Swan Island Restoration

Swan Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, was experiencing erosion, coastal wetland loss, subsidence, and sea-level rise. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and partners restored this island using cleaned dredged sediment. The addition of dredged materials increased island elevation, benefiting coastal plants and wildlife and increasing resiliency of nearby human communities. This project protects not only Swan Island, but local coastal communities from erosion and sea-level rise. After only four months, fish, bird, and invertebrate populations increased on the island. As the plant communities on the island mature, overall biodiversity is expected to continue increasing.