Nearly One Mile of Shoreline Created
The Swan Point team of Brookfield Homes and U.S. Steel recently completed a nearly one mile shoreline restoration of the Potomac River at the waterfront community of Swan Point in southern Charles County, Maryland.
In the past 40 years, the Swan Point peninsula had lost in excess of 50 feet of Potomac shoreline from the tree line to the water to erosion caused primarily from hurricanes and other large storms. Markers in the water indicated where the land had been in 1972 and prior to Hurricane Isabel in September 2003.
Even greater was the loss of wildlife habitat and shoreline vegetation. What was once a shoreline offering refuge to fish, birds and other wildlife, as well as a place for residents to walk along the beach, was gone. In its place, 2 to 16 foot cliffs with specimen trees remained and falling into the water with each foot of land lost to the water as well as protective grasses washed away. Without action to restore the shoreline, 1 – 3 feet would continue to be lost each year.
“It was really disheartening to see all the damage that was happening along this beautiful stretch of the Potomac River,” said Richard Dengler, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Land at Brookfield Homes. “We knew it would be a challenge to restore the shoreline but knew it had to be done.”
Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Environment and Maryland’s Water Management Administration and Charles County, the Swan Point team created a plan to restore the mile long stretch of Potomac shoreline. The plan included creating a living shoreline with plants and organic materials to create a more natural, sustainable shoreline.
“I commend the Swan Point team on the remarkable work they undertook to restore this stretch of the Potomac shoreline,” said Candice Quinn Kelly, President, Charles County Board of Commissioners. “This is a prime example of what can be done when the private and public sectors work together with the community to improve our environment.”
The restoration project was intensive utilizing:
• 110,000 yards of sand
• 24,000 tons of rocks and boulders
•  
