Document Type

Article

Domestic/International

Domestic

Location

270 Mohegan Ave Pkwy, New London, CT 06320

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

The Thames River runs along Connecticut College’s campus and spills into the Long Island Sound. It is one of the largest rivers in Connecticut and has been a site of naval and business maritime operations since the Industrial Revolution. However, over time, the Thames has become vulnerable to erosion from stronger storms and sea level rise, calling for action to restore the shoreline. Additionally, the Long Island Sound’s environmental well-being has been damaged over time, with over 90% of its eelgrass, a plant that is crucial to the ecosystem and provides habitats and traps pollutants, having been wiped out, and pollutants like nitrogen are causing marsh damage and creating dead zones, which are areas in the water that do not have enough dissolved oxygen to support marine life. Being where we are, we can make a difference in the marine quality of the Long Island Sound, as the Thames River carries freshwater, nutrients, and sediment downstream. As part of Dr. Rosa’s lab, we are engaging in and testing the efficacy of restorative efforts, such as planting marsh grass and installing reef balls, to turn our land on the Thames River into a living shoreline.

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.