Fowl River is a sediment‑starved system losing critical marsh‑spit habitat due to sea‑level rise, subsidence, salinity, boat wakes, and shoreline armoring. A multi‑site Marsh Restoration and Shoreline Stabilization project was undertaken by the ESA–Mobile Bay Estuary Program–University of South Alabama-Thompson Engineering team across five key spits to protect marsh‑edge stability while avoiding impacts to expanding SAV beds.

Timber wave screens were implemented in high‑energy reaches where vegetation alone cannot resist wake‑driven erosion. Their benefits include economical wave attenuation, low impact to SAV, and preservation of habitat transition zones without the wave‑reflection impacts inherent to hardened structures such as bulkheads. The permeable design allows water exchange during tide and surge cycles, prevents trapped‑water scour, and maintains connectivity between marsh and riverine habitat.

The system uses 12‑inch timber piles driven ~25 ft below mudline to withstand conservative crest/trough loading and associated moments. Horizontal slats are staggered at 1‑ft vertical spacing, forming a dual‑screen configuration with potential 60–80% wave‑transmission reduction. The slats were installed from a crest elevation 1-2 feet above current high tide levels and with 1–2 ft bottom clearance provide protection across wide water‑level ranges while minimizing ecological disturbance.

To directly link engineering design of this project with future Gulf restoration practice, pressure‑sensor arrays were deployed riverward and marshward of the timber screens in high‑energy areas at each site. These data provide in‑situ measurements of wave attenuation to evaluate system performance and guide future shoreline protection designs.

This presentation will summarize design rationale, deployment lessons, and monitoring results to inform future Gulf Coast shoreline restoration applications.