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Mr.
Ramsey is a Senior Coastal Engineer at Applied Coastal Research and
Engineering, Inc. (Applied Coastal) and has served as Project Manager
and/or Principal Investigator for estuarine water quality/flushing
studies, coastal embayment restoration projects, regional shoreline
management plans, beach nourishment and coastal structure designs,
geotechnical engineering and groundwater flow studies, hydrodynamic and
sediment transport evaluations, and environmental studies required for
permitting of coastal projects. He has authored over 60 reports,
papers, and presentations in these areas of interest.
Since co-founding Applied Coastal in 1998,
Mr. Ramsey has performed and provided technical oversight for projects
involving coastal engineering services and numerical modeling of coastal
processes. He has managed a broad range of projects including an inlet
relocation project at Ellisville Harbor (Plymouth, MA), a salt pond
restoration and jetty design for Oyster Pond (Falmouth, MA), analysis of
wave climate to determine shore protection and wave attenuation needs
for a series of ferry terminals (Bermuda), beach nourishment design and
offshore sand source evaluation (Winthrop, MA), analysis and design of
marsh restoration channels for a dredge disposal site (Poplar Island,
MD), and several estuarine flushing/water quality studies for the
Massachusetts Estuaries Project (e.g. Chatham's coastal embayments,
Popponesset and Waquoit Bays in Mashpee, and Nauset Marsh in Orleans).
Since 2000, Mr. Ramsey has served as the coastal engineering consultant
to the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) office. In this
role, he has provided coastal engineering expertise associated with
shore protection structures, sediment transport, and inlet stability. In
addition, Mr. Ramsey has assisted MCZM with analysis and design guidance
for offshore sand mining, beach nourishment and dune design, and
wave-induced flood damage assessments. Recently, he was an invited
speaker at the MCZM Offshore Sand Mining Conference, where he discussed
beach nourishment design for shore protection. In addition, Mr. Ramsey
was invited to speak about sediment transport modeling/analyses at the
2001 Annual Meeting for the Association of Coastal Engineers in
Washington, DC.
Mr. Ramsey continues to develop state-of-the-art analysis techniques
focused on the quantitative understanding of estuarine and littoral
processes. He has developed numerical tidal circulation models and
improved existing one-, two-, and three-dimensional hydrodynamic models.
Mr. Ramsey has co-authored several papers related to littoral processes
analysis and has employed innovative numerical methods to develop
alternative solutions for complex coastal engineering problems. He is
well-versed in modern analytical and numerical techniques for evaluating
coastal processes.
Since 2000, Mr. Ramsey
has served as the coastal engineering consultant to the Massachusetts
Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) office. In this role, he has provided
coastal engineering expertise during the regulatory review process. In
addition, Mr. Ramsey has assisted MCZM with analysis and design guidance
for offshore sand mining, beach nourishment and dune design, and
wave-induced flood damage assessments. Recently, he was an invited
speaker at the MCZM Offshore Sand Mining Conference, where he discussed
beach nourishment design for shore protection. In addition, Mr. Ramsey
was invited to speak about sediment transport modeling/analyses at the
2001 Annual Meeting for the Association of Coastal Engineers in
Washington, DC.
Mr. Ramsey worked as a
coastal engineer and engineering manager at the Woods Hole Group between
1991 and 1998. In this capacity, he worked closely with other members
of the scientific/engineering staff in developing state-of-the-art
analysis techniques focused on the quantitative understanding of
estuarine and littoral processes. He has developed numerical tidal
circulation models and improved existing one-, two-, and
three-dimensional hydrodynamic models. Mr. Ramsey has co-authored
several papers related to littoral processes analysis and has employed
innovative numerical methods to develop alternative solutions for
complex coastal engineering problems. He is well-versed in modern
analytical and numerical techniques for evaluating coastal processes.
Analysis of Coastal Processes and
Coastal Engineering Design
Between 1998 and 2002, Mr. Ramsey evaluated a large beach erosion and
rehabilitation project at Winthrop Beach in Massachusetts. This project
involved numerical modeling of wave refraction and diffraction, sediment
transport, and shoreline change. Results from these models were used to
evaluate a series of beach management alternatives, including beach
nourishment, groins, and breakwaters. Approximately 500,000 cubic yards
of beach nourishment and modifications to an existing groin field have
been proposed to enhance storm protection. An offshore sand/gravel
borrow site was located approximately 8 miles offshore in Massachusetts
Bay (NOMES Site I). The physical evaluation of this borrow site was
performed in 2002 and 2003. Other recent beach nourishment projects
include a proposed 300,000 cubic yard beach fill on Plymouth Long Beach
utilizing an upland borrow site and a 25,000 cubic yard beach fill at
Cockle Cove in Chatham.
In addition to typical shore protection projects, Mr. Ramsey also has
been involved with the analysis and design of numerous tidal inlets. In
late 2003, the Ellisville Harbor (Plymouth, MA) inlet channel was
relocated to a more hydraulically efficient location. This inlet
relocation project was used as an engineering alternative to "hard"
coastal engineering structures. Mr. Ramsey was responsible for
developing the engineering alternative, designing the relocated inlet
and the "plug" for the existing inlet channel, as well as permitting and
monitoring the project. At St. Lucie Inlet (Stuart, FL), on-going work
includes development of the inlet sediment budget, as well as sand
management planning relative to impoundment basin and flood shoal
sediments.
