt to preserve shorelines or
other areas subject to the erosive influence of moving water. The
main method of combating erosion is to simply renourish an eroding
beach with a fresh supply of dredged sand. This method has many
problems associated with it however. The dredged sand often does
not match the existing color of sand on the beach and diminishes
the aesthetic appearance of the beach. The dredged sand can also
contain rocks or other solid objects that can hinder water sports
such as swimming or surfing, and can hurt the bare feet of waders
upon the renourished beach.
[0009] Other methods to prevent shoreline erosion fortify the
eroding shoreline with blocks, cement and the like so as to form a
prophylactic layer over the region of the shoreline that would
otherwise be subject to the erosive effects of the moving water.
However, due to the weight and bulk of the fortifying materials,
such "armoring" techniques are often difficult to install on the
shoreline and adequately anchor the armor to the underlying
shoreline, whether beach, bank or both. The armored structures
often result in permanent structures that are not easily removed
from the shoreline and prevent full enjoyment of the region of the
shoreline that they overlay.
[0010] Jetties or groins are also known for attempting to control
shoreline erosion. As is well known to those skilled in the art,
each shoreline has a natural water direction and flow rate in
accord with which the erosive flow migrates. In the typical
construction, a jetty of stone or other permanent formation is
built into the shore so as to form a jetty traverse the natural
flow direction of the shoreline. While the jetty has the
advantageous effect of promoting local sediment deposition, the
jetty has a distinct disadvantage in that it causes downstream and
upstream erosion. And if too many jetties are installed along a
given region of shoreline, the jetties may alter the dynamic
equilibrium of the shoreline and undesirably change the shape of
the beach as a whole, especially when the shoreline is subject to a
significant erosive event such as a storm or flood.
[0011] There are other shore and bank protection techniques and
devices known in the art that attempt to control erosion by
attenuating the energy, velocity, and/or direction of a potentially
erosive water flow with the use of temporary structures placed on
the shoreline. Several of these devices are porous groin structures
using either flexible or rigid nets, screens, or filters placed on
the shoreline substantially perpendicularly to the shoreline and
extending into the surf. The porous groins are placed in the tidal
and longshore currents and function much in the same way as a jetty
to causes sand to accrete around the porous groin. The porous groin
must be constantly moved or removed from the accreting sand or else
extreme force must be used to dislodge the porous groin from the
accreted sediment. Further, the forces of the surf can often
dislodge portions of the groin that are constantly impacted by the
water flow.
[0012] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a device
and method for shoreline restoration that uses temporary structures
to renourish the beach. Such device and method should renourish the
beach without adversely altering the surrounding shoreline, and
should use such temporary structures as are not significantly
dislodged from the wave action and current. It is thus to such a
shoreline reclamation device and method that the present invention
is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the
present invention which, in one aspect, is an apparatus for use in
restoring an eroding shoreline. The eroding shoreline having an
eroding water flow impacting thereon and the eroding water flow
including suspended solids therein. The apparatus includes a
plurality of spaced vertical supports, and a porous elongated
barrier suspended from the supports which causes the accretion of
the suspended solids within the eroding water flow. The vertical
supports have a lower portion which is placed in the seabed within
the eroding water flow, and an upper portion which extends above
the seabed within the water flow. The plurality of vertical
supports terminate in an endmost shoreline and seaside vertical
support. The end most seaside vertical support is anchored to the
seabed. The porous elongated barrier is suspended from the
plurality of vertical supports within the eroding water flow. The
barrier has a top edge and a bottom edge, the barrier bottom edge
is retained proximate to the seabed. The porous elongated barrier
causes the accretion of the suspended solids within the water flow,
thus restoring the eroding shoreline.
[0014] In another aspect, the endmost seaside vertical support is
anchored to the seabed by a cable extending from the upper portion
of the support to an anchoring means in the seabed. The anchoring
means may be at least one Danforth anchor. The anchoring means may
also be a weight resting upon the seabed. The endmost seaside
support may also be anchored by driving the support substantially
deeper into the seabed than the remaining plurality of spaced
vertical supports. To retain the porous elongated barrier against
the vertical supports, the porous elongated barrier may be held to
the upper portion of the vertical support by an elastic member.
[0015] In yet another aspect, the porous elongated barrier is
comprised of a flexible mesh that is reefable so that the bottom
edge of the barrier is raised in the vertical direction. To aid in
reefing, the flexible mesh barrier preferably has at least one
intermediate reefing line extending substantially horizontally
along the barrier length. The flexible mesh barrier may also be
repositioned upon the vertical supports so as to raise the barrier
bottom edge in the vertical direction. The flexible mesh barrier
has a plurality of weights affixed to the mesh and at least one of
the spaced vertical supports has a rope cleat for attachment of the
barrier to the vertical support.
