Fraser Estuary pilot uses river sediment to fight rising seas
image: Researchers are testing whether rebuilt tidal marshes made from Fraser River sediment can protect Richmond from rising seas while restoring habitat and storing carbon.
Credit: Photo credit: Jamie Gauk / Ducks Unlimited Canada.
A British Columbia-based experiment to restore tidal wetlands and protect coastal communities has successfully completed another phase.
In late October, researchers placed 5,800 cubic metres of Fraser River sediment on Sturgeon Bank off Richmond — part of an ongoing pilot exploring whether nature, rather than concrete or rock armour, can serve as the city’s first line of defence against rising seas.
Led by Ducks Unlimited Canada in collaboration with UBC engineering researchers, the project has reused more than 27,000 cubic metres of sediment since 2021 to rebuild tidal marshes. These marshes buffer storm waves, store carbon, and provide critical wildlife habitat. The pilot recently won the 2025 Environmental Managers Association of BC Award for Remediation and Restoration.
UBC civil engineering professor Dr. Enda Murphy explains the approach: “We’re learning how to place sediment strategically to restore marshes and offset losses caused by sea-level rise and human activities like dredging and dyke-building.”
The outcomes of the pilot project could inform a regional plan to repurpose dredged sediment—currently dumped offshore—to restore coastal habitats while protecting flood-prone communities.
As Dr. Murphy puts it: “We’re giving nature a hand so it can continue to protect us from rising sea levels.”