SBIR Phase I: A wave attenuation technology for oyster reef restoration and small dock protection

The broader impact/commercialization potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in advancing oyster reef restoration efforts by improving the understanding of oyster reef formation at the individual level and improving the resilience of waterfront infrastructure including small docks. This project will develop a technology that could improve ecosystem services and private dock protection.

The socioeconomic importance of intact infrastructure and coastal protection includes maintaining property values, economic job opportunities, and supporting coastal infrastructure by minimizing erosion.

This project is focused on a shallow water wave attenuation system that does not restrict water flow behind it and does not create sediment accretion. This system is needed for both oyster reef restoration and the protection of small docks. Oyster reefs do not establish in areas that have been channelized and are then subjected to both boat waking and increased fetch due to the increased wave energy.

The proposed system will be indexed to the water surface and will adapt to changes in water height but will necessarily be anchored to the bottom. What is unknown in this project is how rigidly the system has to encounter oncoming waves in order to both survive extreme events and not absorb too much wave energy as to limit water flow. The development of a nontoxic and biocompatible prototype would provide the data necessary to project both economic and hedonic valuation.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.