Army corps will study protecting Sheldon Marsh

6/12/2002

HURON, Ohio - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to study ways to protect Sheldon Marsh Nature Preserve, a Lake Erie barrier beach that has experienced steady erosion over the past several decades.

A feasibility study, requested by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, will consider several options for restoring and protecting the coastal wetland area. Alternatives include offshore breakwaters, submerged offshore breakwaters, and the addition of a gravel beach.

The proposed options will be ready for review by ODNR and the public next year. Sheldon Marsh is one of Ohio's few remaining coastal wetlands and is home to several state endangered species, including the tiger beetle and the small-flowered evening primrose.

The piping plover, a federal endangered species, has historically used the marsh as a resting and nesting area.