Swan Island does not sit far from the water it was meant to help protect. In Maryland’s Tangier Sound, the low-lying island forms part of the landscape around Ewell, a small community reached only by boat. Years of erosion and sinking ground had reduced the island’s size and weakened its natural role as a barrier against wind and waves. Then, in 2018, a routine dredging operation created an unusual opportunity. Instead of sending the sediment elsewhere, engineers used it to rebuild Swan Island. According to National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), by the following year, roughly 60,000 cubic yards of dredged material had been placed across about 12 acres, followed by extensive planting to turn the rebuilt ground into marsh and dune habitat.
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