Bringing a Cemetery to Life: Constructing a Living Shoreline for Riverside Memorial Cemetery

Purpose: Riverside Memorial Park cemetery, owned and maintained by the City of Norfolk (Virginia), is located along the Elizabeth River and was built in the early 1900s. Over the years large marine vessels passing through combined with storms have caused severe erosion and undercut the riverbank threatening several gravesites close to the steep side slopes. Working with the City, a concept for a nature-based solution was developed to stabilize the tidal shoreline and promote habitat restoration. Through permitting agency meetings and detailed design, close to an acre of tidal wetlands will be constructed. A rock sill will protect this site from future wave action and account for sea level rise. In total, approximately 1,300 linear feet of shoreline will be enhanced with this living shoreline and provide opportunities for marsh vegetation to thrive. Benefits of Presentation: This presentation will focus on nature-based solutions specifically living shorelines which provide effective solutions to support resilient communities in lieu of traditional bulkheads. For this project location, the living shoreline will reduce wave energy created by fetch and marine vessels, reduce erosion, and promote aquatic life habitat. The marsh will provide nursery habitat for aquatic invertebrates, turtles, and fish. Marsh will provide cover for animals that use the waterway, including muskrats and river otters. Marsh will also support an increase in life that inhabits the intertidal zone and is dependent on marsh vegetation, which increases the food supply for the fish, turtles, and birds. This project site and adjacent waterways will see an improvement in water quality benefits include vegetation intercepting sediments, nutrients, and contaminants in water and reducing the volume of each that reaches the open water area. A benefit of this presentation will focus on how the engineer considered site accessibility and construction methodologies to create attractive bidding documents. Status of Completion: The project was advertised for construction bid in summer 2024 and awarded in fall 2024. Construction began in November 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in late spring 2025 with plantings. This is far in advance of the engineer's estimated construction duration. Conclusion: A major goal of this project was to not only protect the cemetery but make design decisions that upon construction would be sustainable for the foreseeable future. This presentation will walk through the complexities of designing and constructing a living shoreline while keeping the integrity of the tombstones and gravesites fully intact. The perspective of construction access and sequencing will be discussed from both the engineer bid documents and the awarded contractor.