Mr. Ramsey has a broad range of coastal engineering design experience.
Examples of design projects include beach nourishment programs (Plymouth
Long Beach, MA and Winthrop Beach, MA), revetment design with a
re-curved cap to reduce storm wave overtopping (Plymouth, MA), a weir
structure and jetty reconfiguration design used to control saltwater
inflow to a coastal pond (Oyster Pond, MA), and design of an enlarged
culvert and jetty system to enhance tidal circulation (Little Pond, MA).
Much of the design-oriented work includes quantitative evaluation of
coastal processes to support engineering design (e.g. wave force and
attenuation calculations for Bermuda fast ferry docking facilities, wave
heights and overtopping computations needed for shore protection design
of a dredged material disposal site in Chesapeake Bay, and scour
analyses for the Rochester (NY) fast ferry terminal).
Between 1995 and 1997,
Mr. Ramsey served as project manager and chief numerical modeler/analyst
for a study of the Horseneck/East Horseneck/Little Beach system in the
Towns of Westport and Dartmouth, Massachusetts. This study entailed
quantification of shoreline change (both short- and long-term), an
analysis of sediment transport processes, and an alternatives analysis
for various engineering solutions to local coastal erosion problems.
Additionally, Mr. Ramsey has designed and conducted performance modeling
of beach nourishment projects along the southeastern Massachusetts coast
and Boston Harbor islands.
Mr. Ramsey has a broad
range of coastal engineering design experience. Examples of design
projects include beach nourishment programs (Spectacle Island, MA and
Winthrop Beach, MA), revetment design with a re-curved cap to reduce
storm wave overtopping (Plymouth, MA), a weir structure and jetty
reconfiguration design used to control saltwater inflow to a coastal
pond (Oyster Pond, MA), and designing an enlarged culvert and jetty
system to enhance tidal circulation (Little Pond, MA).
Numerical
Modeling of Estuarine Processes
Since 1991, Mr. Ramsey has been involved with hydrodynamic analyses
of estuary and tidal marsh systems. This work has consisted of one- and
two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality modeling. Mr. Ramsey has
designed field instrumentation programs, analyzed physical and water
quality data, and performed modeling tasks for several studies including
Delaware Bay (DE/NJ), Popponesset Bay (MA), West Falmouth Harbor (MA),
Great/Green/Bournes Ponds (MA), Oregon Inlet (NC), St. Lucie Inlet (FL),
Slocums and Little Rivers (MA), Mason Inlet (NC), Poplar Island (MD),
and Chatham's coastal embayments (MA). The evaluation of Chatham's
coastal embayments provided an in-depth analysis regarding the impacts
of existing and future nitrogen loading on the trophic status of each
estuary. This analysis formed the basis for long-term nitrogen
management strategies within each estuary's watershed. Using previous
water quality modeling expertise, Mr. Ramsey teamed with Dr. Brian Howes
of the School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of
Massachusetts, Dartmouth to develop a general estuarine nitrogen
modeling approach for the Massachusetts DEP aimed at coastal watershed
management. This methodology is now being utilized for nitrogen
management by the Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) in their
evaluation of 89 coastal embayments in southeastern Massachusetts.
Ongoing work includes the hydrodynamic and water quality modeling of
numerous estuaries in southeastern Massachusetts as part of the MEP.
As
a logical extension of estuarine/marsh hydrodynamic analyses, Mr. Ramsey
has designed restoration efforts for salt ponds and tidal marsh
systems. Two recent coastal pond restoration efforts include Oyster
Pond, MA and Poplar Island, MD. Based on the results of more than a
decade of water quality and ecological data, different management
alternatives were designed for each of these projects. Saltwater inflow
to Oyster Pond was reduced by a weir to stabilize the brackish
environment within the Pond to between 2 and 4 ppt. This design
optimized the salt content within the Pond, where future storm-induced
overtopping would not cause severe ecological “shocks” to the system,
yet the spawning habitat for the herring population could be preserved.
Ongoing work at Poplar Island involves hydrodynamic and sediment
transport modeling aimed at optimizing the marsh restoration design
including tidal channel sizing and layout, marsh plain elevations, and
inlet structures. Since Poplar Island is a man-made dredge disposal
island, engineering of the restoration effort requires an in-depth
understanding of parameters governing natural marshes in the region.
Geotechnical Engineering
Prior to working as a coastal
engineer, Mr. Ramsey worked for four years in both the private and
public sector as a geotechnical engineer. This work involved design of
slope stabilization and soil improvement projects as well as
construction oversight and management. He has practical experience in
all aspects of geotechnical design including site investigations, design
of soil boring plans, analysis of soil data, and design of soil
retention structures and soil improvement projects. Geotechnical work at
Applied Coastal has incorporated aspects of shore protection design,
evaluation of soils and bank stability, erodability and consolidation of
in situ sediments at marsh restoration sites, and evaluation of both
offshore and upland borrow sites for beach nourishment.
Professional Societies
American Society of Civil Engineers
● Coastal
Engineering Practice Committee
Association of Coastal Engineers
●
Vice-President (2004-present)
● Director
(2002-present)
● Chairman of
the Continuing Education Committee
Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association
American Shore & Beach Preservation Association
Link to Publications
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