Construction had to be tailored to fit not only the time but also the funding constraints and the site priorities set by the refuge personnel. The project is a culmination of many outstanding, innovating ideas and designs. Erosion protection on the shoreline absolutely needed to be compatible with the Whooping Crane and its need to feed at the water's edge. Articulated concrete mats were flexible to mold to the existing shoreline, and the open spaces in the blocks allowed for vegetative growth throughout. This feature protected over 73,000 feet of shoreline.
Geotextile tubes are an ingenious concept that was refined and improved for use as a breakwater.
This allowed seagrasses near the shoreline to remain intact while providing erosion protection for vulnerable areas. A breakwater fashioned of the tubes provided for 1,500 feet of shoreline protection. Geotextile tubes are placed to form a breakwater in the shallow bay. Spill containment was improved by the provision of booms that would be deployed by Coast Guard personnel. The Whooping Crane habitat will not only stop disappearing, it will also increase by at least 1,600 acres of prime habitat.