GZA Main menu SERVICES WE PROVIDE Waterfront and Coastal GZA provides turnkey waterfront and coastal engineering, design and permitting services. We navigate the complex regulations that apply to waterfront and coastal projects and leverage our permitting experience to control cost and schedule. Explore our waterfront development capabilities and projects! Russell Morgan, P.E. SENIOR PRINCIPAL/OPERATIONS OFFICER 401-427-2708 Email Me Image On this page: Overview Focus Areas Featured Projects Related Insights GZA’s Waterfront and Coastal practice began in the 1980s and has since grown to include comprehensive, turnkey waterfront and coastal planning, engineering and design services. GZA was part of the engineering and design team for the first offshore wind turbines and the first offshore wind port constructed in the United States. GZA’s waterfront and coastal staff is diversified, including planners, landscape architects, ocean and coastal engineers, civil, geotechnical and structural engineers, oceanographers, meteorologists, ecologists and natural resource specialists, and hydrographers. GZA’s engineering and applied science experience can be brought into our waterfront and coastal projects if specialized project issues arise. We navigate the complex regulations that apply to waterfront and coastal projects and leverage our permitting experience to control cost and limit project schedule impacts. We get your market. Federal, State, and Municipal Agencies Marinas and Small Craft Harbors Port Authorities Marine Terminal Operators Real Estate Developers Marinas and Small Craft Harbors Marinas and small craft harbors provide opportunities for small craft berthing, water access and marina amenities. The planning and design of these facilities requires specific regulatory and engineering knowledge and experience. GZA provides comprehensive planning, design, and construction services to assist in the construction, rebuilding, maintenance, and protection of current and future harbors for smaller craft, including facility component design (e.g., piers, floats, wave attenuators, etc.). Expertise Harbor and Marina Siting and Planning Environmental Load Determination Hydrographic and Topographic Survey Coastal Resilience Planning, Engineering and Design Structure Condition Surveys Clean Marina Planning and Design Pump-Out Facilities Boat Haul and Launch Structures Maintenance Dredging Construction Management and QA Services Permitting and Regulatory Compliance Ports and Marine Terminals The increasing demand for commercial shipping and port access, larger vessel size and the deterioration of existing structures present port siting, engineering and design challenges. The offshore wind market and other emerging marine initiatives are creating a demand to retrofit existing ports to support those industries’ specific needs. GZA supports port and terminal owners and their port planning and design consultants by providing specialized expertise in the design and construction of marine structures including mooring and berthing systems, piers and wharves, marine bulkheads, revetments, breakwaters, dry docks and crane foundation systems. Expertise Environmental Load Determination Hydrographic and Topographic Survey Coastal Resilience Planning, Engineering and Design Site and Subsurface Investigations Structure Condition Surveys, including Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, including Seismic Site Response and Liquefaction Numerical Modeling and Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) Facility Structures Design Vessel Mooring Analysis and Design Construction Management and QA Services Permitting and Regulatory Compliance Shore Protection Structures High wave energy coastal environments utilize foreshore structures such as seawalls, flood walls and revetments for flood and shoreline protection of developed areas. GZA provides comprehensive inspection, engineering and design services for the repair and/or new construction of all foreshore structures and associated improvements. Our design process begins with the characterization of environmental loads, including analysis of water level and wave frequency data, to establish structure performance requirements. GZA’s designers and engineers include civil, geotechnical and structural engineers and landscape architects, providing complete design services, preparation of construction documents and project permitting. Expertise Site Investigations and Survey Structure Condition Surveys Environmental Load Determination Engineering and Design Permitting Construction Oversight Marine Geomechanics The design of nearshore and offshore structure foundation systems, pipelines and transmission cables requires specialized geotechnical engineering expertise in the marine environment. GZA has a core group of ocean and geotechnical engineers and scientists with specialized marine geomechanics expertise and established relationships with deepwater drillers, marine geophysical surveyors and key ocean engineering academic and research institutions. Expertise Offshore Geotechnical and Geophysical Program Design and Implementation Bathymetric and Sub-Bottom Survey Environmental and Physical Sediment Testing Geotechnical Data and Design Reports Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, including Seismic Site Response and Liquefaction Numerical Modeling and Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) Submarine Slope Stability Underwater Pipeline and Cable Installation Geotechnical Failure Risk Analysis Marine Dredging and Sediment Management The dredging and management of sediment, in particular contaminated sediment, presents unique and potentially expensive project challenges. GZA provides comprehensive planning, investigation, engineering, design and beneficial reuse services for marine dredging projects. Expertise