[0016] The porous elongated barrier preferably has a weighted
bottom edge to retain the bottom edge proximate to the seabed.
Alternatively, the bottom edge of the barrier may be retained
proximate to the seabed by staking the bottom edge to the seabed in
at least one location between the vertical supports, or both a
weighted bottom edge and staking may be used. To enhance the
performance of the device, the porous elongated barrier can be
embodied with a porosity that varies in a vertical direction.
Further, to increase the visibility and safety of the device, at
least one of the plurality of spaced vertical supports preferably
has a high visibility coating upon the support upper surface, and
at least one of the endmost vertical supports preferably has a
light reflective material, or a light affixed to the support.
Finally, to protect indigenous birds, at least two of the vertical
supports preferably have a monofilament line stretched between them
above the porous elongated barrier, wherein birds are discouraged
from sitting upon the apparatus.
[0017] The invention further provides a method of restoring an
eroding shoreline having an eroding water flow impacting thereon,
the eroding water flow including suspended solids therein, the
method including the steps of placing a plurality of vertical
supports in the seabed in the eroding water flow, with an endmost
seaside vertical support being anchored in the seabed, suspending
from the vertical supports a porous elongated barrier having a top
edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge retained proximate to the
seabed, and the porous elongated barrier in the eroding water flow,
accreting the suspended solids from the eroding water flow with the
elongated barrier, and periodically raising the bottom edge of the
elongated barrier out of the accreted solids by partially
extracting the plurality of vertical supports from the seabed.
[0018] These and other aspects of the invention will become
apparent from the following description of the preferred
embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As
would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and
modifications of the invention may be effected without departing
from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the
disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side-perspective view of the apparatus for
shoreline reclamation installed on a shoreline.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a side-perspective view of a section of the
apparatus for shoreline reclamation installed on the shoreline, and
particularly illustrating the supports driven into the seabed and
end support anchored to the seabed.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side-perspective view of one embodiment of the
invention, and particularly illustrating an elastic member used to
hold the webbing against the stanchions.
[0022] FIG. 4A is the beach restoration apparatus within a
sediment-laden water flow
[0023] FIG. 4B is the beach restoration apparatus of FIG. 4A,
within a sediment-laden water flow in the direction of Arrow F
through the porous elongated barrier, and the barrier is causing
sediment to accrete from the water flow onto the seabed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] With reference to the figures in which like numerals
represent like elements throughout, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first
embodiment of the apparatus 10 for shoreline reclamation. As shown
in FIG. 1, a plurality of stanchions 20 are driven into the seabed
15, and webbing 30 is fastened therebetween. The stanchions 20 and
webbing 30 extend into the surf of the shoreline from the high tide
water line 34 to the low tide water line 36. The stanchions 20 can
be made of any rigid material such as Schedule 80 PVC, galvanized
steel channels, or molded or cast polyethylene (PET). One preferred
construction of the stanchions 20 is the use of 2 lbs/ft
galvanized, rib-back u-shaped channels (not shown) that average 12
feet in length. If portions of stanchions 20 are required, the
channel can be cut in half or to any desired length, and if longer
stanchions are required, sections may be bolted together using
stainless steel fasteners. Further, it is preferable that the top
of each stanchion 20 is marked with international orange paint 26
or other bright paint and a caution light 40 is placed on the top
of the end stanchion 24 to make the apparatus 10 highly visible to
boaters and beachgoers. To protect the indigenous bird population,
it is preferable that a monofilament line 28 stretch across the top
of the stanchions 20 to deter birds from attempting to land on the
apparatus 10.
[0025] The webbing 30 is preferably made from a flexible material,
such as nylon, and can have various sizes of meshes, depending upon
the sediment grain size and other factors specific to project
location. The mesh size may also vary between different vertical
locations within the same webbing. The variable mesh size will be
chosen to compliment the different dynamic surf conditions
experienced by the webbing 30 at different elevations over the
seabed 15 and will optimize the sand accretion rate generated by
the apparatus 10. Various colors of webbing 30 can be used
according to existing factors at project location, such as
brackishness of water and indigenous wildlife populations. The
webbing 30 can be attached to the stanchions 20 in individual
segments or alternately, one contiguous piece of webbing 30 can be
connected to stanchions 20 at various points in the length of the
webbing 30.
