Abstract

Designing an Artificial Reef at Titlow Beach Marine Preserve
Track: Community Projects and Partnerships
Author(s): Anna Comfort, Matthew Holroyd

The Titlow Beach Marine Preserve is an underwater habitat located at the site of a decomposing ferry dock and various pilings. Due to creosote contamination, the current structures are slated for removal in the near future. The site is often explored by SCUBA divers and is routinely used for marine education purposes. To encourage continued fish and plant life recruitment, the structures will be replaced by an artificial reef. Through a newly formed partnership with the Washington State SCUBA Alliance, Bellarmine Preparatory School Marine Chemistry students designed and configured a rich underwater habitat using interactive GIS mapping and AutoCAD drawings. Environmental data collected by former Bellarmine students were considered in the design and planning process and incorporated into the GIS design map. A diverse mixture of tested and untested structures was integrated into the reef plan to create a prolific habitat that will be accessible to recreational and educational divers.

Anna Comfort
Bellarmine Preparatory School
2300 S Washington
Tacoma , Washington 98407
United States
Phone: 253 752-7701
E-mail: transuel@bellarmineprep.org

Matthew Holroyd
Bellarmine Preparatory School
2300 S. Washington
Tacoma , Washington 98405
United States
Phone: 253-752-7701
E-mail: transuel@bellarmineprep.org