SUMMARY 



Beak Consultants Incorporated conducted a state of the art review of the 

 biological impacts of minor shoreline structures on the coastal environment. 

 The types of structures included in this study were as follows: breakwaters, 

 jetties, groins, bulkheads, revetments, ramps, piers and other support struc- 

 tures, buoys and floating platforms, harbors for small craft, bridges and 

 causeways. 



A total of 555 information sources were obtained at which approximately 

 220 references were found by commercial bibliographic searches. Other sources 

 were located by cross referencing from identified sources; visiting key li- 

 braries; interviewing and sending questionnaires to institutions, government 

 agencies, and individuals who might have had useful information. 



Information was extracted from the literature and compiled by type of 

 shoreline structure and by coastal region. The following categories of infor- 

 mation were sought: structure functions; site characteristics; geographic 

 prevalence; engineering, socioeconomic and biological placement constraints; 

 construction materials; expected life span; environmental conditions; method- 

 ology of environmental impact studies; physical and biological impacts; and 

 structural and nonstructural alternatives. 



Existing information was evaluated and a text was prepared (Volume I). 

 An annotated bibliography, keyword index, and primary author reference number 

 index were produced from the data base (Volume II). 



This state of the art review summarizes and evaluates the information 

 found in the literature for each type of structure. Areas requiring additional 

 study are delineated. Germane studies in progress are identified, and selected 

 case histories depicting the impacts of shoreline structures are presented as 

 part of the review. 



The impact of any structure on the coastal environment is site-specific 

 and should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Few studies were found 

 which quantitatively investigated the impacts of specific structures. 



Structures which appear to have the greatest potential for impacting the 

 coastal environment are small boat harbors, bridges and causeways, bulkheads, 

 breakwaters, and jetties. Those with moderate impact potential are revetments, 

 groins, and ramps. Low-impact potential structures include buoys and floating 

 platforms, and piers, pilings and other support structures. Based on this 

 classification scheme and the number and types of information sources located, 

 bridges, causeways, and small boat harbords have received wery little study 

 relative to their potential impacts. 



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