[0026] As further shown in FIG. 2, the webbing 30 is held up by a
suspension line 42 strung between the upper ends of the stanchions
20, and secured to the stanchions with rope cleats 44. The
suspension line 42 keeps the webbing 30 stable and taut within the
water of the surf. Any slack in the suspension line may be removed
by coiling excess cable upon the rope cleat 44 and stanchion 20.
The suspension line is preferably comprised of twisted rope, either
of nylon or another flexible and durable material. At the webbing
bottom edge 46 preferably is a chain 48 to keep the webbing 30
proximate to the seabed 15. The chain 48 can run the entire length
of the apparatus 10, or alternately, can be cut into separate
segments and attached at the bottom edge 46 of each segment of
webbing 30 and secured to bottom of each stanchion 20 by a movable
tie such that the segment of webbing 30 can be individually raised
as sand and sediment is accreted on the bottom of the webbing
30.
[0027] The webbing 30 is preferably attached to a top reefing line
50 comprised of {fraction (5/16)}" twisted rope, either of nylon or
another flexible and durable material. The top reefing line 50 will
be woven through the top course of the webbing 30, and is
preferably segmented between stanchions 20. The segmentation of the
top reefing line 50 is advantageous because in the event of failure
in any one top reefing line 50, the integrity of the remaining
reefing lines 50 and of the entire suspension line 42 will not be
jeopardized. The webbing 30 and top reefing line 50 are affixed to
the suspension line 42 preferably by orange wire ties 54. Such
attachment method facilitates installation and replacement of any
segment of the webbing 30 and the adjustment of slack in the
webbing 30.
[0028] The webbing 30 is connected to the stanchions 20 preferably
through connector rings 58 which encircle a stanchion 20 and secure
the webbing 30 to ensure it remains taut, also allowing the webbing
30 to be reefed by sliding the connector rings 58 up the stanchion
20 as sand is accreted. Alternatively, the webbing 30 may be held
to the stanchions 20 by attaching wire ties down the length of each
stanchion 20 and through the webbing 30. The wire ties can be
adjusted as necessary to ensure tautness of the webbing 30 between
the stanchions 20. If it is necessary to weight down the webbing 30
due to the force of the water, snap-on lead weights 64 can be
attached within the webbing 30 along with the chain 48 at the
bottom. In very strong surf, it is preferred that the webbing 30
have weights 64 attached throughout its lower portion at about
every six inches. The bottom edge 46 of the webbing 30 can also be
pinned to the seabed 15 with stakes 68 driven at intermediate
points between stanchions 20 in addition to the chain 48, or the
stakes 68 can solely be used to hold the bottom edge 46 proximate
to the seabed 15. The stakes 68 immobilize the bottom edge of the
webbing 30 between stanchions 20 and thus reduces the compliance of
the webbing 30 as a whole as the surf impinges upon the apparatus
10.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, stabilizing cables 70 anchor the end
stanchions 24,74 of the apparatus. The end stanchions 24,74 are
under the greatest pressure from the tension of the suspension line
42 and webbing 30, and also due to the forces exerted by moving
water on the apparatus 10. The preferred stabilization occurs from
two cables 70 that are attached at the top of each end stanchion
24,74 and extend down to anchors 78 embedded in the seafloor. The
anchor 78 can be a traditional sea-floor anchor such as a Danforth
Anchor, a weight such as a mobile home tie (which is made of
galvanized steel), or the end stanchion 24,74 can be fastened to
another fixed structure that may be present in proximity to the end
stanchion. As also shown in FIG. 2, the end stanchions 24,74 may be
driven substantially deeper into the seabed 15 than the
intermediate stanchions 20, in which case the end stanchions 24,74
are proportionately longer so as to achieve the same exposure above
the high tide water line 34 as the intermediate stanchions 20. When
viewed from the side, each stanchion-stabilizing cable 70 should be
positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle from the anchor 78 to
the top of the end stanchions 24,74 to which they are attached. In
a top view, the two stabilizing cables 70 should extend to either
side of the long axis of the apparatus 10. Turn-buckles 82 are
preferably used in the stanchion stabilizing cables 70 to make
minute adjustments to tension on the length of the apparatus
10.
