Atlantic Reefmaker

About

The Atlantic Reefmaker Story

Dave Walter, of Walter Marine, developed the Reefmaker concept. The Reefmaker/Walter Marine deployed its first artificial reef in 1986. Today they are the largest reef builders in the United States with over 50,000 reefs deployed. All his artificial reefs feature his patented design of natural reef like material. These artificial reefs provide a habitat for all forms of marine life, from juveniles to adults. The reefs are durable enough to withstand hurricane 5 force winds and waves. These limestone reefs can be created in any size, including the largest available in the US. There are four divisions of reefs: fishing reefs, snorkeling reefs, wave attenuators (to help mitigate shoreline erosion), and ships. He used the concept on three projects: Deadman’s Island (2011/2012 – 200 feet, 2013 – 50 feet, and 2015 – 1,050 feet), Yellow River Aquatic Preserve (2013 – 1,000 feet) and Shark Island Demonstration project (2015 – 500 feet).

In 2014, Randy Boyd, Scenic Consulting Group, began working with Dave Walter to provide an engineering perspective for the Reefmaker product. Randy saw a show featuring the Reefmaker and became convinced the concept would work as a wave attenuation system to stabilize coastal shorelines along the Cape Fear River for the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson project he was working on at the time.

In 2016, Randy became a staff engineer for Atlantic Reefmaker, and is currently the Principal. Since his involvement in the Reefmaker concept, Randy has been involved in the development and implementation of a number of shoreline erosion mitigation projects including, Bonner Bridge Sub-merged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Mitigation, Atlantic Harbor, and Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Phase 1, 2, 3A and 3B (completed in January 2022).

Randy has more than 20 years of experience in hydrologic/hydraulic analysis and design. Prior to joining Scenic Consulting Group, Randy worked at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) as the Regional Hydraulics Engineer-Region II. He has extensive experience utilizing hydrologic/hydraulic design principles for the completion of a variety of project types. Through onsite participation in pre/post design reviews, Randy strives to provide clients with the most practical and cost-effective solutions to their needs. Randy has extensive experience in public involvement and coordination with Local, State and Federal Agencies.

Randy holds a B.S., in Civil Engineering with Construction Option from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

Certifications/Registrations
North Carolina Licensed Professional Engineer #22587
Rosgen Levels I-IV

Mark Cooney, Scenic Consulting Group, also began working on the Atlantic Reefmaker with Randy in 2016. Mark has 22 years of experience in senior level project management and engineering. Prior to joining Scenic Consulting Group, Mark served as Director of Capital Projects for the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and Director of Capital Planning and Finance for the NC Community Colleges System. He started his engineering career with the NC Department of Transportation and NC Wildlife Resources Commission working in operational and engineering design positions. He is a veteran of the US Navy, serving as Surface Warfare Officer on the USS Arkansas (CGN-41) during the first Gulf War.

Mark holds a B.S., in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Structural Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Certifications/Registrations
NC Engineering Intern Certificate #A17933
Professional Energy Manager Certification #00286

Successes

After just five years the Atlantic Reefmaker’s positive impact is seen in critical projects along the North Carolina coast helping to mitigate shoreline erosion. Atlantic Reefmaker’s unique design reduces wave energy, reviving rich ecosystems around and near the shore’s edge, including salt marshes and sea grass. This provides an ideal aquatic habitat and cover for fish, oysters, crabs and mussels, because the shore’s edge is critical to the broader coastal ecosystems that thrive in shallow water, abundant sunlight, plentiful terrestrial and marine nutrients, tidal and wave flushing environments, and a wide range of habitat types.

The permeability of the Atlantic Reefmaker structure can be custom designed to promote flushing through the structure for marsh restoration or reduced to near-zero porosity for sediment capture.

The Atlantic Reefmaker’s foundation creates a footprint whose adverse environmental impact is significantly less than traditional rock sills, Thereby making the Atlantic Reefmaker one of the best choices for shoreline erosion mitigation.

See Our Case Studies

220ft

of shoreline saved - BTFA, Phase 1

240ft

of shoreline saved - BTFA, Phase 2

468ft

of shoreline saved - BTFA, Phase 3A

742ft

of shoreline saved - BTFA, Phase 3B

Team

Our team combines decades of business experience and project management in stream restoration, wetlands mitigation, stormwater management, bio-retention, and more. We work with local, state, and federal partners to provide the most practical and cost-effective solutions.

Our Partners

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