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The Project
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View of an undamaged coral spur adjacent to the grounding site depicting typical reef biota in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The Grounding Site Molasses Reef and Ecological Sanctuary Preservation Area contain some of the most aesthetically valuable and heavily visited reefs in the continental United States. It is part of the Florida Reef Tract, the third largest barrier reef system in the world. Congress recognized the significance of this area when it designated the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary in 1975. It was later incorporated into the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in July 1997. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, managed by NOAA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, protects 2,800 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hardbottom, seagrass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats. Threats to the Environment The Florida Keys marine environment is deteriorating. This is evidenced by a decline in the number of healthy corals, an invasion of algae into the seagrass beds and onto the reefs, declines in fisheries and fish stocks, and an increase in coral diseases and bleaching. In Florida Bay, reduced freshwater flow has resulted in an increase in plankton blooms, sponge and seagrass die-offs, and fish kills. The M/V Wellwood Grounding The Injury On August 4, 1984, the M/V Wellwood, a 122-meter Cypriot-registered freighter traveling in 6 meters of water, ran aground on Molasses Reef about 6 nautical miles southeast of Key Largo in Monroe County, Florida. The Wellwood remained grounded for 12 days injuring the coral more as time went on. Damage occurred as result of initial attempts to power off the reef, from tugboat prop wash abrasion, from extended periods of shading under the vessel, and from cable abrasion during several failed attempts to remove the vessel from the reef. The grounding destroyed 5,805 square meters of living corals and injured over 75,000 square meters of reef habitat, including 644 square meters of coral reef framework.
Tugboats attempting to remove M/V Wellwood from Molasses Reef. Click image for 300 dpi version. (Photo: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary) Response to Grounding Vessel Salvage (1984) As soon as the incident was reported, Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary and Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary staff responded and assisted on site until the Wellwood was removed. They provided technical assistance to the U.S. Coast Guard and performed reconnaissance dives to assess the threat of further injury to the reefs. The Coast Guard took charge of having the vessel removed while coordinating with the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary staff.
Immediately following documentation of the grounding, NOAA biologists thoroughly searched the area for survival of damaged coral colonies. Few corals survived the initial impact and the extended grounding period; however, those that did were salvaged and re-oriented in the area. In addition, several large head corals (greater than 6 feet diameter) were turned over and left in place. Settlement (December 22, 1986) The settlement with the Wellwood Shipping Company (owner of the vessel) and the Hanseatic Shipping Company (shipping management company) was not reached until December of 1986. This settlement provided $6.275 million through purchase of an insurance annuity to be paid out over a 15-year period, starting in 1987. The initial years of the settlement covered the costs of a Civil Penalty, or fine, and reimbursed the emergency response costs of both NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard. The final payment was scheduled for and paid in December 2001. Long-term Monitoring (Ongoing)
Historical, Archeological and Cultural Resources Items of cultural resource value have been identified in the project area, but not within the immediate areas of reef repair. Specific efforts will be made to ensure no impact to these resources during the restoration project. Development of a Restoration Plan In response to the grounding and the subsequent vessel removal efforts, NOAA developed a proposed restoration plan for the site. Drawing on the experience gained from restoring other grounding sites in the region, the plan outlined a preferred alternative for the restoration of the Wellwood grounding site. Subsequent Damage Additional injury to the reef occurred as a result of Hurricanes Elena and Kate in 1985 and the active 1998 storm season (Groundhog Day Storm, Hurricane Georges). Hurricane Kate removed much of the loose rubble created by the grounding that had remained at the site during the first year, as well as some of the newly recruiting corals. The 1998 storm season caused further scouring and vertical erosion of the “parking lot” area, created several pits, and exposed the underlying framework cracks to additional erosion potential. Current calculations by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) staff estimate that an additional 46 cubic meters of material has been lost from the site since the original injury occurred.
Satellite image from NOAA/NESDIS of Hurricane Georges as the center passed over Key West, Florida on September 25, 1998. This hurricane caused significant additional damage to the Molasses Key Reef site where the M/V Wellwood ran aground. Restoration Plan NOAA will attempt to restore physical relief to the M/V Wellwood grounding site at Molasses Reef, FKNMS. This will include restoration from damage resulting from the grounding and additional injury caused by the 1998 storm season. The restoration will involve stabilizing the injured reef framework to prevent further injury to the reef system, provide structural restoration to mimic the original relief, and re-establishment of biological communities. The goal is to ultimately restore the reef to the greatest extent practicable, to a state similar to what existed before the injury occurred. Because Molasses Reef is a Sanctuary Preservation Area and a high profile tourist destination, NOAA believes it especially important to design an aesthetically pleasing restoration solution for this grounding site. It is proposed that the repairs will begin May 20, 2002 and continue through June 2002, lasting approximately six weeks. Several sanctuary mooring buoys will be removed during the project and will be reinstalled upon completion. Safety Concerns Although the restoration will occur in a heavily used recreational dive and snorkel area, it must be timed with the best weather conditions, which coincide with the peak dive season. To ensure public safety, NOAA requests that the public to avoid the area during restoration construction. Appropriate notice will be given to the public to encourage the use of alternative locations. Closure area buoys and construction markers will outline the boundaries of the work site. Additionally, signs will be posted in a conspicuous manner on the construction barge and in the construction area. The signs will be sufficiently large and visible so as to be clearly read from all directions outside the construction area. Site Coordinates A: 25° 00’ 37.96364”N 80° 22’ 14.60425”W |