[0030] Within the webbing 30 are one or more intermediate reefing
lines 86 which assist in reefing the webbing 30 to adjust to
accretion and profile changes in the sea-floor bottom. As the
webbing 30 is reefed, the bottom edge 46 of the webbing is
partially extracted from the accreting seabed. As mentioned above,
the top reefing line 50, which is suspended from the suspension
line 42, is also used to secure excess webbing 30 which is reefed
up as the sediment is accreted around the bottom edge 46 of the
webbing 30. The reefing lines 50,86 allow excess webbing to be
gathered towards the suspension line 42, and secured with wire ties
54 or other fasteners, which ensures compactness of the webbing 30
and prevention of the bottom edge 46 of the webbing 30 from
becoming too enmeshed in the accreting seabed 15. Alternatively,
the bottom edge 46 of the webbing 30 may be elevated in the
accreting seabed 15 by raising the webbing as a whole by partially
extracting the supporting stanchions out of the accreted seabed.
The stanchions may be extracted by known methods such as jacking or
hydraulic lifting an appropriate amount to elevate the bottom edge
46 in the accreting seabed 15. In this manner, no reefing of the
webbing is required and the apparatus 10 is elevated as an assembly
as the seabed 15 rises.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment for the
connection of the webbing 30 to the stanchions 20 is the use of
bungee cords 60. The bungee cords 60 are secured to the bottom of
each stanchion 20 using a connector ring 58. The bungee cords 60
are then stretched and hooked to the rope cleat 44 at the top of
each stanchion, with the webbing 30 captured between the bungee
cord and the stanchion. The bungee cord 60 then retains the webbing
30 against the stanchion 20 without the chaffing of the webbing
material associated with more rigid connection techniques.
[0032] The apparatus 10 is installed by inserting the stanchions 20
into the shoreline and sea-bottom though known methods such as
jet-pumping or mechanical driving, to an approximate depth of 50%
of overall length. Each end stanchion 24,74 of the apparatus 10 is
preferably driven to a minimum depth of 8 ft, and deeper if
required due to a significant anticipated load from the surf. When
the rib-back u-shaped channels are used, they can be pre-drilled
with holes one inch on center to accept the fastening of lights,
signs, ropes, wire ties, caution tape, and the like. Further,
height adjustments of the stanchions 20 are easily achieved by
splicing the channel and bolting with stainless steel bolts. The
end stanchions 24,74 may then be additionally braced with
stabilizing cables 70 affixed to anchors 78.
[0033] Once the stanchions 20 are secured and placed at the
preferred heights, the suspension line 42 is secured to the rope
cleats 44 at the top of the stanchions 20, and then the webbing 30
is secured to each stanchion 20, and the reefing lines 50,86 are
inserted through the segments of the webbing 30. Once the top
reefing line 50 is inserted into the webbing 30, the top reefing
line 50 can be secured to the suspension line 42 with wire ties 54.
Tightening the reefing lines or fastening additional portions of
the webbing 30 to the stanchions can correct any undesired slack
within the webbing 30. If the webbing 30 does not have a chain 48
already inserted into its bottom portion prior to attachment to the
stanchions 20, the chain 48 is then interwoven into the bottom
portion of the webbing 30, either segment by segment or throughout
the entire length of the webbing 30. Weights 64 may then be
installed along the length of the mesh if required by the
prevailing surf conditions at the installation location. The
webbing bottom edge 46 may then be pinned to the seabed 15 using
stakes 68.
[0034] In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the apparatus 10
is placed in seabed 15, preferably such that a portion of the
apparatus 10 is above the high tide water line 34, so that the
apparatus is visible and does not pose a water hazard. The
apparatus 10 is also placed in the seabed 15 preferably such that
the webbing 30 is generally perpendicular to the direction of the
main erosive water flow, which in the case of a coastal shoreline,
is typically the longshore transport, but the apparatus 10 will
also work with non-orthogonal water flows. In FIG. 4B, once the
sediment-laden water flow begins to flow through at least a portion
of the webbing 30, the water flow shown in the direction of Arrow
F, the apparatus 10 begins to cause the accretion of the sediment
suspended in the water, as shown by the accreting sediment 90. The
accreting sediment 90 also can cover the bottom edge 46 of the
webbing 30, such that the bottom edge of the webbing is entrapped
in the accreting seabed 15 to the depth of lower edge 92. The
webbing 30 should thus be occasionally pulled out of the accreting
sediment 90 such that the covered bottom edge 46 does not become
too buried within the accreting sediment whereby extreme force must
be used to extract the webbing. As long as the webbing 30 is
periodically raised through the methods herein described, the
entire apparatus 10 can be easily be removed from the shoreline by
detaching the webbing from the stanchions 20 and removing same, and
then extracting the stanchions from the beach.
[0035] While there has been shown a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, it is to be understood that certain changes may
be made in the forms and arrangement of the elements and steps of
the method for shoreline reclamation without departing from the
underlying spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *