Protecting Jockey’s Ridge State Park
Jockey’s Ridge State Park is a premier destination on the Outer Banks. In fact, it is the most visited state park in all of North Carolina, hosting nearly 1.9 million visitors in 2020. The park has more than 400 acres of living, active dune; maritime forests; and nearly a mile of estuarine shoreline.
Erosion issues cause concern
This shoreline is a mix of sandy beach and fringing coastal marsh. Since the park was established, erosion along the shoreline has been a concern. This erosion is attributed partially to development pressures from the 1970s that were never mitigated for, partially to the living-active dune system that can blow sand onto the fringing coastal marsh, and partially to the erosional forces of the Roanoke Sound and recreational activities.
A high-priority area of the Jockey’s Ridge shoreline was selected for restoration work. It included offshore rock sills and native plantings. The North Carolina Coastal Federation (NCCF) engaged Quible & Associates, P.C., (now WithersRavenel) to provide project design, permitting, surveying, and management. The Phase I rock enhancement was completed in 2024.
Funding for Jockey’s Ridge Park improvements
The project was funded by a variety of public and private grants. Seven grants contributed to the restoration project, including the Dare Tourism Impact Grant, Fish America Foundation, as well as several private foundation grants.
Restoring the marsh
Marsh grass plants have been installed with the use of volunteers during the spring and summer of 2023 and 2024. Species used include: Spartina patens, Juncus roemarianus, Spartina alterniflora as well as some native bulrush and other native wetland vegetation.
The restored marsh will support submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) by creating a protected, shallow water zone. It will have the right depth and bottom type to attract many SAV species.
Quible then performed an as-built survey of the Phase I Sill System. Quible also completed a shoreline, SAV, and bathymetric survey of the Jockey’s Ridge Property. The success of the Phase I enhancement work prompted the Park and NCCF to pursue a living shoreline expansion, referred to as Phase II.
Phase II expansion
The expansion location is from the north end of the existing sill system to the north park property line. This includes about 888 LF of new rock installation. It includes 400 LF of main sills, 90 LF of overlap protection, and 398 LF of marsh toe revetment. This northern park area is the preferred living shoreline expansion location.
