In 2012, Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge caused significant flooding across New York City, but in Tottenville, the southernmost neighborhood of Staten Island, it was particularly devastating. In the wake of this damage, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) held the Rebuild by Design competition to develop innovative recovery and resiliency efforts. The Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) is implementing Living Breakwaters, one of the winning proposals, which brings long-term resilience and climate change adaptation to the Staten Island coast.

EnTech provided construction inspection services for this coastal project, which entailed the installation of 2,400 lf of near-shore “breakwaters,” partially submerged structures built of stone and ecologically enhanced concrete. This system is designed to reduce or reverse erosion, mitigate damage from storm waves, and improve the health of Raritan Bay’s ecosystem. To restore their population, live oysters were placed within the breakwaters and at a floating oyster nursery installation.

EnTech inspected materials for quality and conformance to specifications throughout the fabrication, delivery, and installation process, including at quarries, ports, and supply barges. During installation, EnTech’s inspectors worked from offshore barges to observe breakwater conditions and supervise the installation of geotextile, armor stone, and concrete.