Habitat restoration, Restoration
Marsh Restoration at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Status
Completed

States

Delaware

Ecosystem

Coastal, Wetland

Subject

Coastal restoration
Nature-based solutions

A $38 million marsh restoration at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, completed in 2016, repaired damage caused by Hurricane Sandy In 2012 and added storm and sea-level rise resilience into the natural landscape. 

The restoration repaired breached marshes, restored dunes and rebuilt the damaged shoreline. About 4,000 acres of back-barrier tidal marsh were restored, which will enhance and support a long stretch of barrier beach along the Delaware Bay. 

The effort involved carving out miles of marsh drainage channels, mostly following historic drainage patterns, then pumping in 1.1 million cubic yards of sand along 7,000 feet of shoreline to fill the deep cuts left by Hurricane Sandy and other storms. The dunes and restored beach area were planted with native beach grasses and shrubs to hold the sand in place.

The restored marshes have created additional habitat for birds, including American oystercatchers and federally listed species such as rufa red knots and piping plovers. The restoration also provides enhanced storm protection for nearby residents. 

Federal funding through the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Act made the project possible.

The project was the largest tidal marsh restoration project ever in the Eastern United States. The restoration is an example of a nature-based solution. Nature-based solutions are sustainable practices that use environmentally friendly features or processes to make landscapes more resilient.    

Library

Aerial view of sea and island shows shoreline bolstered by oyster reefs
Fish and Wildlife Service Pursues Nature-Based Solutions
When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses nature-based solutions to fortify landscapes against flooding, wildfire, drought and invasive species, it boosts biodiversity and human well-being. As wildlife habitat improves, nearby communities realize related gains in water quality, recreation...
Story
Habitat Restoration

Facilities

Four tan-black-and-white birds with long gray bills probing sand for food at the beach
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge was established in 1963 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or any other management purpose, for migratory birds. Situated along the marshes of the western Delaware Bay, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 10...
National Wildlife Refuge
Milton,DE

News

Aerial view of sea and island shows shoreline bolstered by oyster reefs
Fish and Wildlife Service Pursues Nature-Based Solutions
When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses nature-based solutions to fortify landscapes against flooding, wildfire, drought and invasive species, it boosts biodiversity and human well-being. As wildlife habitat improves, nearby communities realize related gains in water quality, recreation...
Story
Habitat Restoration

Initiatives

Gorgeous view of bright blue waters with a tropical forest in the background
Climate Change Mitigation
Mitigation refers to reducing emissions and stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Initiative
Climate Change
A man and a woman dressed in bright orange safety gear walk across a saltmarsh during a deer hunt
Wildlife Conservation
Across North America, hunting was a largely unregulated activity for individuals and commercial entities until the 1800's, when citizens began to ask whether wildlife populations could continue at healthy levels without checks on hunting. The legal framework that has since developed grew out of a...
Initiative

Programs

A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
Program
Washington,DC
Gathering of Puffins on brown rock
The Coastal Program is one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most effective resources for restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat on public and privately-owned lands. We play an important role in promoting the Service’s mission and priorities, delivering landscape-scale...
Program
Falls Church,VA

Species