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National Park Service staff at Fort Raleigh have opened a comment period on efforts to save about one mile of shoreline on the north end of Roanoke Island.

During a public meeting last Wednesday, more than a dozen area residents and concerned citizens heard cultural resource manager Jami Lanier and National Park Service physical scientist Michael Flynn explain possible steps to counter the waterfront erosion that threatens Park Service infrastructure.

Park Service staff are currently seeking comments, required by a National Environmental Policy Act, on preliminary stabilization methods until February 21.

The focus is on 4,500 feet of exposed shoreline with undercut cliffs as much as 25 feet high. Continued erosion of about 3 to 4 feet of shoreline lost each year poses a serious threat to potential archaeologically significant sites as well as nearby park facilities. Currently the shoreline is about 200 feet from the Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre box office and 115 feet from the parking lot.

The area has considerable evidence of England’s first colony to the Americas and other New World settlement attempts from 1584 to 1590.

As explained during last week’s forum at the Fort Raleigh visitor center, staff have considered biological, geological, cultural, historical as well as visitor use of the area in developing three possible alternatives. It was pointed out, however, that recreational access to the area will be impacted by the project.

The first alternative is revetment to include granite rocks or other hardened material placed as a retaining wall against the shoreline escarpment with fill material added to create an approximately 3:1 slope.

Alternative two is to build a rock berm. This option would place granite rocks or other hardened material or structures on the beach adjacent to the toe of the existing slope and possibly backfilled with trees, sediment or other materials from 5 to 10 feet high with a base as much as 20-40 feet wide.

The third alternative is a combination of the first two options with stabilization alternatives designed for site specific conditions.

When asked about funding,  Dave Hallac, superintendent of the Outer Banks Group of National Parks, said the project is estimated to run from $7-9 million with no funding in place yet.

“Your comments are very valuable,” Hallac added. “Public participation is an important part of the planning process.”

Hallac went on to say an attempt to put sand on the beach about four years ago fell through due to the overall cost and quality of the sand available.

There have been erosion control efforts as far back as the 1940s with the construction of wooden groins along the shoreline followed by the construction of an offshore breakwater in the 1960s. In the late 1970s approximately 1,500 feet of riprap was installed near Dough Cemetery and along the shoreline around the Lost Colony Waterside Theater.

In response to suggesting a living shoreline project, Hallac pointed out that the Park Service land ends at the waterline and there is no clear directive to spend money on land it does not own. That opened up a discussion on possible cooperation with county and state officials.

It was also pointed out that The Elizabethan Gardens, on a 10 acre tract adjoining Fort Raleigh National Park, is not part of the park and has its own shoreline project. There was discussion on possibly linking the two projects together, but consensus was that the timeline would not work out.

“This part of the island is just as important as the Hatteras lighthouse,” commented local resident Jack Cox. “The project needs to be funded.”

Fort Raleigh was established on 355 acres in 1941 and designated a Historic Site in 1966.  The Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre is located within Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

Comments on the preliminary shoreline stabilization alternatives or other ideas for the project may be submitted online at parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=141679 or mailed to:
Superintendent
1401 National Park Drive
Manteo, NC 27954

Comments will be accepted only during the 30-day scoping period that ends 11:59 p.m. on February 21.

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