Upcoming meetings
Dynamic revetments: Site-based design, permitting, and
coordination to implement nature-based solutions
September 16, 2025 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Westport Maritime Museum - McCausland Hall
2201 Westhaven Dr., Westport WA 98595
This event is free to attend!
The Shoreline & Coastal Planners Group is offering an all-day workshop and walking tour of dynamic revetments along the Pacific Coast in the North Cove and Westport areas of Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties. Through presentations, an interactive panel, and site visits, this event will highlight existing and planned dynamic revetments, history of the area, erosion issues, engineering, shoreline permitting, sea level rise considerations, project adaptive management, and coordination across agencies and community groups. Whether you’re focused on the Pacific Coast or other marine locations in Washington, this event will provide you with useful information on planning and implementing dynamic revetments and lessons that can be applied to other nature-based solutions.
A dynamic revetment is a "design with nature" approach to coastal erosion management. It involves constructing a berm or ridge of cobble or gravel along a shoreline, mimicking natural composite beaches, to dissipate wave energy and protect the backshore. Unlike hard shoreline stabilization methods like seawalls, dynamic revetments are designed to be mobile and adjust to changing wave conditions, allowing for natural processes to play a role in their effectiveness.
Learn more about the North Cove dynamic revetment project.
Read about dynamic revetments in Oregon.
Participants will:
Learn about the history of this part of the Pacific Coast.
Understand the unique erosion challenges in this area.
Hear from staff at state government agencies and others who have been involved in the planning, design, and permitting of dynamic revetment projects.
Learn how engineers design dynamic revetments to address site-specific conditions.
Take a guided tour of existing and planned dynamic revetment sites.
Agenda
Speakers and panelists
Heidi Petersen is a Planner for the Shoalwater Bay Tribe with expertise in geographic information systems, drafting, surveying, and project management. She's part of an exceptional team working on the Tribe’s village relocation project, a climate adaptation initiative aimed at reducing risks from coastal hazards, flooding, and natural disasters. Heidi works closely with Risa Thomas, Community Development, Climate Resilience, and Planning Coordinator, who brings together Tribal Council, community members, and federal, state, and local agencies to ensure collaborative planning and clear communication. This team’s focus is on sustainable, culturally respectful solutions. Heidi is proud to be part of the Tribe’s effort to strengthen community resilience and create a positive, inclusive environment during this time of change.
Garrett Jackson has 35 years of experience in applied geosciences. He’s a geomorphologist with a specialty in fluvial and coastal projects. He has worked for the Washington State Department of Transportation for 17 years. Prior to that he worked as a consultant for 16 years in locations across the US and internationally. He has been working in the Washaway Beach area since about 2008. His riverine and coastal projects regularly incorporate natural elements and mimic natural processes. He is the lead hydraulic designer for the Graveyard Spit dynamic revetment and dune restoration project. He is currently overseeing hydraulic aspects of construction.
Michelle Gostic is a licensed coastal engineer who manages Washington's Applied Coastal Research and Engineering (ACRE) team at the Department of Ecology. She supports ACRE's efforts to deliver high-quality data, science-based information, and technical expertise to support coastal resilience and nearshore habitat conservation work across Washington's marine shorelines.
Connie Allen is a community activist farming near the coastal beach known as WashAway. She is self-educated on the beneficial and destructive forces of the wind and water; adaptively managing the shore to minimize the loss of uplands using natural material interventions. Connie fosters the working relationship between her rural neighbors and Washington's coastal science based institutions. She serves as a commissioner for Pacific County Drainage District #1 and Pacific County's Planning Commission.
Henry Bell is the Washington State Department of Ecology’s senior coastal planner. He coordinates Washington State’s interagency coastal hazards community assistance team and serves in a leadership role for Washington’s Coastal Zone Management Program. Henry’s work involves leading and supporting project partnerships that improve community resilience to coastal hazards and climate change.
Jackson Blalock is a Marine & Estuarine Resilience Program Manager with the Pacific Conservation District. Jackson assists communities of southwest Washington to adapt to environmental changes such as sea level rise, erosion, and habitat loss. His work focuses on collaborative processes that address today's needs while anticipating future conditions. His past experience includes coastal hazards resilience assistance with Washington Sea Grant (University of Washington) along with rebuilding and water management efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Lauren Bauernschmidt is a Habitat Biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, covering Pacific County and Willapa Bay basin. With eight years working as a regulator, planner, and technical assistant, Lauren has expertise in working toward resilient projects that address the immediate needs of communities while balancing the need for no net loss of ecological functions. Lauren has worked with the North Cove community to provide regulatory support for pilot actions that allows the exploration of natural process-based shoreline armoring and has pursued grant funding to do scientific monitoring and evaluation of the effects these new methods have on the fish and wildlife in the area.
Ryan Karlson manages the Climate and Sustainability Program for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. He coordinates a range of climate adaptation, mitigation, and education initiatives for the agency, including programmatic efforts to develop climate vulnerability and risk assessments for coastal state parks. Ryan has had several roles with State Parks over the last 24 years ranging from statewide program management to land use planning to field operations in the Long Beach Peninsula.
Chelsey Martin is an Assistant Environmental Manager in the Southwest Region Environmental Services Office of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). She has dedicated 14 years to the department, driven by a passion for environmental stewardship, and has worked on a variety of coastal projects.
Zach Meyer is a Professional Wetland Scientist working at the Department of Ecology as the Shorelands Technical and Regulatory Lead. He has been involved with Ecology’s wetland and shoreline permitting for the last 10 years. Working on the coast of Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties since 2019, he has been involved in the review and permitting of dynamic revetment projects.
Logistics:
We strongly encourage carpooling to the event, as parking will be limited at the afternoon sites.
We will not be providing coffee or snacks in the morning, so please bring everything you need.
You can either bring a lunch or grab lunch at one of the nearby restaurants.
Here are directions and destinations for the afternoon tour:
Stop 1: Westport by the Sea Condos, park at Westport Light State Park
Stop 2: North Cove, park off Sea Mobile Rd.
Stop 3: Graveyard Spit, park alongside SR 105 - see parking graphic
Please bring a Discover Pass if you have one, as we will be parking at a state park for one of the sites. We will have about 30 day passes available for those who don’t have a Discover Pass. State exempt vehicles do not need a pass.
Wear sturdy shoes for walking on uneven ground.
Bring binoculars if you have them, as we will be viewing one of the sites from outside the construction gates.
We will hold the event rain or shine, so please dress appropriately for the weather.
We recommend against leaving valuables in your car. You may want to carry them with you on the afternoon tour.
Six AICP CM credits will be offered for this workshop.
Contact Rebecca Rothwell at rebecca.rothwell@ecy.wa.gov or Sydney Fishman at sfishma@uw.edu with any questions.
McCausland Hall at Westport Maritime Museum
Graveyard Spit parking areas