Construction begins on Stantec-designed living shoreline project for Virginia’s Pipsico Scout Reservation

Leading global design firm Stantec has completed the design of the Lions Beach Living Shoreline project, which will restore approximately 1,000 linear feet of bank erosion along the James River, near Jamestown Island, in Virginia. The US$1.5 million project is located on the Pipsico Scout Reservation and is funded by the Virginia Environmental Endowment’s James River Water Quality Improvement Program (JRWQIP) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Environmental Quality Resources (EQR), a construction firm specializing in ecosystem restoration, will execute the construction phase of the project, which is set to begin in February 2023.

While Lions Beach sits on a reservation owned by the Boy Scouts of America Tidewater Council, the living shoreline project is being carried out at no cost to the Scouts. Stantec helped secure 50 percent funding for the project through the JRWQIP, as well as third-party matching funds from VDOT to cover the total cost. Local Boy Scout Troops will provide volunteer support for the marsh planting phase of the project.

For the past five years, VDOT has been involved in identifying and implementing living shoreline projects to satisfy its Chesapeake Bay water quality improvement goals. The Lions Beach shoreline has experienced significant ongoing erosion problems that cause tree falls on the beach, inhibit the creation of permanent vegetative cover on the bank, and contribute large amounts of sediment annually to the James River and Chesapeake Bay. Living shorelines involve the use of nature-based elements to protect against shoreline erosion. The design for the Lions Beach project will include the use of rock sills, beach nourishment, and the creation of a new vegetated marsh. Woody habitat log features will also be incorporated into the rock structures to increase biodiversity and create improved fish habitat.

“Eroding shorelines along the James River have an adverse impact on the health of the river and Chesapeake Bay,” said Daniel Proctor, principal and water resources engineer at Stantec. “We’re excited to continue our work protecting these shorelines and improving the water quality for Virginia communities.”

Stantec and EQR have an extensive record of success in environmental engineering and restoration. The team designed a similar project for VDOT at York River State Park, which recently finished construction. The project provides the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation with critical protection of park property at absolutely no cost to the organization. In 2019, Stantec also led the design of a shoreline stabilization project for Chickahominy Riverfront Park in James City County, Virginia. The firm helped the county secure nearly $800,000 in funding for the project through JRWQIP for the creation of living shorelines to counter riverbank erosion and enhance vegetated buffer areas in the park.

About Stantec
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