Project record

Poplar Island dredged-material ecosystem restoration

Participation
Not assessed
Project facts checked

Phased dredged-material placement and habitat development; published monitoring covers established marsh cells

Project sources

Poplar Island uses dredged material from Baltimore Harbor approach channels to rebuild island habitat. Published field measurements connect the starting marsh platform, material characteristics and tidal-creek geometry with subsequent elevation development.

Historical Poplar Island monitoring map with marsh-cell boundaries and surface-elevation-change rates in millimetres per year from the 2024 field study

Figure 2: Lorie W. Staver, James T. Morris, Jeffrey C. Cornwell, J. Court Stevenson, William Nardin, Philippe Hensel, Michael S. Owens and Amanda Schwark (2024), Estuaries and Coasts, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Historical monitoring map and original caption retained as printed; background imagery credited to Landsat in the article. Page extraction and JPEG compression by IMWO.

Location

United States / Americas

Segment

Dredged-material placement and intertidal marsh creation

Phase

Construction / Confirmed

Last checked

5 November 2026

Coverage

Related sectors

Dredged-material placement and intertidal marsh creation is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.

Subject index

Related subjects

These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.

Project anatomy

Contract scope and delivery roles

Client / authority
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, and Maryland Port Administration
Delivery parties
Cell-specific placement and restoration contractors unspecified in the cited field study and project overview.
Contract route
USACE and Maryland Port Administration deliver the ecosystem-restoration project using dredged material from Baltimore Harbor approach channels. Current cell-specific procurement terms require the applicable issued solicitation.
Execution window
The 2024 field study examines marsh cells developed between 2003 and 2018 and elevation trends through 2021. The live USACE overview describes continuing phased placement and restoration; study results retain their original observation periods.
Works package
Dredged-material containment and placement, dewatering and consolidation, creek and inlet construction, platform grading, low- and high-marsh planting, and long-term habitat monitoring.
Marine interfaces
Navigation dredging supplies sediment to containment cells. Consolidated platform levels, inlet exchange and creek geometry determine the conditions in which the planted marsh develops; later sediment additions must fit the resulting tidal and habitat layout.
Commercial evidence boundary
A placement quantity needs a stated consolidation basis and finishing envelope. Subsequent elevation gain includes root-zone development as well as surface deposition, so survey, establishment and later sediment-placement decisions need the original material and level records.

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • Consolidated as-built elevations and local tidal references for each planted zone
  • Material grading, dewatering history, porewater condition and establishment age
  • Repeat level, marker-horizon and vegetation records beside evolving creeks and ponds

Related records 2

Reporting status

Project phase
Construction
Evidence confidence
Confirmed
Last checked
5 November 2026
Cited sources
4

Sources and related records

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Source collections

Project sources 4