Dredge Feasibility Studies and Planning Bathymetric and Sub-Bottom Survey Environmental and Physical Sediment Sampling and Testing Profile Development and Dredge Volume Calculation Dredge Design Disposal Siting and Alternatives Analysis Environmental Impact Analyses (EIAs) Permitting and Regulatory Compliance Beach Management Plans Local, comprehensive beach management plans are an effective tool for managing natural resources for recreational, environmental and commercial use in accordance with regulations and local and state goals. GZA supports communities, beach associations and state agencies with the development and implementation of beach management plans, helping them to preserve and maintain local resources and community and commercial spaces. Expertise Beach Topographic survey and dune profiling Longshore and Cross-Shore Erosion and Sediment Transport Analyses Best Management Practices Beach Nourishment, including Sediment Source Identification and Feasibility Analysis Dune Maintenance and Repair Post-Disaster Recovery Permitting and Regulatory Compliance Shoreline, Estuary and Marsh Restoration and Management Beaches, bluffs, estuaries and marshes are dynamic features that naturally respond to the effects of water level, waves and currents. Although naturally dynamic, alteration of these features can result in increased coastal flood risk, loss of wetland and coastal habitat and loss of recreational resources. These features also frequently form the boundary between the natural and built environment. GZA’s coastal engineering, ecology and geomorphology experts utilize a risk-based, “engineering with nature”, maximizes the use of sustainable, natural and nature-based features and utilizes traditional hard and hybrid structures such as seawalls, revetments, breakwaters, sills, jetties, groins and reinforced dunes where appropriate. Expertise Living Shoreline Design and Construction Beach Nourishment Bluff and Dune Stabilization Wetland Construction and Restoration Estuary Management including Tide Gate and Channel Design Wave Attenuation Permitting and Regulatory Compliance Metocean Data Analysis and Numerical Modeling The accurate characterization of environmental conditions is the foundation of all waterfront and coastal projects. The environmental conditions, and their effects, directly influence project decisions, design and understanding of risk. We provide comprehensive metocean data analysis including statistical analyses of wind, water levels, waves and currents. GZA performs comprehensive numerical modeling of wind-generated waves, tides, storm surge, tsunamis and seiches and has completed grid and model development for most of the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic seaboards and several of the Great Lakes. GZA utilizes Geospatial Information Management (GIS) technology to facilitate our data analysis and to more effectively communicate the results of our analyses to stakeholders. Expertise Statistical Analysis of Wind, Water Level, Waves and Currents, including Extreme Value Analyses Numerical Hydrodynamic Modeling of Oceans, Estuaries and Rivers including Tidal Circulation, River Hydrology and Hydraulics and Overland Flow Numerical and Analytical Wave Modeling Numerical, Empirical and Analytical Modeling of Longshore and Cross-Shore Sediment Transport Coupled Stormwater, Overland Flow, Groundwater, Storm Surge Hydrodynamic and Infrastructure Hydraulic Modeling Scour Analysis Contaminant Transport Modeling Coastal Resilience and Climate Adaptation Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of coastal flooding, climate change and sea level rise. This vulnerability can affect the social, environmental and economic sustainability of the community. GZA provides comprehensive coastal resilience and climate adaptation planning and design services to assess and mitigate those risks. Expertise Coastal Flood Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans Coastal Resilience and Climate Adaptation Plans Emergency Response Plans Resilience Feature Design including Seawalls, Floodwalls and Natural and Nature-based Features Stormwater Infrastructure Engineering and Design Plan Implementation Consulting and Training Financial and Cost Recovery Planning Grant Application Preparation Our work speaks for itself. Explore All Projects Previous Long Wharf Flood Protection Study and Living Shoreline Design Markets Water Government Services Waterfront and Coastal Natural Hazard Risk Management, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Siting & Permitting Natural Resources Data Management & Visualization Solutions Location Connecticut Next 1/2 Related to Waterfront and Coastal ARTICLE Port Newark Oasis GZA's Blaine Rothauser is featured in this short documentary about the Port Newark Oasis. Port Newark Oasis from CitizenRacecar on Vimeo. BLOG Environmental Protection Agency Considering New Stormwater Control Measures In The Charles River Watershed Due to repeated incidences of toxic blue-green algal blooms on the Charles River, the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has sent a letter to stakeholders in the Charles River Watershed informing... BLOG Case Study: Gloucester MGP Remediation In 2010, GZA was asked to evaluate a former manufactured gas plant facility that had since been redeveloped on a busy part of one of New England’s historic shorelines. What began as a preliminary site... WHITE PAPER Surface Flood-Induced Groundwater Seepage Modeling for Coastal Flood Hazard Areas Under a newly raised design flood elevation (DFE) for resilience design, many existing buildings need significant structural improvements to meet the structural capacity requirements and comply with... View All Insights Your success is ours. Tell us about your project. Russell Morgan, P.E. 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